Article Contributed by James Burbank
Most business owner whose business has just started to grow and who are getting into the whole marketing game find that the search for the right marketing agency is not the simplest task in the world. In fact, after a while, it becomes quite obvious that this is a task of herculean proportions and something that has to be approached with due diligence and prudence. In the following text, you will find a few questions that you need to ask yourself as a business owner when looking for your perfect marketing agency.
Will I benefit from the services of a marketing agency?
Before you actually start looking at different marketing agencies that are available to you, you need to take a good hard look at whether you actually need the services of such an agency. There are cases in which business owners hire marketing agencies simply because they think they earn enough and that this automatically means they need marketing experts.
You have to work out whether a marketing agency will be able to bring you new business and whether it will pay off for you. If it is going to be an uphill battle where you will be throwing money at an agency and they will be struggling to find a single new customer. It is a cliché, but it all comes down to the return on investment.
What do I need from my marketing agency?
Once you have definitely decided that you need a marketing agency, you need to work out for yourself what it is exactly that you need from them. You may need just a market research and a few ideas on what you can do; you may need a comprehensive marketing campaign that will last more than a year and that will involve your entire brand, it all depends.
The reason why you need to get this straight is that this will be the most important factor in choosing the marketing agency. You will need to find the experts in that particular field. It is unrealistic to expect that every marketing agency does everything perfectly.
Can I trust this marketing agency?
You will never hire a marketing agency just because their name sounds cool. You will be checking their reputability; you will be checking their track record and you will even be checking their finances if you are smart. You can find plenty of information on pretty much every agency these days and it has become very difficult for them to hide things that they do not want known. Still, with all the information that you can get anywhere you look, the best thing is to get a recommendation from another business owner that you trust.
Can I work with these people?
Sooner or later, you will meet with the people from the agencies that you have narrowed down your search to and this is where you need to ask yourself whether they are people with whom you will want to work. This is more important in this industry than in most other that may be involved with your business. For example, when you are looking for an accountant firm, you just need someone who is reputable and know their stuff.
With a marketing agency, it goes deeper. They will need to understand you and your business and you will need to be able to work with them towards getting the best possible service that you deserve. We are not saying that you need to be best friends with your marketing people, but they should be more than just a service.
About the Author
James Burbank has spent years in marketing and brand promotion for US-based businesses in Australia and Europe and currently blogs from home on a number of subjects. For anyone’s marketing needs, he always recommends Marketing Angels, a marketing firm from Sydney, Australia.