Five Fails to Avoid When Hiring Marketing Agencies

Ever notice when a company’s website looks the same on a phone as well as on a large-resolution monitor? Maybe you’ve heard a business owner complaining that they get stuck on hold every time they have a question about their advertisements? If you have, then you’ve come across two common and critical mistakes businesses make when they hire on a marketing agency.

Oftentimes, budget constraints or a harried schedule can lead to small businesses just hiring whoever they can to handle their online marketing...which leads to the aforementioned shouts of anger every time they have to hear that hold music again. Check out these five common mistakes businesses make in regards to their marketing agency, and more importantly, how to avoid falling into those same traps!

1)  Keep Your Marketers Close...and Their Agency Closer

So maybe you’re running around like a crazy person and just don’t have the time to research every single marketing firm in the country. Understandable! Don’t make the blunder other businesses do by just going for the first option that looks good, though, as that can lead to terrible customer service, communication breakdowns and feeling like you’re just not a priority.

Stay in town! Hiring local workers can help your business in several ways. In strict regards to your marketing, staying local gives you the opportunity to talk face-to-face to those responsible for getting customers walking through your doors. The chance to show up at a moment’s notice and converse about all aspects of how your company is presented is a huge chance to remain fluid, flexible and fancied by everyone in town. The psychology of civic duty is a strong, after all.

2) Be Firmly Flexible

Why do you do what you do? What are you wanting to put out into the world? It’s extremely easy to miss the forest for the trees, so remember what it is that motivates you in the first place and the end result you want to achieve.

...because there are approximately infinity ways to get there.

Partnering up with an agency is just like joining forces with any new cohort.  Owners that are too strict ultimately earn a terrible reputation.  Meanwhile, people who lean towards the other extreme oftentimes are disappointed with the materials they’re presented due to a lack of conversation.  Don’t just “post and pray” or demand perfection.  Maintaining a firm vision of what you want while allowing your marketers the chance to handle how you get there is the ideal relationship, so be collaborative, but never forget what you want to achieve.

3) Before You Sign, Look for Signs...

Contracts sometimes seem like a necessary evil, but know that these agreements can aid both parties.  For the agency, it secures them another revenue stream and a chance to improve their portfolio.  All the while, your business has the opportunity to refine its online presence and get more customers buying from you.

Pay attention to what you’re getting when you sign up with an agency.  Prior to signing, check out their prior works.  See what technology they work with.  That website that looks exactly the same on a phone as on a laptop!  Not good.  There are several things to look out for before you sign on the dotted line for what could be a very one-sided deal.

4) Research, Re-Research, Then Re-Re-Research!

How many employees does this agency have?  Is it just one person next to a phone and a laptop running Photoshop?  Rushing into an agreement may lead to you getting grossly underwhelming service.  Ask who handles the graphic designs.  Inquire about who’s in charge of the writing.  Get to know these people!  

Understanding what your marketing agency can handle leads to you utilizing them to their fullest potential, so ask every question that pops into your mind, then immediately e-mail ‘em when another one shows up.  There are agencies out there that can handle everything under one roof, so do your research!

5) Don’t Keep An Itchy Trigger Finger

If things start off rocky or seem to have hit a rough patch, know that these are still people that you are dealing with.  Keep in mind that agencies make mistakes, but knowing what they are can help you potentially help them.  After all, this relationship is about melding different perspectives.  The agency’s employees should always be willing to assist your business, but that may also mean news you don’t necessarily want to hear.  Keeping a level head and not dissolving the partnership over minor issues can lead to a better, more cohesive existence.

Your marketing agency is what allows you to put your best online foot forward and should never be a source of consternation.  Our Web Ninjas are able to help you keep a clear vision as well as a local interest all while offering a plethora of services, so contact them if you’re ready to avoid those mistakes so many other businesses make.

Have you ever made these mistakes or been part of a company that has?

Leave me a comment on what you or you company did to fix some of these common problems.

Ashley Burnett

Web Ninja

One of my first jobs was running a cash register in my grandmothers diner. My job was to talk to customers and and to keep everything in my area neat and organized. Now years later those lessons I learned help me in managing client files and projects. Making sure our team is working to help our clients reach their business goals is what drives me everyday.

I am a strong believer that to succeed in life you have to work hard and never let roadblocks stand in your way. You have to read and study but you also have to experience life and all that it can teach you.

My mission is to help clients and our team have the materials and knowledge they need to make every project a success, while making sure to spread some of the information I learn around for others to enjoy.