Read more to learn the answers to:
- Is hiring a digital marketing company worth it?
- What steps are involved in the process?
- How can you determine if the marketing team values your opinion?
Starting a business is relatively easy. You need a few permits or licenses, a legitimate product to offer, and a bit of advertising to become a business owner. But to truly thrive and see your business reach its full potential, you need more. You need a comprehensive marketing plan. After all, it doesn’t matter how amazing your products or services are if nobody knows about them. This is where a partnership with a digital marketing company can be a game-changer, offering you the expertise and resources to take your business to new heights.
However, choosing the wrong provider of digital marketing services can be disastrous. You need to find the right fit for your company’s vision and hire from among only the best digital marketing agencies. Unfortunately, many shoddy options exist that will take your hard-earned money without providing results or support.
So, how do you find the right digital marketing agency? Today, we’ll explain how to find a reputable company that will be a perfect fit for your small business. In the meantime, you can learn about Frontier Marketing’s digital marketing services by clicking the button below.
Are Digital Marketing Agencies Worth It?
When your company needs dedicated marketing, you have three options: a digital marketing company, a freelancer, or an in-house hire. For small businesses that require robust marketing on a smaller budget, digital marketing companies are the best option. Below, we discuss the endless benefits of partnering with a digital marketing company.
Work with a Skilled Team
Businesses hire digital marketing agencies because they get access to an entire team of impressive professionals. In-house employees are expected to be jacks of all trades and take on multiple aspects of the marketing strategy. The problem is that most marketers specialize in one or two niches where they might be experts while generalizing in everything else.
For example, one marketer may be an expert in SEO and content marketing but may not necessarily have more than a basic knowledge of other specific fields. But another marketer may be an expert in social media and email marketing, with a limited understanding of SEO—and only as it pertains to their specialty. After all, there are countless forms of marketing, and it’s nearly impossible for one person to be an expert in all of them.
On the other hand, agencies hire talented people who specialize in one field. There’s a designated web designer, content creator, and social media manager—no one’s expected to complete something they don’t have the skillset for. Instead, small, dedicated teams combine their knowledge and expertise for maximum results. Moreover, digital marketing agencies take the time to educate their employees and keep them on the cutting edge of their industry.
Save Company Resources
Many small businesses don’t have the money or time to hire individualized professionals. As mentioned above, marketers specialize in a specific part of their industry.
Hiring in-house or freelancers would require hiring multiple people for these roles, including a web designer, content marketer, social media expert, email marketer, paid ads professional and more. Not only is this challenging, but it can get costly fast. Working with a pre-established team that can allocate tasks to people skilled in certain areas is much easier and more affordable.
Creating a comprehensive marketing strategy is also more helpful than completing one task at a time. While individual marketing tasks may help you create small gains in the short term, only a long-term plan will give you lasting results that build momentum over time.
Keep Things Consistent
One of the biggest challenges in-house teams face is a high turnover rate. Many marketers only stay at a job for a few years due to burnout or stagnated creativity. When this happens, the company must use time and money to hire someone else, and the marketing strategy stops while this happens. This problem is non-existent with digital marketing agencies, and you can rest assured the plan will be executed monthly.
The benefits of working with a digital marketing company are endless. However, it’s time to discuss choosing the right one for your small business.
What Steps Are Involved in Hiring a Digital Marketing Company?
You now know that hiring a digital marketing company over in-house employees or freelancers is better for your small business in terms of time, finances and results. Now, it’s time to learn how to choose and hire the right company to take your unique business to the next level.
Set Some Goals
Setting goals for the partnership is important before signing a contract. Consider why you’re hiring an agency. Do you want to introduce a new product, build an online community or completely redo the website?
Perhaps the most prevalent reason business owners choose to work with a digital marketing company is that they want more leads and conversions. They want to create brand awareness, hopefully leading to increased profits. These professionals want to know how such services can help them make more money and gain more customers. Consider establishing these goals from the outset so things stay on track.
Of course, if you’re unsure of your goals, the best marketing companies offer consultations. You can tell them about your general hopes for the future, your budget and anything you know has (or hasn’t) worked for your business. Then, the marketing professional can provide short-term and long-term goal suggestions, along with what services they believe will be the most beneficial.
Do Your Research
Researching an agency is a must. You should never work with someone who hasn’t proven their skills. Be on the lookout for these things during your research:
- Case Studies – Many agencies post case studies on their website to prove it was a successful partnership. Check their website to see proof of their work.
