It’s always a big moment when you realize that the time has come to team up with professional marketers to help with your business. For many people, it’s something that they try to put off and postpone, choosing instead to deny that they need help and to keep churning through the same tired strategies with minimal results. Some people just can’t seem to shake the idea that they can go it alone when it comes to digital marketing.
This is, of course, not the right attitude to take, especially when things are so turbulent out there and you need all hands on deck.
Finding a digital marketing agency can also be somewhat overwhelming when you decide to take that leap. As with any service for businesses, the internet is full to bursting with firms telling you that they have all the answers to all your problems and that there is no limit to their capabilities provided that you’re willing to match their rates. Well, the old saying is true that if something looks like it’s too good to be true, it usually is.
There are a few easy steps that you can take to make sure that the marketing company you bring on board is the right fit for you and will give you the best possible results. At a time when companies are looking to tighten their belts and boost their revenue to stay afloat during the bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing on the right third party is something that needs to be carefully considered. Here are a few tips to help you find a digital marketing partner that best fits your business needs.
1. Look For Expertise
Now, this may sound like we’re stating the obvious, but one of the absolute first things you should check before you commit to working with a third-party agency is that they know what they’re talking about. This can be tricky if you’re venturing into an area that you don’t know too much about, and with online marketing, there are plenty of buzzwords and key phrases that can be thrown around to give the illusion of expertise without actually backing it up. How do you make sure that they actually have the goods? Experience.
A good company will always have a track record of excellence and they should not have any trouble convincing the businesses that they have helped along the way to contribute glowing testimonials. If you can find good reviews, then you are off to a good start. When inquiring with an agency, always ask them if they have any client case studies to share and ask about the results and deliverables they’ve driven for clients.
This will give you a good idea of whether or not this agency is the right fit for you. For example, an agency specializing in local small businesses may have the right tools for them but may not be the right choice for a massive national or international marketing campaign. As with so many things, doing your research and due diligence ahead of time will save you a lot of questions and potential headaches further on down the road.
2. Look For An Understanding Of Social Media
Everyone has a different relationship with social media. Some people favor the same channel that they have used since they first got on board and they are now reluctant to try anything new. Some people are all about jumping on the next new thing to come along to keep things interesting. Some people spread themselves across every available channel, and some people stay off that particular grid entirely. A good advertising agency will be able to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of each channel, its users, and its potential for advertising to make sure that you are pursuing the most profitable avenues.
It’s no use spending your time and resources going after people on Instagram if your actual customers or potential clients are more likely to find you on LinkedIn, for example. A good advertising campaign is as much about choosing where not to post as much as it is knowing where the most pairs of eyes are.
3. Look For Focus
This point is similar to the one above, in that a lot of marketing agencies will promise you the moon and the stars when it comes to what they can offer. These agencies will try to convince you that “marketing” is a blanket term that covers everything you could possibly need and that you need to take as many different approaches as possible to achieve results.
What is an awful lot more convincing is when a company can fine-tune a customized strategy that works, and which yields visible results for your specific business. That’s where something like programmatic advertising comes in. While programmatic advertising targets a range of different channels, it uses cutting-edge ad technology to streamline it in one centralized platform., It enables you to build a holistic strategy, collect actionable data insights and drive effective results. You can find out more from the programmatic advertising experts at warroominc.com.
4. Look For Understanding
If you’re finding that the advertising agency that you’re talking to is starting to rush you into a strategy, this is not necessarily a good sign. One of the most common misconceptions about online advertising is that there is one strategy that fits all, an approach that will work for everyone regardless of what their business is or what their goals are. You don’t need a master’s in marketing to know that this is utter baloney. Every business is unique, and no two business’ goals, immediate challenges, or target audience are exactly the same.
When you start talking to an agency, make sure that they are taking the time to understand precisely what it is that you do, what it is that you can offer, and who your target audience is. If one of these elements is misunderstood the whole campaign could be a colossal waste of valuable time and resources (and not to mention, ad dollars). A personal touch isn’t just about making you feel like a valued client, it’s about making sure that the people responsible for getting your brand out there know what that brand represents. There should always be someone that you can reach out to if you have any questions or concerns, who can tell you how things are going and what the next steps might be.
5. Look For A Company That Will Go The Distance
Speaking of rushing, it is also a big flashing red light if the agency you’re talking to has not mentioned what they will do once the campaign goes live. Of course, designing and launching a marketing campaign is a huge undertaking that should be carefully pored over and planned. However, the next step is just as important. You are going to want to know that you can expect to see detailed reports about how the campaign performed with each ad, with every click, on every channel, and every time of day.
Only by getting to grips with the success or failure rate can you understand whether a campaign is working and what needs to be done to improve it. This isn’t something where you hit send and congratulate yourself on a job well done. This is an ongoing mission that you can fine-tune and optimize over the weeks and months to come to ensure maximum impact.
