5 Things You Should Know Before Working With A Marketing Agency

Every external relationship can come under fire at some point. There is the generally accepted notion of communication being crucial in business practices, but when we start to work with external entities to improve our business, it can be a shock to the system. Working with external entities, especially in terms of marketing, can be the equivalent of putting a square peg in a round hole, relationship-wise. If you are working with a digital marketing agency, you must go in armed with a few nuggets of knowledge.

1. Embrace The Data

It's all about trackable data. There are numerous items of agency reporting software that can be broken down into metrics that, for any novice business owner, can prove to be overwhelming and intimidating. The best advice is to dig into the data as it will provide you with invaluable information about your ideal customer and even what time of day they go on your website. Getting metrics is everything in modern business as it helps you to craft a tailor-made user experience.

2. Be Prepared

One of the biggest misconceptions with any digital marketing agency is that they will do the job for you. The most important thing to know before you go in is to think about your brand and how it will translate across the plethora of content. Whether it's billboards/tweets or anything in between. If you don't know how to get this translated, you need to take the time to work through it with the marketing agency.

3. It Is Not Just About Adverts

We have to remember that marketing isn't just about a banner on a web page, but it's also about the customer journey. When you start to think about what your marketing agency could do with your material, there is no limit to the possibilities. You need to think about every single interaction on your customer's journey throughout your website or business and how this can translate to leads or sales. You have to remember you are providing tangible solutions to customers’ needs. This means you've got to be as creative as humanly possible. So, the next time you brief your agency, be prepared for something beyond a series of banners.

4. It's Time To Be Experimental

Keeping an open mind is vital. If you are used to specific stringent processes, handing your business over to a digital marketing agency can be a shock to the system but you've got to open your mind and be ready to experiment. This is not just in terms of the content as there are so many different technologies and methods out there that you need to be aware of; what you have in mind may not come out at the other end. 

Since digital marketing is a never-ending treasure trove of opportunities from infographics, videos and podcasts to blogger outreach, you've got to think about how your content can translate to other platforms. To truly capture the imagination of your target market, you have to think beyond conventional parameters. This can take some time to get used to, but when you work with a progressive digital agency, you’ll realize they want to be a pioneer in their field. They want to create something fantastic out of your ideas, so let them.

5. Encourage Collaboration

When you are working with an external agency, you may feel that it's best to leave them to it, but the best results often come from collaboration. This is where your communication skills will come in handy. Working with external agencies and keeping them at arm's length won't result in a good working relationship. It's vital to embrace the idea of collaboration as soon as possible. Ultimately, this gets the doors of communication open, but it can also help if you've worked with another agency in the past. If a previous agency pitched ideas you shot down, it's important to communicate these at the very onset. 

Of course, to begin with, it’s important to note their specialty, and have a clear goal of what you’re looking for. As you wouldn’t walk into a barber’s without an idea of the kind of haircut you want, asking a professional service to conjure something for you and then picking through what you’re looking for can strain the relationship, and may lead to added extra charges for increased work. So for instance, if you wish for the best social media marketing plan in conjunction with your campaign, be sure to communicate that from the get-go.

Being open and honest is the hallmark of any good working relationship, and when you work with any external entity, especially those in a creative capacity, it can be enlightening but it can also come with its fair share of challenges. Ultimately, many businesses work with digital marketing agencies because they have the tools and the talent to help them realize their vision. When you start to understand the possibilities a marketing agency can achieve, it could be the start of a very fruitful working relationship.