How Do I Choose A Good Digital Marketing Company?
As a small business owner, your service or product may be world-beating but, if you’re not getting the word out to the right people, you’re unlikely to be doing more than treading water. In 2021, digital marketing is the single most important activity that your business needs in order to succeed, and, as such, should always be treated as a priority, rather than an afterthought. Hiring a great digital marketing company is one of the most important things you will ever do for your business but, how do you know which one to choose? Too often, business owners will be overwhelmed by the available options and so will simply choose the cheapest deal presented to them – which can often prove to be a false economy. As a digital marketing agency near Kent, we have you covered when it comes to this topic and, in this article, we’ll take you through the process of choosing a good digital marketing company:
Word of Mouth
In many cases, it’s a really good idea to start by asking for recommendations from trusted acquaintances and fellow business owners. While your requirements may not be exactly the same as theirs, this will allow you to start creating a list of viable options, rather than spending hours on internet searches.
The Search is On
It’s now time to add to your list of contacts by conducting a search. The best way to do this is to have a think about the key things that you’re looking for from a digital marketing company and then use these as keywords for your internet search. This is particularly helpful if you’re after a local digital marketing company as, by searching, for example, digital marketing agency near me, you’ll gain fewer but more relevant hits, which will save you tons of time.
By Request
Now that you’ve begun the process of collating contacts, it’s time to hit pause while you figure out exactly what it is that you are looking to achieve through your digital marketing company. For example; are you looking to improve conversions and make more sales or, are you simply seeking more visibility for your brand? Do you need marketing for a local area or across a wider reach? What sort of results are you looking for? You’ll also, at this stage, want to think about your budget for your digital marketing.
On Request
Your next step is to put together a ‘Request For Proposal’. This is a document which will be sent to prospective digital marketing companies, and this should include:
- Background information on your company
- Details of your current digital marketing efforts
- Your budget
- Your expectations in terms of results
- Audience profile
- Location if, for example, you’re looking for a digital marketing agency near Greenwich
This information is vital in giving a prospective agency an insight into your business and your requirements and, the responses will help you to create a shortlist from your list of potential digital marketing companies.
Task and Review
The time has come to whittle down your list of potential agencies, and this involves performing a task and review with your team in order to examine and evaluate the results of your request for proposal task. This will, hopefully, provide you with two or three digital marketing companies which tick all or most of your boxes when it comes to what you’re looking for from your digital marketing.
Face Time
If at all possible, it’s really helpful to arrange proper, face to face meetings with your potential digital marketing companies. This has a number of benefits including ‘putting a face to a name’, allowing you to see the agency’s workplace and meet the team and, being able to ask questions and gauge real time responses. Some questions which should be asked during the meeting are:
- What kind of partnerships do you have with leading search engines?
- Will my digital marketing be performed in-house or by an outsourced company?
- Will we have a dedicated account manager?
- Do you work with any brands which are similar to mine?
- How – and how often – will you communicate with us?
- What challenges have you identified from our brief? What are your overall thoughts about our brief?
- Can you tell me about a campaign that you’re particularly proud of?
At this endgame stage, these questions should help you to make an educated decision as to which of your shortlisted digital marketing companies is the right one for you. At this stage, it’s also a good idea to ask for a copy of the contract so that you are ready to show this to your solicitor once you’re about to make your final decision.
During your meeting, you should also ask to be introduced to any members of staff who are likely to be working on your account so that you can gauge their level of knowledge and passion before reaching your final decision.
Conclusion
When seeking a digital marketing company, you’re looking not just for a service provider but for a company with which you expect to have a long and successful relationship. For this reason, it’s really important that you don’t rush the process. As with any good relationship, it takes time to find the perfect fit and, failing to do this is likely to lead to wasted time and, more importantly, wasted cash. By taking the time to probe each potential agency and to meet with them face to face, you’ll be able to gain real insight into how they work – and how they will work for you!