Choosing the right marketing agency can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. There is a vast number of companies and services from which to choose.
In this blog, the digiio team offers up our thoughts on the best way to select a partner to help you deliver on your marketing objectives.
#1. Be clear about what you want
Sounds obvious but, before you go out to market, think about what you want. The way you work and your own internal resources might impact the partners you choose. If you have a relatively small team, looking for a single partner who can deliver all the marketing services you need might be best. It’s easier to manage the relationship with a single supplier.
However, if you have very specific needs and the resources to manage multiple relationships, it might be better to look for specialists in each of the areas of marketing with which you need assistance.
Search engine optimisation, for example, is a very different beast to video production. However, there are certainly some synergies between content creation and SEO. Being clear about the results you want to achieve with your partners is the best way to ensure you are maximising the returns from your marketing budget.
Any (good) potential partner will be able to offer advice about the activities that will help you achieve your goals.
#2. Previous work & existing customers
The rollcall of existing customers is always a good indication of an agency’s experience and success. While high-profile customer names might be impressive, it’s also important to look for customers that are like you.
digiio specialises in B2B and technology marketing. Although we work with some of the biggest names in the tech space, we also work with some fantastic smaller businesses and start-ups. Their culture and ambitions are very different and it’s important that your partners understand and can adapt to different needs and ways of working.
Ideally, look for customer testimonials and case studies which demonstrate the successful projects for companies like your own that any potential partner has delivered.
#3. Culture & values
Working with partners who share your culture and values is increasingly important when your customers are placing increasing importance on your own purpose and values.
Whether you plan to partner for a single, stand-along project or a long-term strategic partnership, it makes for a better working relationship if you speak a common language of trust, openness and flexibility, and share a drive for excellence and social responsibility.
#4. Affordability
A transparent pricing policy is vital if trust is going to be maintained in the relationship with your creative and digital marketing partners.
But there is more than one way to add cost to a project – and not all of them are found on the invoice. If your partners are delivering sub-standard work or delivering late, it can impact the time and effort required internally to manage the project – and the return on your investment.
Sometimes, the cheapest list price isn’t a cast-iron guarantee of best value for money.
Speaking with or obtaining references from existing customers is a great way to be assured that your prospective partner delivers quality work, on time and to budget.
What next?
If you’re thinking about outsourcing some of your creative or digital marketing or are looking for a new partner to assist – either with marketing insights and intelligence or creative marketing solutions – we’d love to speak with you.
The digiio team is a great bunch of talented individuals totally driven by delivering excellence for our customers.
Call us: 020 7902 1190
Email us: hello@digiio.com
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