Digital marketing isn’t going away anytime soon. As the world continues to move online, so should your marketing strategy. The thing more people need to start talking about is the fact that not all digital agencies are the same. The one that’s right for you is going to be different than what works for the other guy.
Marketing agencies that provide high-level strategies for many different types of media are great for some, while others prefer to partner with a company that has a more specialized focus, like search engine marketing. No matter what your preference, we’ve compiled a list of ways to narrow the search for your next digital marketing partner.
1. Be vocal about your business goals
Let’s start with the obvious: What do you hope to accomplish by hiring marketing experts? Do you have a specific dollar amount you want to hit in sales, or are you trying to get more blog readers? Knowing what’s most important to you is crucial for starting the conversation with a marketing partner on how they can help get you there.
Keep in mind that people at agencies have a lot of insight on what will lead to success for your business. The things you’ve tried in the past or seem logical to you might not be what will lead you to success. Be open about your goals so your agency can put together the best strategy based on insider knowledge.
2. Make sure it’s a collaborative process
If you constantly find yourself telling your agency what to do, that’s a major red flag. It’s not your job to put together a digital strategy. It’s why you hired an agency in the first place. All you should need to bring to the table is your expertise so we can translate that into a marketing strategy that will work for your specific goals.
On the flip side, your voice definitely deserves to be heard. It’s YOUR company, after all. If there doesn’t seem to be any logical explanation for why your agency is doing what they’re doing, you’re being templated. That means they’re just going through the same motions they go through for all their clients. Make sure you’re getting custom marketing strategies that actually work for your business, or run in the other direction.
3. Ask what tools and software they use
Good marketing companies will have a budget dedicated to high-quality tools that help make them more effective. It’s not really about how expensive or fancy the tools are, though. What’s important is whether they have all the tools needed to get you the most valuable info about your performance. Be wary of companies that do the bare minimum when it comes to data collection.
If you’re not sure what tools your agency uses, ask. You don’t need to understand what exactly each tool does. Marketing stuff can get super nerdy real fast, so don’t worry if you don’t understand the ins and outs of all of it. The key is to just see that they have a diverse set of data sources and use it to help you understand how your website looks from all angles.
5. Do they have passion for what they do?
Your marketing company should care as much about your company as you do. Full stop.
Partnering with a digital agency is not the same as just outsourcing day-to-day tasks to people who have the tools needed to do them. You want to find someone who has a genuine passion for not only what they do, but also for what YOU do. Don’t cheat yourself out of the best marketing services by settling for someone who treats you like just another client, because you deserve better than that, and so does your business.
