When you’re undertaking the task of creating a fully featured marketing campaign for your business, there are typically two directions to go. You can handle it all in-house if you have the manpower, expertise, and resources available to do so. However, most businesses tend to outsource the bulk of their marketing to a trusted partner. That said, one look at the marketing landscape and you will see no shortage of consultants, agencies, and professionals ready and willing to help. So, which of them is the right partner for you? Here, we’ll look at how, exactly, you can divine that.
Choose Based On Your Business Goals
Not all marketing strategies are alike. Aside from the fact that you want your brand’s marketing to be different from your competitors, you might not even have the same aim as your competitors. Think about what your business goals are and find the marketing goals that can align with them, whether you’re looking to grow brand awareness, lead generation, improve SEO, strengthen customer engagement, or otherwise. This clarity allows you to evaluate whether an agency’s proposed strategy aligns with your objectives. It also sets benchmarks for accountability. Without knowing your goals, even the most talented agency may struggle to deliver what you expect. Some marketing agencies specialize in some strengths more than others.
Choose Based On How The Communicate With You
Don’t hesitate to reach out to marketing agencies to find out more about what they have to offer when they catch your eye. How they communicate with you in that early phase can be a good indicator of how they’re likely to communicate throughout the entirety of your relationship with them as well. For instance, if they don’t provide transparency in things like pricing, their strategy, and how they report their results, it’s not a good indication that they’re going to be more forthcoming when they’re taking your money. An agency that communicates clearly up front and responds promptly is a reassuring sign that they’re likely to be just as dedicated when you’re working together.
Choose Based On Your Industry
There are a lot of general marketing agencies and teams out there that can work with businesses of all kinds, to some degree. However, if you want to use the marketing strategies most likely to reach your audience and ensure that marketing content can speak to them effectively, then you need someone who knows your business. This goes double for highly specialized businesses like oil and gas. Teams like EWR Digital oil and gas marketing experts can ensure that you’re working with those who actually understand your services and how they relate to your audience. Similarly, some industries like healthcare may have compliance standards like HIPAA to keep in mind, as well. Specialists tend to work better than general in the marketing world.
Choose Based On Evidence
Any marketing team can promise you certain results, but not all of them are going to be able to back up what they’re selling with real results. As such, you should take the time to see if they have any indicators of proven performance. When you’re looking at your options, request case studies or campaign results, especially if they have any that are relevant to your goals or industry. Any experienced agency should be able to highlight not just examples of past client successes, but to show measurable improvements, whether it’s traffic, conversions, or return on ad spend. You want to make sure that they’re able to show results that directly impact business goals, not just vanity stats like engagement, as well. Strong agencies are proud to showcase measurable success, including lessons learned from failures.
Choose Based On Cutting-Edge Methodology
You might not necessarily want to spend your marketing budget on brand new methods that aren’t yet fully proven, but you want to make sure that you’re at the forefront of the latest marketing battlefields once they are starting to become more established. The marketing landscape can move quickly, and choosing an agency that’s able to adapt to emerging new fields helps you stay ahead of your competitors. Whether it’s advanced analytics or the rise of generative AI in marketing, you can make sure that your campaigns don’t become outdated to quickly by working with those who are at the cutting edge.
Choose Based On Cultural Fit
Sometimes, it’s not just about results or expertise; it’s also about how well you vibe with the agency. Cultural fit and shared values matter just as much when you’re working with marketing teams for a variety of reasons. First of all, understanding your culture means that agencies and professionals are more likely ot understand your brand voice and vision. It also means that they are a lot less likely to put out any marketing messages or strategies that directly contradict the kind of brand image that you’re trying to build. During initial conversations, observe how the agency approaches collaboration. Do they listen carefully to your needs, or push cookie-cutter solutions? Do their team members reflect the creativity, professionalism, and flexibility you want? A shared philosophy makes day-to-day collaboration smoother and reduces friction over time.
Choose Based On Budget
Of course, any marketing help you hire is going to require compensation to do it. That said, choosing the best fit isn’t always about going for the one that offers the lowest price. In fact, cost alone is entirely divorced from what successful marketing looks like. You need to evaluate the value that they provide based on your budget, instead. Some agencies can provide better return on investment with the right tools and methods than others at any budget. Ask agencies to break down how your budget will be allocated: ad spend, creative development, analytics, or strategy. A good idea of where your money goes and what kind of return it’s likely to generate can help you find the real value at your budget level.
The above tips can help you find the partner that aligns best with your goals, but from there, you need to pay close attention to the results they provide as well. The proof is in the pudding, as they say.
