The business landscape has changed dramatically since the dawn of the digital age. The current markets for most businesses are geared towards digitalization due to the sweeping trend of internet access and online activities by people across the globe. While businesses and companies can choose between an in-house marketing team or a digital marketing agency.
There are certain advantages that the latter can offer, and these can be included in some of the important things to consider when hiring one.
Consider an Agency’s Advantage over an In-House Team
Choosing one over the other can be considered as a company’s preference, but let’s focus on the advantage of hiring an agency here. While the main reason why companies choose to establish an in-house team is due to cost savings, a digital marketing agency offers cost efficiency, which means getting the most out of the money you spend. You can check out brandlume.com as part of your top choices when it comes to an agency with a wide variety of marketing services that are handled by experts and professionals. When the agency you are hiring consists of experts and experienced professionals in the marketing field, you can be assured of the quality of the project. This means you spend less time monitoring their progress and you can put your mind at ease while focusing on your company’s core functions.
Look Into the Certifications and Expertise
Whether you have an idea about marketing or not, it is important to look at the certifications and expertise of an agency. Keep in mind that you are entrusting one of the crucial determiners of your company’s success to this agency, so it is only right to check on their key competencies and the certifications they obtained. Check for the agency’s areas of expertise and how they equate to the areas of your business that need expert marketing touch.
Check for the Agency’s Reputation
The internet can be a reliable resource when it comes to checking for a reputable agency to hire. When checking for an agency’s background, check on the client and customer feedback about the agency. The agency itself should have a dedicated site page or space where the feedback information can be found. If you need an unbiased feedback source, there are third-party agency information sites you can check for such information. Reviews can also be reliable pieces of information you can check on a marketing agency’s reputation. The agency you are considering should be transparent about this and should have a page with links to these reviews. Again, third party agency review sites can offer great insights about agency-client relationships. Thus, keep an eye for these valuable pieces of information and avoid agencies that do not have this information.
Explore Options When it Comes to Cost
We’ll touch back on the cost side of things when it comes to hiring a marketing agency. Contrary to the common belief that hiring marketing agencies is expensive, these agencies actually offer flexible rates and methods of payment. Companies can choose from hourly rates, flat rate or resource allocation arrangement. This means that companies have the option to choose which best meets the allocated budget and suits their payment preferences. Choose an agency that is transparent about its costs and is open for negotiations regarding the cost, service and roles the agency will handle.
Assess the Agency’s Commitment
Contracts are an essential part of an agency-client agreement. Typical marketing agency contracts can be six months to twelve months. Contracts may have definite terms when it comes to honoring what is stipulated in them. However, these contracts often include an “out clause”, which means you can terminate the contract for a specified number of day’s notice. Most commonly, the contracts have a 30-day out clause, but this can be extended or reduced, depending on the agency. Choose an agency that has an optimal or extended out clause as such an agency tends to be more committed and invested in its clients.
Consider an Agency’s Awards and Recognitions
There are many awards and recognitions granted to marketing agencies, and when you are looking for an agency, you might as well include this criterion. There are numerous private and government institutions that conduct evaluations on various agencies. These evaluations may be based on case studies, client audit reports, customer satisfaction surveys and other means of assessments. If the agency you are considering has won several awards, it means that it has firmly established itself in this line of business and that you can be assured of its quality of work.
Study the Agency’s Client Base
The advantage of knowing the agency’s client base is it allows you to know the different industry lines that the agency has been catering to. It would be a big plus if an agency has had a successful transaction or project with other clients that are in the same line of the industry as your business. For example, if you’re a tech company, you’ll want to look for a tech marketing agency with experience. Also, knowing the business size of an agency’s typical client base can let you estimate or compare your own business size and see if they are capable of handling similar-sized clients. Agencies that are able to acquire high-profile clients reflect their high-profit margin and their capacity of producing top-tier talents and resources.
Look Into the Length of Service
This generally refers to the longevity of the marketing agency. You will need to ask questions like “How long has the agency been handling digital marketing?” or “Is the agency capable of growing along with my business?”. These are some of the key questions that can be determined through how long the agency has established its line of service. While it is ideal that you should choose an agency that has a considerable length of service, there is also much potential in a good agency that is just starting out and still on its way to making a mark on the industry. Having a long-term partnership with an agency through the different growth phases of your company allows the development of a strong client-agency relationship where your marketing agency can grow along with you.
Assess the Agency’s Software and Tools
While there is no need for you to delve deep into the technical stuff about the software and tools used by a marketing agency, it is still necessary to make a general assessment of them. The most important consideration is the communication tools that will be used. Both you and the agency will need to regularly keep in touch for updates, reports, revisions and other important matters to discuss. When it comes to software, having an idea on how the agency goes about with its projects, what part of their process is fully automated and how the tools they are using generally work can give a sense of reassurance that your projects will be done efficiently. It is also ideal if the agency can give a background about the tools or even provide training and access to use the tools and operate their software if necessary, with the latter depending on the coverage of your contract with the agency.
More businesses and companies are realizing the value of having a dedicated and capable agency to handle the marketing side of their operations. With a well-coordinated and managed marketing being aligned to your business operation, you are ensuring the success and sustainability of your business in the foreseeable future.
