Choosing the Right Digital Marketing Company for 2021

If you are a business owner, the new year is the ideal time to think about any goals you have for your company and any changes you want to bring to it. If you are considering making changes to your  marketing strategy, you have come to the right place! While some businesses have in-house marketing, many busy companies opt to work with marketing agencies, which are often more cost-effective.  However, choosing a digital marketing agency can take time and effort as it requires a lot of research. You must consider your business’s needs and current resources as well as the marketing services that work best for you. You also want to make sure that the agency you are working with can meet your needs and is compatible with your vision. If this sounds a bit overwhelming, don’t worry because the experts at VitalStorm are here to assist. Here is a helpful guide on the important factors to consider when choosing the digital marketing company that is right for you.

1. Consider Your Marketing Needs

As we mentioned, it’s important to figure out what your company’s marketing needs are. You can do this by looking at a few things:

• Demographics

Look at your business’s demographics. You can do this by conducting a customer survey to find out aspects including age, gender, household size, location, ethnicity, etc. You can keep this anonymous to ensure privacy for your customers. Determining demographics will give you a good idea of your target audience.

• Services

Consider which of your services or products are common and which ones aren’t. This will give you an idea of which items and services you might need to market to certain customers.

• Strengths and Weaknesses

Take an honest look at your business’s strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself what has been going well for your business, what has worked previously and what you could improve on. You might also want to consider what you want to achieve with the help of a marketing agency.

• Budget

Using a marketing company is like making a sustained investment. So, when looking at your marketing needs, your budget should be in the center. Look at the packages marketing agencies offer and determine if their services are worth the investment. There is no point in wasting money on an agency that does not offer a compatible strategy.

• Types of Marketing

Do you want an effective PPC campaign? Do you want to push out content marketing? Perhaps you want to use SEO best practices to improve your search ranking. Before you start working with an agency, do some research on the type of digital marketing you would like to pursue.

2. Background Research

When doing background research on a marketing agency, it’s important to look at the real, tangible results they have achieved. There is no harm in looking at their reviews and what previous and current clients have said about them. You can also ask them for client references for direct answers concerning their experience. You also want to make sure the agency is transparent. That means, if it is a good digital marketing agency, it will have its email, address, phone number and reviews readily available. The agency must also have a decent website and social media presence. Look at it this way: If they are working to help market other companies, they must be putting in the work to market themselves.

3. Send a Request for Proposal

If you are having trouble vetting agencies, a request for a proposal is a great way to figure out which agency will work best with you. In short, a request for proposal is a document sent by a business to marketing companies and contractors, detailing a certain project. A good RFP contains a detailed project background, concrete project goals, a set budget, a timeline and more. Marketing companies and agencies who get an RFP will try to formulate a proposal that will contain details about how to best address the project’s goals and expectations. Sending out an RFP is a great way to shortlist who can really understand your campaign and company needs.

 

4. Hold a Meeting

The best way to get to know a company and whether they are a good fit is by holding a meeting with them. You can also get to know the team members and those who will be direct contacts. These contacts will essentially be new coworkers so make sure you can communicate and work with them comfortably and effectively.

5. Ask These Questions:

If you are speaking to digital marketing company that you might potentially work with, you must come prepared with a list of questions. You should be as thorough as possible—signing a contract with a marketing agency is a big decision! Here are some questions you should be ready to ask:

• Can I see a portfolio?

Ask them for examples of previous successful advertising or marketing campaigns, so you can get an idea of their capabilities and strategies.

• How long do you keep clients?

Make sure you ask them the average window they keep on their clients. Generally, it is better if they can show a steady and consistent client list.

• How will you measure success?

The answer to this question will determine how clear and transparent this company will be with you. Make sure they provide a clear and informative picture of the steps they will take to measure campaign results.

• Describe your company culture

It’s important to get an idea of how their company is run and whether they can collaborate with yours. Can they understand your company and maintain your brand voice? Does their culture match yours? Will they work and collaborate with you to achieve results? Are their employees happy? These are some of the questions you need to think about when observing the core values of a potential marketing agency.

Looking for a Digital Marketing Agency that Gets Leads? Look No Further than VitalStorm!

Are you in search of a digital marketing agency that delivers real results? Get in touch with the pros at VitalStorm! Our team of experts are dedicated to working with our clients to generate leads. From organic to paid search, social media marketing, website design, content marketing and even call-center coaching, VitalStorm has got you covered. Call us today at 877-311-5695! To learn more about what we do, take a look at our clients’ testimonials on our website!