What are the most common traits of the most effective agency marketing services providers?
We’ve boiled them down to a list we like to call “The Magnificent 7”:
1. They Are Goal Oriented
What problem did you hire your inbound marketing agency to solve? Was it to ramp up online visibility and traffic or to grow your business with improved lead generation? Agency Marketing Services involve a lot of moving parts – from SEO and social media to content marketing and more. Your contract should point out these services and the main goal – and the agency you hire should speak to those big business issues every time they report back on their efforts.
2. Their Expectations Are Clear
Inbound marketers should always been setting and managing client expectations. It shouldn’t merely be a matter of how long something is going to take, they need to tell you why and how. The more they work to make you understand how their agency marketing services unfold, the better you’ll know how to measure the outcome.
3. They Get Customers Involved
Per the above point, the more you as a client understand what your marketing pros are doing, the more likely you are to support and champion those efforts, right? That’s why top marketing pros work to keep their clients as involved and in the loop on the work being done – to ensure the client really understands the ins and outs of inbound marketing. Tapping the brain power of the thought leaders in a client’s business can lead to excellent white papers, blogs and social media posts – and involving the client helps to make them feel a part of the success when it’s ultimately achieved.
4. Their Network Helps Them Achieve Client Goals
While your provider might be a one-stop shop for all marketing services under the sun, that doesn’t necessarily mean they carry out every task under one roof. Successful agencies have a broad-reaching network of specialists ready to help achieve singular goals as they emerge – from design specialists to copywriters with subject matter expertise.
5. They’re Software-Savvy
Online marketing runs on software. A marketing agency who knows the ins and outs of the products they're using to manage an online strategy (as well as the best practices required to support those tools) is an essential piece of the puzzle.
6. They Never Stop Learning
Does your marketing services provider attend industry symposiums or trainings on a regular basis? Are there certifications they work to keep up to date? Ask how they work to keep themselves in-the-know in their own industry. And, while you’re at it, ask them what they’re doing to keep abreast of how emerging trends and technologies might impact your industry as well.
7. Their Own Website Is An Inbound Marketing Powerhouse
An agency marketing services provider that practices what they preach – that’s the one you want to work with. Top inbound marketing experts can always use themselves as a case study on how it’s done.
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