The 4 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Marketing Agency

For Best Results, Do Your Homework Before Choosing the Best Marketing Agency for Your Brand

When searching for a new car or house, if you’re like most people, you do your due diligence, researching everything from the quality of the product to the best price you can get. Such big purchases and commitments demand the need to get it right instead of rushing in or taking a brand’s word for it. The same should hold true for important business decisions like choosing an outside agency to help you accomplish your goals. 

When it comes to marketing and communications help, your choice of agency could make or break your business, or at least drastically affect your bottom line, for better or worse. There are a ton of agencies out there that promise a ton of results, which doesn’t make things easy on you. The right agency can take your company to new heights, while the wrong one can take it to new lows. This is why it’s essential to ask important questions about any agency you’re thinking about hiring.

Here Are The 4 Most Important Questions To Ask Yourself:

1. 1. Can the Agency Handle All of My Needs?

The more that technologies and strategies advance, the more solutions there will be for you to take advantage of. Furthermore, the more technology and tools an agency has in their arsenal the more creative and comprehensive they can be with your deliverables.  

However, not all agencies may offer everything you need or will need. Whether it’s promotional product distribution, aerial drone videography, influencer sponsorship, or a crisis communications plan, a truly integrated agency can handle all your needs and then some. 

With so many different powerful channels and tools out there today, it’s imperative to find an agency that strikes the perfect balance between standout creativity and unrivaled research while being adept at utilizing the latest, most effective omni-channel strategies to drive your target audience toward your brand. Meanwhile, because marketing and communications are tied at the hip in many ways, an agency with experts in both can be a huge advantage when looking for consistent, cohesive messaging across all channels.

You may not need certain services at the start, but it’s nice to know that if and when you do need them, the agency you’re already working with can provide additional solutions without issue.

1. 2. Do They Have Good “Street Cred”? 

Agency websites are often quite impressive both visually and verbally, as they should be if employing high-caliber design and copy talent. They tout their experience and capabilities with great flair and often hyperbole. For you to truly know if they’re legit, you should delve into their past work, past clients, and what others say about them, as much as possible. If an agency doesn’t have the reputation to back up their claims, then they’re not worth partnering with.  

For obvious reasons, word of mouth can be very persuasive in the decision-making process as we tend to trust what regular Joes, peers, and previous customers say about a product or service much more than what the brand says about it. This is why things like positive third-party articles about the brand, an impressive online portfolio, case studies, industry awards, positive reviews, and real testimonials are such a huge plus.

Before moving forward with an agency, it’s good to do your research to not only ensure their work quality is excellent but also gauge other factors like their reliability and cost-effectiveness. This includes conducting search engine queries for any recent news surrounding the brand. 

1. 3. Are They Easily Accessible?

Time is precious for everyone including you and your company. An agency that doesn’t understand or respect this, by not replying to emails in a timely manner or continually missing deadlines, isn’t worth your time. The agency you choose should have a good reputation for being responsive and maintaining good lines of communication.

It’s also a nice bonus when the agency is relatively close to you. Sure, Zoom meetings and remote work are all the rage nowadays, but it isn’t necessarily the most effective way to work together. Sometimes, you just need to meet in person to better hash things out. 

There are now many agencies that only work remotely. With some, you couldn’t feasibly meet them in-person if you wanted, their team being scattered across different continents around the world. Agencies with actual brick-and-mortar offices that are reasonably close, even by plane, offer that old-school personal experience that all-remote ones lack.

1. 4. Will I Get Personalized Treatment?

You would think that something as important as responsiveness would be inherent with any marketing agency, but sadly, it’s not ubiquitous. With large agencies in particular, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle, and there’s a chance you may get assembly-line treatment rather than an individualized attention that prioritizes your needs and is more invested in your success. 

Meanwhile, a niche (or boutique) agency — one that specializes in specific services like social media and/or industries like education — sounds like a great idea, but they tend to recycle the same ideas and deliverables with little creativity or uniqueness. If you want your brand to truly stand out in your industry, an agency with well-rounded experience across a variety of industries can offer ideas and tactics niche agencies may not be privy to.

 

For an agency that answers a resounding “yes” to all four of these critical questions, look no further than the award-winning integrated team at M:7 Agency. Offering the best of both worlds — a small agency personal touch with big agency capabilities — M:7 Agency delivers the goods from in-depth research to standout content across an omni-channel experience.

When you’re ready to elevate your brand with the help of experts on the subject, reach out to M:7 Agency first!