7 Key Things To Look For in a Great Marketing Agency
So, you decided to hire a marketing agency to help your business?
In today’s very competitive marketplace, whether or not your company has a functional marketing strategy can make or break your success, and working with the right marketing agency can help.
However, with so many digital marketing agencies available, choosing the right one for your business can be daunting.
This is why we will discuss some essential qualities to look for in a marketing agency so you can narrow your search to agencies that possess these qualities.
Whether you are only looking for extra support in content creation or a full-fledged agency to partner with you, you can follow these tips:
Table of Contents
1 – A transparent and reasonable process
Above anything else, you should look for transparency. If an agency hides its strategy/method from you, claiming it’s a “trade secret”, it’s a huge red flag.
A good agency will tell you exactly how they will help your business achieve your marketing objectives, who will handle your project when the deadline is, and why they choose a particular strategy.
In short, they should be as transparent as possible about their process.
To help in measuring this factor, ask the following questions when engaging with a potential agency:
- How much experience do you have in my niche/industry?
- Do you have the capacity to help us?
- What does the process look like?
- Who will handle our project?
- How much work is going to be outsourced? (It’s common for agencies to work with other vendors.)
2 – A professional, physical location
While there are undoubtedly virtual agencies that can do a great job, we still have to be wary that so many websites offer marketing agency services that can’t back up their claims.
If the marketing agency has a physical location you can visit, you have effectively eliminated a major red flag.
On top of it, you can visit the physical location to meet those who will help you and assess whether the agency would be a good fit for your business.
You might choose an agency close to your business, which can help when you need to send/receive physical documents and when in-person meetings are necessary.
3 – Results from previous projects
A huge plus point when reviewing agencies is presenting case studies, testimonials, and awards from their previous projects.
Case studies are critical since they show that the agency is committed to evaluating their previous work, what they did right, what can be improved, and how to improve the performance for future projects (including your project).
If possible, look for agencies that have case studies from clients in your industry or for projects/campaigns you will do.
4 – Technology stack
It’s no secret that today’s digital marketing agencies must rely on the right technology solutions to help their clients more efficiently.
All-in-one agency management software will help marketing agencies manage their workflows more efficiently in executing the client’s projects while also optimising internal collaborations.
It would help if you looked for agencies that are capable of:
- Automating specific marketing efforts that can help you optimise efficiency
- Generating advanced reports using cutting-edge reporting tools to provide you with real-time data
- Tools to help you identify opportunities in your industries, like keyword research tools, content trend research tools, and more
- Monitoring and analytics tools to help analyse the performance and progress of your campaigns
5 – Versatility in skills and strategies
Marketing is a field that relies on creativity. Even if an agency has been successful with one tactic for their previous client, it doesn’t mean they’ll achieve the same success by using the same tactic repeatedly.
Versatility and the courage to experiment are essential for any marketing agency.
So, when reviewing marketing agencies, review their portfolio and check whether they’ve previously used creative, out-of-the-box strategies.
Ask them to show examples of their more experimental work (even if it’s an internal project).
On the other hand, also review the agency for their established expertise. For example, check whether the agency has a blog, YouTube channel, or regularly published content.
By reviewing this content, you’ll have a clearer picture of who the agency is, their skills, and whether they are a good fit for your business.
6 – Knowledge of your industry
Yes, an agency might have worked with 1,000+ prominent clients, but this would mean nothing if they don’t have any experience in your industry.
The marketing agency should be able to see your challenges from your point of view objectively and actively listen during your discussions. For instance, if you’re a skincare brand seeking an influencer marketing agency like Tiddle, you’d want to ensure they collaborate with top beauty influencers appropriate for your campaigns.
Again, the best way to do this is to check whether they’ve worked with other clients in your industry.
It would be best to meet them in person to determine whether they understand your industry enough and how important the marketing campaign is to your company.
During your initial meeting, check how well they’re listening and whether they are taking the time to answer your questions. Some might fake it and will say what they think you want to hear.
7 – Long-term relationships
Last but not least, check whether they have long-term clients.
We shouldn’t trust an agency that can’t maintain long-term relationships.
Vendor-client relationships are bound to have issues, but it's another major red flag if most of their clients don’t stick with them.
Again, analyse their portfolio and look for successful, long-term relationships.
Closing Thoughts
By reviewing the seven qualities above, you should find the right marketing agency to help your business attract more customers and grow.
You’ll want to know whether you’ll get your money’s worth from your chosen marketing agency, and one of the most effective ways is to check reviews and testimonials from their previous clients.
