You’ve come to terms with the fact that you don’t have the bandwidth or capabilities to take on some of your company’s necessary marketing work. So now what? There are many marketing agencies that will claim to have the skills to help your company, but it's important to not just pick the first one you find. In this blog post, I'll expand on the most vital factors to keep in mind as you go through the marketing agency evaluation process.
Are you able to easily find them?
Are the agencies you are considering able to effectively market themselves? If they can't be found in a simple google search or on social media you should be wary about their ability to promote your company. A well-constructed website, updated blog and social media platforms are great ways to see how they represent themselves. Is this a way you would like to be represented?
Are they experts in their field?
While social media is a very effective way of marketing, there's a lot more to it than that. Almost anyone could come up with some sort of content to publish, but what you really want is someone who really understands what your company does. They need to be experts in their own field as well as be willing and eager to learn about yours. For example, at Acadia, several of our employees have engineering backgrounds. Because of this, we can specialize in helping out manufacturing and engineering companies with their marketing efforts. We really understand their business because we have been in that business. During your research go to the “About Us” page on their website and look at the team and their backgrounds. Make sure their people will be able to talk the talk when representing your business.
What kind of relationship are you looking for?
Another thing to keep in mind when looking for a marketing agency is whether you're looking for help with one specific project or a long-term sales effort? You want someone who's engaged during the entire process and won’t disappear leaving you hanging. In companies with a long sales cycle, having a partner to be there for the long haul is critical for success.
Are they equipped with the necessary skills?
You'll want to partner with a company who has a wide variety of sales enablement skills from digital marketing to outbound sales, and all points in between. If they are a “one-trick pony” they won’t have the ability to help solve your critical business development and marketing needs. This will especially be important if you're working with them long-term and more opportunities for collaboration arise. Also look for partners they work with to offer you the complete package.
Is there proof of success?
Another area to evaluate a marketing agency is whether or not they have any case studies or customer testimonials. These will give you an idea about the work they have done for other clients. Look for case studies featuring companies of similar size, industry, and values. Pay attention to actual tangible results and customer quotes. Ideally, they will most likely show what you can expect if you hire them.
Is communication easy?
The final point to keep in mind is if the people you'll be working with are easy to get along with and quick to respond to any questions or concerns you may have. It's important that their bench is deep enough and they will be able to handle the workload during busy times. Correspondence, whether it be via phone, email, or in person, should not be a hassle.
Choosing the right marketing agency for your company to work with is a big task. Keeping these things in mind will hopefully get you on the right track for selecting your marketing and sales partner. Don't stop with a single quote. Get a few and compare. We are happy to offer a no-cost assessment of your marketing to identify any gaps in your plan and give you an idea of what you can expect from our agency.
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