How to choose the best inbound marketing agency for your business

Numerous companies and agencies offer inbound marketing services, but your business deserves the best.

You know how powerful inbound marketing can become to your business, so you'll want to choose the most effective inbound marketing agency for the job.

Focus on these important factors as you make your decision.

Look for an agency that can understand your customers' needs

Every industry carries with it certain expectations in terms of content, products, and services. A good inbound marketing agency will be able to recognize the needs of your customers and tailor your messages to meet these needs.

Sometimes, an inbound agency that has worked with businesses in your industry can utilize its past experience to develop plans that best reflect your organization’s vision and goals. Other times, an inbound agency that has worked with a number of diverse clients and industries outside of yours can provide unique perspectives and insight. 

For example, an agency that has worked heavily with retail marketing might help you to establish and grow a loyalty program that you’ve been looking to establish for the suppliers that you sell to in your B2B manufacturing business.

When choosing an inbound marketing agency, look for one that can demonstrate that it understands the needs of your customers. It doesn’t have to be an agency that has worked with a long line of similar business, but one that can deliver focused strategies, insight, and even a fresh perspective in communicating with your audience.

These efforts could provide a significant boost to your engagement, lead generation, and conversion efforts—and give you a leg up on your competition in the process.

Work with professionals who can provide a plan

Inbound marketing requires a detailed and focused strategy. It's not about posting a set schedule of blog articles or Tweeting every 13.3 minutes -- anyone can do that. An effective inbound marketing agency creates a campaign plan that takes into account your specific business needs and goals.

The agency should take into account your prior marketing efforts. For instance, if you have no social media presence and you want to tap into the social media space, your agency should craft a plan that includes setting up new accounts, creating a social media marketing message, and crafting posts that target customers on every point of the buying cycle.

Choose a marketing agency that practices what it preaches

The most effective inbound marketing campaigns are launched by
companies with the experience to back up their promises.

Hubspot advises businesses to work with an inbound marketing company that "can cite itself as a case study." In other words, you're looking for a firm that has put its methods into practice and garnered measurable results.

Consider a local firm

A great inbound marketing agency doesn't just know your industry -- it also knows your geographic location. If you sell to customers all around the world, this loses its importance, but if you focus on local sales, work with an inbound marketing specialist who operates in your state.

Consider the buying trends of consumers in Detroit, Michigan, and compare them to consumers in Las Vegas, Nevada. The two areas have different cultures, climates, and economies.

Ask the agency if they create personalized campaigns

In an increasingly anonymous world, consumers crave recognition. They want to know that the companies they do business with care about them on a personal level rather than just as numbers in a database.

If you're ready to launch an inbound marketing campaign, you want to work with an agency that cares about your customers as much as you do. Look for firms that include personalized marketing as part of their overall strategies.

Working with the right inbound marketing agency can make a tremendous difference in your reputation, your sales figures, and your brand. If you're not sure where to start, get a free inbound marketing assessment that will help you identify your best plan forward.