If you’re hiring an agency marketing services firm to handle your inbound workload, you need to be vigilant when you’re interviewing potential candidates.
Since inbound marketing is a specialized skillset – and one many agencies say they excel in as a means of modernizing their reputation – it’s important to test their prowess against the following 5 must-have inbound marketing skills:
Must-Have Skill #1: Stellar Sales
Top inbound agency marketing services providers know how to generate leads and referrals, ask insightful questions to reveal challenges, establish credibility and trust, help prospects develop marketing goals, present budget-conscious plans and flat-out ask for business.
Why would you hire a marketer that doesn't know how to sell? How can a marketer who can't sell be expected to help you grow your sales?
Be especially wary of the behemoth agencies – somewhere along the line, their sales tactics have a tendency to change from identifying how to help potential clients to figuring out ways to impress prospects.
Must-Have Skill #2: Project Management
Delivering inbound marketing usually involves communication with lots of different parties, including both the client and the agency marketing services specialists who do the work.
With inbound marketing, it's important that project managers also know how to do some of the inbound marketing tasks themselves. It's hard to manage and direct someone who will conduct the social media marketing activities or build a lead nurturing sequence if they don't know the steps involved.
Must-Have Skill #3: Web Programming & Graphic DesignIn order to design and launch a website, blog or landing page, artistic graphic design skills and CSS development skills are important. While the same expert might not hold these skills, the two must be able to work closely from project start to finish.
Must-Have Skill #4: Understanding of AnalyticsIt's impossible to improve results without understanding them first. Ask your prospective agency how they measure results and how they report them. Each month, they should review them with you and talk about how you can improve.
Must-Have Skill #5: Content Creation An agency that isn't strong at creating or sourcing blog posts, webinars, eBooks, white papers, videos and other content isn't an inbound marketing agency. Content is the engine that draws traffic; it is the offer that compels a visitor to convert into a lead; it is what educates a lead so they become sales ready. Without great content, inbound marketing does not exist.
Does your prospective agency marketing services provider have all of these skills? Be certain to ask before signing a contract!