B2B marketing is highly competitive and only getting more so. With the rapidly changing advertising landscape, the value of in-house expertise has never been stronger. However, that doesn’t mean you will necessarily be able to compete with a B2B paid advertising agency on price alone. Before starting your search for a B2B advertising agency, make sure to take these considerations into account.
What are your marketing objectives?
Define your goals and expectations clearly and understand exactly what you are paying for. The best way to do this is by creating a marketing plan that outlines your goals, expected results, the methods used to achieve these results, and how you will measure each result.
What tools will the agency use?
Oftentimes, marketing agencies will work with their own proprietary software or integrate third-party applications into their services. Make sure prospective agencies are upfront about their tools and how they’ll use them to reach your business objectives.
How does the agency help you track and measure results?
Most agencies offer a wide range of services. Ask about how the agency will track and measure your overall return on investment.
What is their reputation like in the industry?
Just as it’s important to find out about a potential agency’s reputation within the industry, it also goes without saying that you should look into industry-specific research. You can search on your local chamber of commerce or online service such as Google to find out which agencies have gotten good reviews from other local businesses. Make sure to look into past client recommendations and awards that other businesses have typically given them. Finding out how trustworthy or reputable an agency is can sometimes give you the insight you need into whether they’re dependable enough to work with on a long-term basis.
Is the agency’s website up-to-date?
Long-running agencies do not necessarily mean they are doing a good job. Most good agencies constantly push out fresh content and update their website with new resources. If a company’s website hasn’t been updated in years, it’s probably best to steer clear.
How will the agency interact with your staff?
Most B2B managed multi-faceted agencies create marketing solutions. However, many of these agencies will work closely with your employees, and they may directly engage them to help promote your products and services. They can also provide other forms of ongoing training, such as in-house webinars. Make sure to get an idea of how much interaction will be involved before you decide to move forward with a particular agency.
Will the agency be able to take advantage of local resources?
Local SEO (search engine optimization) is a big topic today, and the subject deserves its own article. However, it can be a bit overwhelming. So when it comes to search engine optimization, make sure to ask how the agency will take advantage of local resources and how they can help your business reach more potential customers in your area.
Conclusion
The marketing landscape is changing, and the definition of an “advertising agency” is evolving. Today’s B2B paid advertising agencies offer a far more diverse range of services than agencies. And this is much to the benefit of local businesses looking to grow their business through modern marketing strategies. The key is to make sure you do your research before deciding on which agency will be the best partner for you. With the right agency they can help your business reach its potential by offering you a wide range of services, including SEO, PPC (pay per click) advertising, social media management, etc.
