How do you know when it’s time to switch to a digital agency and stop trying to do your marketing yourself? And when you get to that point, what qualities and attributes should you look for in an agency, and how do you know you can trust the company you choose? We’ve put together a checklist to help you identify when it’s time and how to go about it. 
When it’s Time
It’s time to consider hiring some help with your inbound marketing when you identify some of these signs:
- The level of marketing expertize you need is beyond the capability of anyone in-house
- The quantity of work needed to maintain your marketing schedule just isn’t do-able with your current staff
- You can’t afford to employ people full-time to provide the skills you need
- Your business is growing and you desperately need a marketing-focused website, content marketing and social media activities
- Your target market is online but you have no way to capture leads without spending hours figuring out how lead generation works
- You have a specific project (or three!) requiring intensive, short-term marketing activities
All of these are good reasons to look for an agency to handle your digital marketing professionally.
What to Look For in an Agency
Inbound marketing agencies are a dime a dozen at the moment, and choosing the right one for your purposes isn’t an exact science. Here are some of the things you should look for in an agency:
- Knowledge of Your Industry. Ok, it isn’t essential for the agency to have hands-on experience in the kind of products or services you sell. That would require either using an agency currently working for a competitor, or one that has previously done so (and then you have to ask why they aren’t any longer!). Look for a company that has broad knowledge of the marketplace you operate in, such as home improvement or real estate if you’re a remodeling contractor, or the services industry if you are a business consultant.
- Synergies with Your Marketing Strategy. If your business plan includes allocating a sizeable chunk of your marketing to spend on search engine optimization, look for an agency specializing in SEO. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with outsourcing a portion of the work, you need to determine what is being done in-house and what isn’t. There’s no point in contracting someone who outsources aspects of the work that you might have internal expertize in.
- Matching Vision. Find an agency whose vision and scope is closely aligned with your own goals. Avoid contracting with a company that recommends fantastical marketing plans you simply don’t have resources to implement. Work with the agency you are considering to determine the resources you need to carry out their plans and then identify whether you can afford them.
- Sustainability. You don’t want to waste money, so before hiring an agency you need an idea of what type of strategy they are likely to suggest. That way, you can determine whether it’s going to bring you long-term benefits or merely a short-term fix. Look for an agency whose recommendations are likely to match your overall goals.
- A Track Record. Any agency you consider to help you implement inbound marketing plans needs to be able to show a track record of practicing whatever they preach. If you’re looking for assistance with your content marketing, for example, there’s no point in hiring a company that doesn’t implement its own content strategy.
Once you’ve identified one or more agencies that fit the bill, you can evaluate them according to your checklist.
Evaluating Your Options
Chances are good you’ll find an agency that seems to have everything lined up perfectly in accordance with your philosophy, budget and goals. How then do you determine whether they will be the right one for your company? Evaluating your options scientifically includes:
- Check References. No, we don’t mean reading anonymous testimonials on their website. Ask for contact details for real customers and make sure you call them personally for a reference.
- Determine their Stability. The last thing you want is to go through this process again in a year or two. An agency that can show a few long-term clients is more likely to be around for the long-term, and that level of stability will give you peace of mind.
- Find out Billing Policies. Most disagreements occur because of money, so ask upfront what their billing cycle is and their terms and conditions are. Then evaluate whether this fits it with your cash flow situation and negotiate if necessary.
Using this checklist will help you to know when it’s time to outsource your marketing and to find the right marketing agency to appoint to handle your account.
*Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
