The selection process for partnering with a marketing agency is comparable to dating.
After all, you want the relationship to be successful, consistent with your values, and advantageous to both of you in the long run.
Being a ‘perfect pairing’ is also beneficial to the agency in question as a strong partnership and matched goals create the perfect foundations for long-lasting collaboration and creativity.
To aid the journey of finding the perfect marketing agency partner for your business, we have put together a list of questions for you to consider.
First, let’s start with a very important question for you to ask yourself and your team…
What are we looking for an agency to do for our company?
You might only need a marketing strategy or bespoke creative concepts if you already have a marketing team in place internally. Or, if you have a marketing strategy, you need a delivery team to put it into action. Before reaching out, spend some time outlining your objectives and available resources to better understand what you require from an agency. (Pro tip – if you have absolutely no idea, then it’s likely a strategic agency will be your first port of call!)
Your requirements may shift when considering short-term or long-term objectives… and that is okay too! Different agency relationships may grow with your business but having an idea of what you need right now will help you find the right partner sooner.
Now, what should you ask the agency directly…
What is your expertise?
Run away if they shout “everything”!
It is impossible to properly serve everyone while trying to cover too many bases. You want to collaborate with an agency that is aware of its strengths and weaknesses. Finding an agency that is a perfect fit for the kind of work you need to do to grow is important, whether it be a new brand, website design, social media, content creation, print, PR…. (the list goes on!)
How will the agency work with us to achieve our company goals?
Strategic partners make up the top digital marketing agencies. The broad and inclusive view of marketing equips strategic agencies to think through and solve your company’s problems beyond lead generation and client conversion. Every deliverable should go back to the objectives of your business. Your vision should be emphasised in every action item.
A company that rows at a different pace is the last thing you need. Right away, search for alignment cues.
What are your core values?
The motto of a company is not as important as its core values. Core values drive and motivate the team to maintain focus on what is important to the company and the clients. The values are also what keep stability when things get busy and demands increase.
You might want to seek elsewhere if the chosen agency’s values don’t seem to line up with yours.
Who will we be working with on a regular basis? Will we have a dedicated account manager?
The people you work with have a significant impact on your success and satisfaction on a daily basis, as you undoubtedly already know from your many professional experiences. You ultimately get new teammates when you work with a marketing agency, so make sure your new colleagues are good people who you look forward to working with.
It’s totally normal to ask whether you can meet the team members who will be working on your project… and we would raise a big red flag if those key members are hidden away from you!
Is all the work done in-house?
Although it might not be a deal-breaker, this knowledge is crucial. Teams who are connected and interact frequently find it easier to coordinate on projects. Plus, having open transparency around resources and delivery is key to a strong relationship.
Collate your answers, and always trust your gut!
It can be difficult to decide which marketing agency to hire… and just like dating, you may kiss some frogs along the way! However, if you have a decent set of questions to help you and have already outlined your company’s goals, you should be able to select an agency that is a good fit overall and results in a fruitful partnership!
If you are looking for a strategic marketing agency that thrives on delivering high-quality, creative projects… then we would love to answer the above questions for you and see if we are a match made in heaven.
We are easy to reach, simply click get in touch below or email hello@madeofmore.agency
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