How to find the right marketing partner
It’s common sense that businesses should be marketing themselves to stand out. We won’t go into the whys, because you wouldn’t be here if you needed to know why. What we’re looking at today is how to find the right agency to partner with and kick-start your marketing process.
There is no definitive answer to finding the right partner, but this guide will help you make an informed decision on when to know you’re ready and what to look for.
Don’t do it all yourself
One of the first steps to take when looking for an agency to partner with is to realise that you shouldn’t be handling everything yourself. As a business owner this can be a hard thing to accept. You’re accustomed to being in control, so to allow somebody else to take the reigns of a whole area of your business is a scary thing.
But what you need to realise is that outsourcing areas of work isn’t a taboo subject, it’s part of the business landscape. There’s no need to handle everything internally if someone who is far more qualified can work alongside you. It’s smart business.
If your business has grown to the point that it needs fulltime marketing attention, you will see the need to have a professional step in and handle things for you.
Look at an agency as an extension to your team
Now that you’ve made the decision to start looking for an agency to work with, it’s important you start your search with the right mindset. There are a lot of agencies out there, some of which won’t be right for you.
During your research phase don’t just look at dollar figures, look at whether the agency is a good cultural fit. Can you imagine working alongside them for years? You should pick someone who you can see yourself collaborating with well into the future.
Find someone who cares about your business
Finding someone to work with isn’t only about whether you enjoy being around them as people. A great agency will be able to look at your long and short-term goals and help you accomplish them, not just manage the project you bring to them.
Whilst it’s great having an expert agency complete a piece of work for you, it’s even better having that expert invest themselves in you as a business and help you achieve big picture goals and offer advice on how to get there.
Look at past performance
Almost every agency you look at will be talking the talk, but what you should be interested in is seeing if they have a history of walking the walk. Ask to look at statistics and performance reviews of past or current relationships the agency has. Most agencies will be proudly showing off their results on social feeds, so if they aren’t vocally using the platforms, there’s probably a reason for this.
Past conversion rates, click-through rates, database growth and ROI breakdowns are all great indicators on whether an agency can perform.
Awards are another thing that can speak wonders for an agency. Have they got industry recognition for their work? If so they could be a winning agency for your needs.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
If you’re not sure about anything, ask questions. Seeing how an agency responds to you and whether you can speak the same language when it comes to some of the more complex marketing terminology can be a great indicator for how things will play out long term.
If you want to discuss any of these points in further detail, feel free to contact Emote Digital or book a complimentary digital marketing strategy session to discuss your marketing needs.