Not All Marketing Agencies are Created Equal

Not All Marketing Agencies Are Created Equal

Marketing is tough, and not all marketing companies are created equal. Sure, there are those firms that boast of performing inbound marketing, others claim to be SEO experts, still others offer web design, yet the vast majority of them claim to be "full service." The list goes on and on. Putting all the pieces together is no easy feat, so why would you expect one agency to have it all

Cutting Through the BS

It's difficult for a small business person responsible for their own marketing to slap on a proverbial sidearm and go gunning for the perfect agency. With so much from which to choose, how can anyone make a logical decision about what would be best for their "unique needs" and make a commitment? Cutting through the bullshit is a full-time effort, because they all claim to be the best at what they do. Yet despite that, they are all known for their marketing wizardry. Who do you believe?

What do you do when you need to locate a new dry cleaner or shoe repair shop? Two things: Either you ask your friends and co-workers. Or, you perform an online search.

Social media is the new word of mouth, but who do you believe, strangers or people you know? Getting to the best solution is quite unwary and fraught with risk.

Marketing agencies perform a great many tasks, but most retain them for lead generation. There aren't that many agencies that will back up what they preach, and that's best done by guaranteeing their work. Try finding one that puts their money where their mouth is. Oh wait, there is one that does just that! See the last paragraph of this article to find out more.

Cross-Channel Marketing

Cross-channel integration is the process of marketing messaging being delivered where the target audience hangs out. If they are on social media, the message is there. Checking their RSS feed, the message is there as well. YouTube, yep. Then there's email, SMS, NFC marketing, digital ads for hand-held devices and pay per click all delivering coherent messaging concurrently in case the ideal customer happens to be searching, reading, watching or listening. When they look for what's new, they can find you with ease. How many marketing agencies can cover all the bases, and cover them well? Not as many as one would think.

And they are right, these are just the basics. The must-haves of content marketing, but what about the other digital tactics? Where does call tracking, beacon tech, digital loyalty, mobile wallet, social Wi-Fi, and about a dozen or more other tactics come into play.

Depending on the industry or vertical, a lot of digital solutions are a very big part of the overall marketing effort. For instance, the retail sector benefits from technologies such as social Wi-Fi for lead generation, along with geofencing, beacon tech, near field communication (NFC tags), QR code and SMS. Repeat customer industries can also benefit from digital couponing, digital ads, mobile loyalty, mobile wallet pass, and others.

Online marketing is a lot more than merely content creation, email, and video. While a good agency should be able to provide engaging content in all its forms, very few agencies have the complete package. That's all the more reason to ask your current agency what other services they provide that are specifically geared to your type of industry or segment.

Double Back Guarantee

Imagine working with a marketing agency that stands behind their work in the form of a Double Back Guarantee. * Sure, there is some not-so-fine print involved, but basically, their lead generation services are just that; guaranteed double what your investment is. There is a lot more information about the program here.

Like this post? Share it! Have a question? Add it below.

by David J Dunworth Chief Experiences Officer

Marketing Partners LLC https://marketingpartnersllc.com

Post Edited at 20 Mar 2017 at 9:09AM