Last week we discussed the 3 Reasons Why Google Says You Need a Marketing Agency as well as the 3 Things You Should Expect from a Marketing Agency, which we learned at the Sagefrog Marketing Group and Google #PartnersConnect event Wednesday (5/21), hosted at our headquarters in Doylestown, PA and led by Google executives via live telecast.
Google executive and featured speaker Ben Wood, Director of Channel Sales Americas, first told us why you need a marketing agency and then explained what you should expect from an agency. Below are the 9 questions you should ask a marketing agency before contracting them for business.
1. What services will you provide?
Are they strictly online marketing, PR/Advertising, branding and web design or are they a full-service integrated agency?
2. What is your area of specialty?
What sort of clients do they primarily work with and are they similar to yours?
3. What types of results should you expect?
Can they really help grow your business? Look for an agency with a goal oriented sales process that will listen to and understand your needs before they launch into their sales pitch.
4. What is the fee structure?
Are they retainer based or project based? Also, how much is their hourly rate? Take into consideration how much you are spending on outdated tactics, costs of ineffective in-house employees and how much you are looking to grow your business. All of this will factor in to your projected marketing budget.
5. Can you provide us with references?
A quality agency should be able to provide you with three credible references.
6. Can we see examples of your work?
A quality agency will also want to show you the great work that they have done and the great work that they can potentially do for you. Additionally, check out their website. See if they have a company blog and if they practice what they preach in terms of marketing services.
7. How often will we interact?
A great marketing agency will set up regular check-ins with senior-level points of contact to ensure that all marketing tactics and plans are on schedule and in line with your goals. They will also provide you with the proper metrics to track your marketing growth and pinpoint the areas that need improvement.
8. What tools do you use to execute marketing campaigns?
Some of these tools include Salesforce, ExactTarget, Hubspot, Hootsuite, Google Analytics, etc. A mix of these tools and others improves marketing efficiency and will help your business reach its maximum potential.
9. How long will it take to see results?
In addition to the types of results you should expect, it is important to understand how long it will take to see quality results. Quicker does not always mean better and it can take up to 6-12 months to generate significant results. If you are running an online AdWords campaign it takes time to do the proper keyword research – which is constantly evolving, develop a strong infrastructure and then create educational content around those search terms. Also, think about how long it takes for your prospects to move through the sales cycle, as this will also contribute to your marketing results timeframe.
For full-service integrated marketing from a certified #GooglePartner, please contact Sagefrog Marketing Group at 215-230-9024 or visit sagefrog.com.
