Believe it or not, not all companies have an in-house marketing department, but it doesn’t stop them from having fantastic marketing results from winning strategies. How can that be? Who has time to run their business and marketing? If you have been marketing your business to the point of growing too big to handle the marketing anymore, it is time for a change, but know that it doesn’t have to be a new full-time employee that you aren’t ready for, budget-wise. The answer to these winning marketing strategies for companies large and small are the marketing agencies behind them. These agencies create customized strategies for their clients and handle all of the details of execution so their clients can continue focusing on growing their business and serving their customers.
The good news for your business is that with today’s technology, your geographical location does not dictate your availability of resources. The internet opens you to some of the best marketing agencies in the US. Joseph Studios in Atlanta, GA, for instance, serves clients around the globe. With the good news of having the top marketing agencies at your fingertips, the selection can be overwhelming. As you start seeking out the perfect match to represent your company, we offer three things to keep in consideration as you begin shopping for an online marketing agency.
What services do they offer?
There are marketing agencies that specialize in specific services and others that are full-service agencies. Which one is best depends on your needs? For instance, if all you want is to shoot a video commercial to air on television, then a specialist in video production marketing might be a perfect choice. If you are interested in extending your reach across social media, email, blogs, and your internet presence overall to boost your search engine optimization (SEO) to get noticed, then the one-stop convenience a full-service marketing agency is the better solution. These full-service agencies have relationships with video specialists and can coordinate efforts on your behalf.
Great online marketing agencies will jump right in to understand your business and your goals. Once achieved, they can create a stronger strategy that brings in a variety of marketing services to expand your reach. For instance, if you have a goal to be noticed better in online searches, your agency will recommend steps to increase your brand awareness and online presence. You could hire one agency to handle your SEO, hire an independent blog writer, and bring in an intern to navigate social media on your behalf. A full-service agency will not only handle every one of those details but will also synch them to deliver a consistent message across the different platforms and have them complement each other in the process. At the same time, a full-service agency is likely to be more affordable than hiring three specialists. An experienced agency can create customized packages for your business to meet your needs and your budget.
What have they done lately?
We’re talking about results. As you start to make a connection with a marketing agency and like what they have shown you so far, the next question to ask is about some specific examples of how they achieved excellent results for another client. If they have no results to offer, consider this a red flag, for they would be proud to share their success with you otherwise. Another warning sign is if you get an unrealistic promise like a hundred new clients by tomorrow. If it sounds too good to be true, well, you know the rest, and it’s an excellent opportunity to challenge them to offer an example where they’ve gotten those same results before you commit your budget to their idea. Reputable marketing agencies have reports and real examples ready and available to share with you to show consistent success with their ideas. Reporting on marketing performance should be a common practice for them to be able to demonstrate to you how your marketing budget is making an impact and holds the marketing agency accountable as a tool for the continued results of your strategy.
Who is behind the curtain?
Who is handling the work behind your marketing strategy? Is it a single person doing it all, and how well are they keeping up with everything? As their agency grows, what is the likelihood that your level of service will be the same as it is when they are small? For a full-service agency, you want to see a crackerjack team of dedicated writers, strategists, social media experts with influencer relationships, graphics specialists, and a project manager to keep the team aligned with their tasks and goals.
At the same time, a full-service marketing agency remains in communication with you about pending deliverables, updates, obstacles, and results. You want to know who you can contact for any reason, and your agency should be able to answer any questions you have for them. The relationship should be a strong partnership of communication and confidence that your agency meets all of your needs.
Keep these in mind, too
How does the marketing agency’s self-marketing look? An online marketing agency should be putting their best foot forward and make an impression with every service they offer. Conduct a keyword google search and see how close they are to the front. Check their presence on social media and their level of interaction with their audience.
Do they invoke leadership in the industry? Are they thought-leaders? The best online marketing agencies promote their practices in their industry. Check for a blog page promoting ideas for their communities. Check their involvement with the marketing community. Do they have any awards? Don’t be afraid to research their team members’ backgrounds and learn more about the value that they bring to the company. That value will be making its way to your marketing strategy.
Expand your search. The internet has removed many boundaries of your talent search for a marketing agency. At the same time, marketing agencies embracing remote functionality have adopted the same benefits by identifying talent across the globe to work together on virtual teams. You no longer have to reside in a big city to bring the best talent to start working on getting your brand noticed. This advancement literally brings the world to your fingertips. Enjoy the experience without limits!
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