Far too often, individuals go unprepared to a marketing agency. Whether you’re thinking of hiring a marketing agency for your small business or a large corporation, here’s some common scenarios where clients weren’t fully prepared or, unfortunately, fell victim to scams.
1. Have A Clear Business Plan
Now when I say have a clear business plan. I don’t mean the document that you give to the bank to get a loan. Think of it like this. When you hire a marketing agency you are hiring them to help you either increase sales or visibility. What often happens is people think that “Visibility = Sales.” This is far from truth. This often leads to disappointment further down the line.
Visibility (Awareness) Campaign
- The main goal is to increase brand awareness and make your target audience more familiar with your products or services.
- Success is often measured using metrics such as impressions, reach, and brand recall.
- Content and messaging are geared toward educating and engaging the audience without a strong call to action.
- These campaigns target a broader audience to create a buzz and introduce the brand to a wider group of people.
- These campaigns may have a longer-term impact on brand perception, creating a foundation for future sales. They are often ongoing or long-lasting.
Sales Driven Campaigns
- These campaigns are designed to directly generate sales or conversions, focusing on driving revenue.
- Success is measured by conversion rates, revenue generated, ROI (Return on Investment), and sales metrics like average order value and conversion rate.
- Content and messaging are designed to prompt immediate action, encouraging the audience to make a purchase or take a specific conversion step.
- The focus is on reaching a more specific, qualified audience that is more likely to make a purchase.
- These campaigns are typically time-bound and designed to drive immediate sales or conversions. They may not have as significant a long-term brand-building impact.
2. A Basic Understanding Of Marketing
Having a basic understanding of marketing is crucial. I recommend using the resource that Queensland Government has put on about the 7 Ps of marketing. The whole point of marketing is “to satisfy the needs of your customers.” When you are going to a marketing agency you want to know how you are already satisfying the needs of your customer or how you plan to satisfy the needs of your customer. This isn’t just how you are going to get in front of the customer, but, includes how much you are going to charge the customer, what incentive will you give that customer to use you over another brand. All of that is encompassed in the basic marketing plan!
3. Know Where You Stand
Know where you are in your business journey and development. Here’s a conversation I had with someone.
Them: “I want to hire a marketing agency.”
Me: “Nice let me get some information about who you are and what you do.”
Them: “I have an idea but I haven’t go the full details but I want a website and SEO”
Yes, do you see the issue here? Yes, we can do it for you but is it worth investing now before you have the full idea fleshed out? Probably not.
4. Have a Goal In Mind (KPIs)
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are like compasses for your business. They are numbers that show how well you’re doing in reaching your goals. Imagine you want to work with a marketing agency to boost your business. Having clear KPIs in mind is super important. It’s like giving them a treasure map so they know where to dig. KPIs help you measure success and guide your marketing strategies. They can be things like how many new customers you want, or how much money you want to make. Without KPIs, you might be lost in the marketing jungle, not knowing if you’re going in the right direction. So, before you team up with a marketing agency, make sure you’ve got your KPIs set to steer your ship in the right direction.
5. General Client Acquisition Strategy
A general client acquisition strategy is like a roadmap for businesses to find and attract new customers. It’s a plan that outlines how to connect with people who might be interested in your products or services. This strategy usually involves steps like identifying your target audience, figuring out the best ways to reach them, and creating compelling messages to get their attention. For example, if you’re a local bakery, your strategy might include advertising in the community, running social media campaigns, or offering special promotions to entice new customers. The goal is to grow your customer base and keep your business thriving.
