We gave you the first ten questions earlier – today we have 10 more. Don’t hire a marketing agency until you have the answers to these 10 questions. Find out how the agency will handle your business and what they’ll expect from you.
What’s your experience in my industry? Make the sure the marketing company has the knowledge to help you succeed. If they know your industry and understand what you need, they can help you grow.
Can I see samples of previous work? Check out site designs, mobile apps, or blog posts the agency did for other clients. Is it a quality you want to represent your company? Do you like it? Maybe the quality is excellent, but the style doesn’t fit your voice. Make sure the agency can do what you want, how you want.
How do we compare to the rest of your business? “If you are the biggest client you run the risk of being too big for the agency to handle,” says Blog.Hubspot.com. On the other hand, if you’re the smallest client, “you might not get the same level of customer service and priority.” Find an agency that serves clients about your size and with about your budget.
What will the first three to six months look like? The marketing agency should think long-term and have a plan. If they suggest random or disjointed marketing ideas, get out of there. Find an agency that focuses on your goals and has a strategy for achieving them.
How will you decide which social channels I should pursue? Specific audiences use specific social channels. A “do everything, get everyone” approach won’t work. The agency should know where your audience is and how to reach them.
How much time will I have to spend on this? You’re hiring a marketing agency to do the marketing because you don’t have the time or the skill or both. But you’ll still need to provide input on various projects. And that takes time. Is the required amount of time doable for you?
What’s my input level? Whether it’s mobile app design or blog writing, you need to get what you want. How many rounds of edits are allowed without incurring extra charges? At what stages of a project does the agency ask for your feedback? And what if you don’t like something?
What becomes my property? Do you own those blog posts? How about the photos that go with them? Find out upfront what’s yours and what’s not so that you can avoid expensive legal headaches later.
Who will do the work? The agency might have in-house employees or hire freelancers. Neither is necessarily better than the other. Ask about the people the agency uses. Do they have the experience you want? What about the quality?
Do you want to work with me? Learn if the agency genuinely wants to build a partnership or if they view you as a client who will help them pay the bills.
Get the answers to these questions about your involvement. (And check out 10 questions to ask about the agency.) Then ask yourself if you like the agency. The idea in hiring a marketing agency is to build a long-term business relationship. It’s essential that you like the way they operate and the people with whom you’ll be working.
ASJ can answer these questions for you. Contact us today to get started.