- Testimonials – Try to find out what people are saying about their experience. Are the testimonials posted on the site? If they’re not, it could indicate they’re trying to hide something.
- Reviews – Go through a third-party site to find reviews of the agency. What are people saying on other areas of the internet? Are the non-affiliated comments just as stellar as what the site says?
- Check Out Their Website—Does the agency “practice what they preach?” Is their website optimized for search, linked to social media accounts and filled with creative content? An underdeveloped website might indicate the effort they’ll put into your project.
Meet with The Company and Ask Questions
Meeting with a company before signing anything is a standard business practice. So, set up several meetings to determine the best digital marketing agencies. Prepare an agenda with questions about what you want and how the agency works.
Reporting Progress
When starting a digital marketing campaign, it’s only natural to want to know how things are progressing. Ask team members how they plan to track the strategy’s success. Is there a client dashboard that shows you what’s going on? Or does the agency produce spreadsheets that display the numbers? Let them know that you want to be informed throughout the entire project.
At this point, you should also inquire about the software the agency uses to measure success. Will you have access to Google Analytics to see and monitor changes? Teams that are vague in their answers might not want your opinions, and that’s something to watch out for.
Services Included in the Contract
Digital marketing has several components. Business owners can choose to embark on an SEO campaign, try paid ads, solely focus on content creation or participate in social media advertising.
Of course, they can select a strategy that includes all or several of these services. Before signing the contract, make sure you know what’s included. Confirm that the project’s scope aligns with your business goals and that nothing is too far off from what you need.
The People Working on the Project
We’ve mentioned the word partnership several times throughout this piece. We believe that’s what a contract should be—a collaborative effort to increase the brand’s online visibility. Let agencies know you want to build a relationship with the team working on the project. The more the team members get to know you and the company, the more likely they’ll understand your goals.
Scalability and Flexibility of the Services
Another reason many business leaders work with digital marketing agencies is their scalability. When meeting with a team, ask about the strategy’s flexibility. Can you increase the agency’s involvement if you want to launch a new website and scale back when things are less busy?
Meeting and asking questions are essential steps to hiring a digital marketing company. Letting the team pitch you the strategy ideas is the only way to determine if they’re right for you.
Does the Agency Value Your Opinion?
Steer clear of marketing companies that want to keep you out of the loop. Teams that don’t consider your opinions might want to control the entire project. Below are a few signs that the prospective agency values what you have to say.
They Ask Questions About Your Brand
Agencies that ask questions are the best! Asking questions shows the team wants to understand your brand and the goals you have for the marketing strategy. Have they asked what the ideal content for your website looks like? Do they understand the voice and tone you want to capture? Perhaps most importantly, do you feel they know who your target audience is? The answers to these questions will help you decide whether the agency is a good fit.
You’re Involved in the Meeting
Pay attention to how involved you are in the initial meeting. Do you feel it’s a welcoming environment to ask questions? Are you more than just a number? Avoid teams that talk down to you, and look for teams that explain things you’re unfamiliar with. The agency should take time to explain the process thoroughly.
You must do a lot of behind-the-scenes work before forming a partnership with a digital marketing company. Although it might seem cumbersome, the steps mentioned above will ensure you end up with the perfect match.
How Does Price Come into Play?
Cost is the final factor we can’t ignore when hiring digital marketers. Ask about pricing during consultations to determine if you can afford the services. There are a few things to consider regarding price and signing a contract.
The Budget
When making the agenda for the first meeting, include what you hope to spend on digital marketing services. Don’t let an agency talk you into spending more than you can afford. The last thing you want is to spend so much on marketing that other business areas suffer.
When to Expect Results
When considering the price, ask about when you can expect results. SEO and paid ads have different timelines. SEO is a “long game” strategy. It might take months to see progress, but when it comes, it lasts. Conversely, you’ll see immediate results with paid ads, but the results might be fleeting. Consider these points when deciding how much money to allocate to digital marketing.
Interested in a Digital Marketing Company Focused on Small Businesses Like Yours?
This blog has shown you how valuable hiring a digital marketing company is and why it’s the better option over freelancers or in-house staff. If you’re a small or medium-sized business, you’ll be happy to know that Frontier Marketing is focused solely on marketing that fits your unique needs. Check out our portfolio and case studies for proof of the fantastic work we’ve provided companies like yours over the years!
Ready to take your small business to the next frontier? Call us today at (847) 254-0837. One of our dedicated, professional marketers is ready to help!
