Choosing A Marketing Agency For YOUR Business: Everything You Should Consider First
Did you know that there are around 25,000 marketing agencies in the UK?
Whilst there are plenty of fish in the sea, you may need help finding the right fish for you – and we also need to inform you of the fish you need to avoid!
Across the industry, all marketing agencies offer variable, differing USPs and areas of expertise – some agencies will specialise in niche areas of marketing, and others may offer a broad range of marketing services. Whilst one agency could be brilliant at driving national e-commerce sales, the next one will be better at building online communities and hyper-local brand awareness.
Some digital marketing agencies will excel at millennial and Gen-Z marketing, whilst others will be better at producing high-quality b2b conversions. A number of marketing agencies may have a client base made up of SMEs, whilst others will deal with international corporate players. They are all different, yet what is important, is choosing the right marketing agency for you and your business.
The best marketing agencies should turn you away if they know you aren’t their right client, in the same way you would turn down a marketing agency that could not fulfill your business needs.
So, you’re thinking of choosing a marketing agency? Let’s trim the fat and have a look at everything you should consider before you make a decision.
Here are the ultimate points to consider when choosing a marketing agency for your business.
1. Your business vertical
Does the marketing agency have experience in your business niche, vertical or similar? If not, you’re best searching for a marketing agency who are specialists in marketing businesses within your vertical, such as experienced marketers of estate agents, or agencies with a strong record of providing success for local authorities or schools.
Any digital agency might look impressive but if their primary client base is Gen-Z-focused fast fashion brands and you’re a family law firm, they’re not the best match.
2. Your business size
If you’re an SME, you should strive to find a marketing agency that works with businesses of a similar or near-similar size to yours as they will be best placed to drive results for a company of your size.
An agency that works with local franchises, local companies, or even smaller companies that operate on a national scale is going to be your best bet for driving measurable results if you’re an SME.
3. Your market position
Who are your target audience, and does the marketing agency you are considering work with solutions that can reach those audiences e.g., if you’re wanting to reach baby boomers, are the marketing agency experts in Facebook, the social network which boomers actively use? If you are an estate agency, do the marketing agency in question have experience and a proven record of success of driving online viewing bookings?
Furthermore – where are you on your business journey? Are you a start-up needing to build your presence, or a larger company needing to drive, track and nurture incoming leads?
4. Your business goals
Every business has their own goals and objectives and the right marketing agency will help you define realistic yet achievable marketing goals to boost your business.
You should opt for an agency that has proven success stories in achieving objectives for other companies that are like yours, such as online audience growth, and they can show evidence of doing so.
5. The marketing agency’s services
What services do the marketing agency provide? Plausible digital marketing agencies will provide a multitude of marketing solutions for businesses and be equally as strong in them all.
The best marketing strategies are integrated because they offer multiple consumer touchpoints – such as combined search and social marketing campaigns for example.
However, there will be times where your business desperately needs focus in one area, and you can find niche marketing agencies who specialise in one or two areas of marketing – for example, if you need a lot of work on new content and branding, you might want to hire a content marketing agency to produce it for you.
But don’t put your eggs in one basket – a marketing agency that offers a broader range of marketing services may provide you with an effective marketing solution you had never thought of before.
6. The marketing agency’s approach
Does the marketing agency you are considering offer quick, one-hit wonders such as viral content or longer-term, measurable strategies such as SEO?
Do they focus on increasing follower metrics, or boosting engagement rates?
Why do they choose certain digital marketing solutions for companies like yours, and dismiss others?
How do they define marketing campaign success? What would they realistically expect your cost per lead to be?
You need to ensure that when you are choosing a marketing agency their values align with yours, and that they understand and appreciate your business needs and challenges.
7. Case studies, success stories and proven results
Can the marketing agency demonstrate measurable results and success for clients similar to your business? How transparent are they with reportage? A dependable marketing agency will be able to provide you with access and visibility to your marketing campaign results at any given time. Furthermore, they should be able to explain, in-depth, your marketing campaign’s metrics and show accountability for your campaign’s analytics.
8. Dedicated account management
How many people, and of what position and area, will be looking after your campaigns? If you are wanting a dedicated account manager and/or a consultant, then you should opt for a marketing agency who provides that. Consider whether you’re not bothered about having an account manager and are happy for your campaign to be handled by multiple people, as well as the pros and cons of both.
9. Industry awards, experience, and accreditation
Have the agency partnered with industry leaders such as Google and Facebook? (Ahem, we have!) Are they certified in the areas they claim to be experts within e.g. Google search? What experience have they accumulated? Are they recognised as experts within the marketing industry?
Marketing agencies to avoid
Remember, there are a lot of cowboys out there who aren’t as invested in your success like a reputable marketing agency is. If somebody is offering you quick wins or solid promises e.g. “We will rank your website at the top of Google” (not achievable), “we will generate you 10k followers in a month,” (not advisable or realistic), you’re best steering clear of them. Trust us, we have heard them all from clients who have come to us after an unpleasant experience.
Important takeaways when considering a marketing agency
The right agency will be able to offer you solutions that will align with achieving your business goals, show demonstratable expertise, and will be transparent and up-front with your results.
Don’t forget to share this page with any businesses you feel need to read it, or if you’re needing to boost your social media marketing, read about the benefits of using a social media marketing agency.
