Finding Your Marketing Match

 

Everyone has that one breakup that they remember that was either done to them, or they did to another person. Whether it was a super awful, angsty, my-mom-knows-and-theres-no-going-back, or a sad mutual one that there wasn’t much to, we can agree that a majority of breakups happen because of one person who needs space to grow (we know this is putting it nicely, but for the sake of the blog, stay with us).  

 

As the mature adults we are, we know that successful relationships happen when you both grow and learn together – which is the same for any brand and marketing company partnership. The marketing company that you choose should be able to grow with you. Your brand and it’s image will never be static. Things are always constantly changing, and your marketing should reflect that. 

So, how do you go about finding a marketing company that is the a match? How do you find “the one?” 

 

 

Not to state the obvious, but like, communication is key

This is most likely a big “duh” but a company that doesn’t encourage and maintain good communication probably is a big red flag. If you have ideas about what you want them to do, and they aren’t giving you clear answers, or ignoring your input to do their own thing, then you need to get out of there, sis. It’s their marketing, but your brand, so you have ultimate say. In person or face to face time is also a big red flag (if they aren’t willing to do either). 

 

It translates an unwillingness to work together, and also uneasiness – you like to know who you’re working with, and you can tell a lot about a person just by body language and tone, two things you can’t pick up on by simply messaging each other back and forth. 

 

 

Are they overcharging? Under charging? Want you to sign your life away?

Our next big red flag is all about money. How much are they asking for at the beginning? A good firm won’t need loads of money just to keep you signed on for a few months (***this is totally project dependent***). This is like those scam talent agency’s that target wishful teens and make them pay to be a client, not the other way around. If the firm is legit, the results will speak volumes about the quality of the work and they won’t need to make you sign your life away just to keep you as a client. 

 

 

Does the quality match the price tag?

Speaking of quality of work – check out what sort of work they’re putting out into the world. What do their case studies look like? Are they an accurate representation of the services they say they can provide? Are they in depth, or vague? Do they have a case study regarding the type of service you would want? This is why we dedicated a whole blog on case studies – it’s because they’re so important in drawing in clients or potential leads. No one wants to buy a dress they can’t tell if they like or not – so why would you hire an agency whose work you can’t find or see a whole complete picture?

Once you’ve checked their quality, see if their prices match up. We say quality check first because a high price tag doesn’t always mean you’re getting what you pay for. A firm/agency that’s brand new might not be able to afford to charge super high, but potentially could have better work than a firm whose charging 5x as much. So, do your research, folks.

 

 

Would you swipe right on them? 

Let’s say you’re hiring like you’re looking for a date on tinder, bumble, hinge, etc. Does their profile translate key determining factors about them? Does it say that they are: 

1. A good fit for the culture of your brand?
2. A team player? 
3. A true expert in their field?
4. Only in it to do everything their way? 
5. Open to collaboration/new ideas?

 

A different way to put it- when finding a marketing company, hire them like an employee of your own company. Does their personality fit with the brand? The people? Do you think they have a clear understanding of your consumer? 

 

 

It’s 2020.   

Probably our most important question you can ask yourself in this blog – can this agency/firm evolve within the digital marketing space, and take your brand with it? What we mean here is do they have a good grasp on current digital marketing trends, digital marketing strategy, and all things digital in general? Don’t get fooled by some agencies – only 8% of all marketing agencies in this study were found to be proficient in all digital marketing skills.

• 71% were found to be good in most, mediocre in others.
• 15% were mediocre in all.
• 4% were mediocre in some and weak in most.
• 2% were just sad in general. 

While this study was done 6 years ago, we still believe it’s a good example of knowing the skills to look for when finding the marketing company you want to hire. Unless you’re a boomer, we cannot live in a traditional marketing/advertising world anymore. 

 

 

“According to Forbes, the advertising industry is in transition. This is the most auspicious period in recent history, yet it’s also the most disruptive.” 

The most auspicious period in recent history, y’all. Make sure whoever you want to hire can roll with the punches and keep up. 

 

Remember a good relationship is a two way street. 

Yea, we like to think there isn’t anything wrong with us. It’s all them! You’re hiring them to work for you! But this type of thinking could lead to some pitfalls that end up costing you – in dollars, especially. Take into consideration what sort of company you are. 

Ask yourself, are you hands on or hands off? Are you willing to collaborate or do you want them to take the reigns once you’ve given them what you want and occasionally check in? If you’re hands off (note: we don’t encourage hands off, but that’s your decision), hire an agency that has a strong focus on leadership and doesn’t need you to constantly okay everything. If you like being involved, hire an agency that works well within a collaboration setting. 

We wish we could invent some sort of agency/client dating app that could take all of these into consideration, but that’s all on you! With all this info, we hope finding a marketing company that is the perfect match to your needs and grow alongside you. If you think that’s us, send us an email! We would love to meet up and chat. Happy searching!