Before hiring an agency partner, it’s crucial to take a moment to evaluate your own team. Instead of diving straight into contacting agencies, assess your current resources by identifying strengths, weaknesses, and growth opportunities.
- Current Strengths: Assess where your team excels. Do you have individuals with specialised skills, such as talented writers, technical experts, or creative specialists? Understanding your existing strengths will help you determine what areas to build upon.
- Skill Gaps and Limitations: Identify where your team might be lacking. For example, are there gaps in analytics expertise or a need for access to better design capabilities? Recognising these areas will help you pinpoint what kind of support you need.
- Goals and Opportunities: Clarify what you aim to achieve with your marketing efforts. Are there opportunities you’ve missed, like seasonal campaigns, due to limited resources? Or perhaps you’ve discovered a new tool or strategy but lack the expertise to implement it effectively.
- External Challenges: Consider factors outside your organisation that could impact your marketing success. These might include changes to regulations like GDPR, privacy concerns, or broader industry challenges, such as shifting customer attitudes or increased competition.
This information will guide your discussions with potential agency partners, helping you find one that aligns with your strengths, addresses weaknesses, and supports your goals.
Finding the Right Marketing Agency
Once you’ve assessed your needs, it’s time to look for a marketing agency that matches your requirements. Here’s how to go about it:
Full-Service vs. Specialist Agencies
Marketing agencies generally fall into two categories:
- Full-Service Agencies: These agencies cover a broad range of marketing services as part of their offerings. They often have large teams with expertise spanning multiple areas like social media and digital advertising.
- Specialist Agencies: These focus on one or two specific services, such as email marketing. Specialist agencies typically have deeper technical expertise and are more efficient in their field, staying up-to-date with the latest industry developments, tools, and best practices.
While a full-service agency might suit general marketing needs, a specialist agency can provide a higher level of expertise in email marketing, from audience management to data strategy.
Discussing Data
Data is crucial for evaluating success, but raw figures aren’t enough—they need analysis. Clarify how the agency gathers, interprets, and presents data to ensure it aligns with your reporting needs.
Ask for sample reports or dashboards and discuss how the agency plans to track KPIs and adjust efforts to meet your targets.
Pricing Models
Understand the agency’s pricing model, contract terms, and any exit fees before signing. A managed email marketing agency should save you time while improving performance, making it a cost-effective investment.
Working Relationship
A strong agency relationship goes beyond being a simple supplier—they should act as a strategic partner. Since email marketing is critical to most marketing strategies, the partnership is likely to be long-term. Look for the following:
- Client Base: Has the agency worked with similar companies or industries? Check their case studies for relevant experience.
- Reputation: Ask industry peers about the agency’s reputation. Positive feedback from multiple sources can provide reassurance.
- Technical Expertise: Specialist agencies often have advanced knowledge of tools. Ensure the agency is proficient in the platforms you use.
By following these steps, you can find a marketing agency that not only meets your needs but also becomes a trusted partner in achieving your marketing goals.
If you’re interested with working with an agency, get in touch with our team at DOWO today.