How to Find the Right Marketing Agency

According to a recent study by Marketing Signals, 42% of businesses prefer to outsource their marketing.

Whether you’re a start-up business with a small team or you’re a well-established business with a designated marketing team who are always busy, outsourcing may be helpful for your business.

But the age-old question is, how do you find the right marketing agency for you? Read on to discover our top tips on how to find the right marketing agency.

1. Do You Need a Specialist Marketing Agency?

First, you need to decide the scope of your campaign/project and find a marketing agency that specialises in just that.

There is much more to digital marketing than first meets the eye, which means if you have a specific marketing project you need to outsource, you'll be able to find an agency that can help. For example, you might want help with your email marketing, so the first step is to find agencies that specialise in email.

Alternatively, if you want a variety of marketing campaigns (across different channels), it might be more beneficial to look for agencies that offer everything you need.

2. Does the Marketing Agency Have Previous Industry Experience?

After you’ve found several marketing agencies, do some digging on their website and social media. Does the marketing agency have previous experience in your industry or sector?

Previous industry experience isn’t always necessary for all marketing projects because the team will bring the marketing skills you need while you can direct them regarding your industry.

However, a marketing agency with previous experience in your industry might be a better fit. That’s because they already have a good understanding of your sector and know who your customers are (including who buys from you, what channels to use so you can reach your audience, and the type of marketing communication that works best with your customers).

3. Examine Their Case Studies

After looking at the marketing agency’s website, make sure you delve deeper and look for their case studies or client testimonials. Try to find out how much the agency contributed to the results.

 When reading their case studies, try to find what the agency did, how long they worked together and the scope of the work they produced. Along with discovering the results, these things will help you paint a picture of what it’s like to work with the agency and if they are what your business needs right now.

You could also speak to some of their clients to discover more about the agency’s processes and what it’s like to work with them daily.

4. Is This Agency the Right Cultural Fit?

When asking yourself if a marketing agency is the right cultural fit, you should see if they understand your business, your marketing goals and the overall expectation of the project.

Sure, a hugely creative marketing agency may create high standards of work, but a results-focused marketing agency will drive new leads, improve your conversion rate and increase your revenue. That’s why we recommend you spend time talking to the agency and working out whether they’re the right cultural fit.

Another way to decide if a marketing agency is the right cultural fit is by determining if their values and goals align with yours. You might also want to consider the agency's size and whether this fit is right. (If you’re a small or medium-sized business, we recommend finding a smaller agency because you might fall to the bottom of a big agency’s priority list).

5. Can You See Yourself Building a Relationship with the Agency?

After speaking to or meeting the marketing agency, you should be able to determine whether you can see yourself building a relationship with them and trusting them or not.

If you can build a good relationship with your agency, you're more likely to create better results. Forming strong relationships with your marketing agency also ensures that the campaigns/projects are better understood and fulfilled.

Choose the Right Marketing Agency for You

Only you can decide who the right marketing agency is for your business. But remember that the right agency isn’t always the cheapest one, nor is it the one with the most online reviews.

To help you determine whether an agency is right for you, here are some useful questions to ask yourself:

• Can you trust the marketing agency? Can they present you with proof to back up what they’ve told you? What do their clients say about them?

• Does the size of the marketing agency match your business? Or do they have similar processes to your business (i.e., will your timescales align)?

• Do they care about your business and you? Are they passionate about working with you?

• What is your gut instinct telling you about working with this marketing agency?

• How do your values and goals align?