Should I Hire a Digital Marketing Agency?

As a business owner you should focus your energy on running and growing your business. This is true whether you are the head of a multi-million dollar corporation or a smaller single-employee shop. When you're prioritizing how to use your time, you are probably spending most of your time delivering services to your clients. That is what brings in your revenue, after all. Often times, this means that marketing falls by the wayside. Creating and implementing a marketing strategy is best handled by the experts which can lead you to ask, "Should I hire a digital marketing agency?" 

Benefits of Hiring a Digital Marketing Agency

Some portion of your marketing budget should be allocated to promoting your business online. This includes things like social media, search engine optimization, new content creation, website maintenance, and email marketing. Here are some reasons why should I hire a digital marketing agency:

1. You can concentrate on running your business. As a business owner, your time is valuable to your business and to your clients, and marketing cuts into that time. When you hire a digital marketing agency, you free up your schedule to focus on the things that require your personal attention and your unique expertise.
2. You will be able to make more money in the long run. Often times a business owner will throw money at digital marketing techniques that do not reach their target audience. Unless you spend your days studying digital marketing techniques and knowing which ones are right for your business, you are likely wasting your time and money. Hiring the right digital marketing professional assures that you have a strategic plan and that your investments are designed for your specific goals, in your industry, and in your local market.
3. A good digital marketing agency will accommodate your needs. Digital marketing strategies are not one size fits all. Different plans are available based on your industry, your business size, your budget, and your goals. Keep in mind that your strategy should be unique to you and your business.
4. You get measurable results with a certified digital marketing agency. The right agency will continually analyze results and generate reports to show you how your qualified leads have grown since implementing your digital marketing plan, and you'll see the buyers' digital journey that led to them being your newest clients.
5. A digital marketing agency uses tools the average business owner does not have. Most of the tools required to conduct your business, create products, deliver services, analyze growth and profit trends carry high premiums and specific skills. A proper digital marketing agency will have multiple professional tools at their disposal for the benefit of your business.

Be great at what you do. It's why customers pay you. And hire a digital marketing agency that is great at helping you grow your business.

Now that you know digital marketing can be essential to the health and growth of your business, you need to know how to choose a digital marketing agency.

How to Choose a Digital Marketing Agency

A quick Google search for the best digital marketing agency will turn up a long list of digital marketing companies, so how do you know which one is right for you? Digital marketing is not an overnight fix, so first, you should stay away from those that promise immediate results. Here are some tips on how to choose a digital marketing agency that will give you the best opportunity for business growth:

1. Do some research. Take a look at your competitors' digital presence and consider where you will want to improve on yours. Having some idea of what your digital marketing needs are will help guide your initial meeting with an agency. For example, search for your service and see who Google presents near the top of page one. Ask a digital marketing agency to see how they would analyze your competition. Learn what they are doing right, and incorporate that into your digital marketing plan.
2. Set a budget. Take a close look at your income and what you are already spending on marketing then decide how much to allocate to digital marketing specifically. As a general guideline, 15% of your gross revenue should go towards marketing your business, and some part of that should be specifically directed to digital marketing techniques.
3. Meet with agencies. Have an initial conversation with the digital marketing agency. Explain you current situation, goals, challenges, and budget. Have them do an Internet Business Analysis for you. Ask for references and examples of their work. Ask about ownership of content and account credentials. You don't want to realize at the end of the contract you don't own the content or are unable login to your accounts. This is very important!
4. What's your impression? Do you have a good rapport with the agency's representative? You should trust their expertise, customer service, and integrity. In the end, your digital marketing agency should become a trusted partner. If you feel like you are talking to a salesperson who doesn't understand the details of what they are selling, consider alternative partners who can take a consultative approach with you.
5. Look for a customized plan. Determine if the agency is simply throwing data sheets with pre-packaged services at you, or are they taking the time to customize a digital marketing plan that is unique to your business, your goals, and your needs. Your strategy should be as unique as your business problems are in your local market competing against your local competitors.
6. Examine the contract. 12-month contracts protect the agency's revenue, but how does that benefit you? You should go into a digital marketing plan with the expectation of continuing at least 6 months, but if after 3 months, you feel like it's not the right fit, you should be able to walk away without paying penalties. 

After considering all of these factors for how to choose a digital marketing agency, you'll need some time to make in informed decision. The best choice isn't always the least expensive option. Think about your goals, your budget, and the trust relationship with a trusted partner.