How to hire the right marketing agency

Hiring a marketing agency is easy. There are so many different agencies out there, and they’ve all got cool logos. What they might not have are the traits needed to gel well with you over time. After all, marketing is about the long game. You want to partner with a team of talented marketers who can take your business up a level, and not be sold down the river by con artists. This article takes a look at how one could go about hiring the right marketing agency for their brand:

Build a list of candidates

Sit down at your laptop, click on your browser, and search for ‘marketing agencies near me’. A bunch of places should pop up, boasting all sorts of benefits to partnering with them. Write down the names of the first ten agencies you come across. You could list even more to get an even better idea of what the marketplace is comprised of. Next, navigate to each website and see if you like the look and feel of it.

Look at their portfolio

A marketing agency’s website should ideally feature a portfolio of sorts. It’s a page that showcases some of the team’s work. If you’d like to try pay-per-click online advertising, have a look at the agency’s PPC campaigns. If you need social media management, check out their Facebook and Instagram feeds. They say a plumber’s toilet is always leaking, but a marketing agency’s content should be on point.

Assess their price range

Next on the list is the price. This is a strong determining factor for many businesses, as not all SMMEs can fork out thousands of Rands every month. Decide on what you’re willing to spend per month (what you can afford), and find agencies from your list that offer packages in that ballpark. Keep in mind that, like in many cases, the more you pay – the better the service. However, there are unicorn agencies that do it for the love of marketing instead of monetary gain. Those are the ones you need to look for.

Contact them directly

Finally, you can narrow your list down to a group of firms you think could be of benefit to you. Start by contacting all of the agencies who didn’t list their prices on their website, and find out what they’re charging. If they throw a spanner in your decision-making, you might have to reassess your choices. Next, reach out to them and arrange meetings with the owners. Get a cup of coffee with them, and see what types of people they are.

Brand management is something few people really know the extent of. It’s one of the most rewarding jobs and helps to see businesses thrive.

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