Swiping Right: Marketing Agency Edition

With so many different marketing agencies to choose from, how do you know which one is going to be the best fit for your business’ complex goals and needs? Here are a few important traits and skills to keep in mind during your agency search:

Fresh Ideas

An agency should present creative and fresh ideas for your business. They should have an innovative attitude toward marketing and not be afraid to take risks to get the best results. Marketing is a rapidly changing industry, so it’s important for an agency to be forward-thinking so the work they provide for you has a long shelf life. Don’t be afraid of an agency that likes to push boundaries - they’re the ones who will stand out in a saturated market.

“Listen to us. Don’t tell us”

A strong agency will ask the tough questions, hear what you’re saying, and care about the details. They’re willing to put in the work to research and understand every aspect of the industry, audience, and product/service before diving into the planning stage. Comprehensive research takes campaign success to the next level.

Solving Technical Problems

Does the agency have a track record of solving complex problems? When in doubt, ask to see examples of past work and the results. An agency should provide unique solutions to the problems you can’t solve on your own.

Minimal Oversight

Trusting another organization with your business is a big deal. You have to know that they will complete the work to the highest standard, with no hand-holding by you. An agency should be open and honest with you about their work process, including confidentiality measures. The client/agency relationship is just that - a relationship. If you can’t trust them, the relationship is bound to fail.

Note: I wrote this post for Open Door Media while I was an intern there. See the original post here.