How to Hire a Digital Marketing Firm

Written by Katie Petersen

Are you thinking of outsourcing your social media and marketing to an outside digital marketing agency? 

The decision to do so is a big one, and is not something that should be taken lightly. This agency will have full access to your business and a direct line to your customers – so you want to ensure that the company you do hire understands your business, your message, your voice and continues to uphold the marketing standard that you have created for your business.

Many of these agencies can actually help your company. They understand marketing and can bring fresh ideas and campaigns to your team. They can help grow your business quicker and will give others on your team time to focus on other projects. 

On the other hand, if you do not research effectively, you may get stuck with an agency that over promises and under delivers. They may not effectively get to know your business and thus result in a loss of revenue as opposed to a surplus. 

To ensure that you are choosing the best digital marketing agency for your business, follow these simple steps:

1. Determine What You Need

What are you looking to accomplish by hiring a digital marketing agency? Do you need help with your social media? Do you need assistance with email marketing or creating a funnel for your customers to move through? What about a website re-design or help with SEO? Figuring out what you need help with first will help you determine what to look for in a digital marketing agency and how they could help your business. 

2. Look for an Agency that Knows Your Business

You wouldn’t want to have brain surgery done by a car mechanic so why would you hire a digital marketing agency that doesn’t specialize in your industry? Treat your first meeting with an agency like an interview. Ask them questions specific to your industry. Ask for examples of previous work they may have done. Make sure that they understand what your industry is first before you commit to working with them. If they seem too good to be true, unfortunately, they probably are.

3. Are The Tools and Reporting They Use Effective?

What does this agency use to enhance your marketing and how do they keep you abreast of what is going on with it? Ensure that the tools they are using will give you the results you are looking for. If they promise email marketing, are they using a reputable platform for this? What system do they use to monitor your SEO? How often do they pull reports for you and are these reports easy to digest? 

Knowing what type of information you will get will give you a better understanding of what is going on with your marketing and will help keep you in the loop as to your marketing.

4. Is Their Pricing Fair?

It’s no secret that some marketing agencies will price gouge you and then fail to deliver on promises. Make sure that what they are promising seems feasible within the agreed upon terms. What are they going to be doing for you? Do they have the staff to efficiently and effectively deliver on their promises? What is the timeline for the products that they will deliver on? This is a good one to look into other options for as well. If you know the average price of a few agencies, you can easily tell if one is either too low or too high.

Hiring a digital marketing agency can greatly benefit your business if done correctly. Like any business decision, it is important to do your due diligence and hire an agency that is a good fit for your company. Remember – even if an agency comes highly recommended does not always mean that they will be the best fit for you.

If you have further questions or need assistance with your sales and marketing, contact ArboRisk Insurance and learn more about our Thrive Sales & Marketing Package.

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