How to Choose Your Digital Agency
Here are some top tips when selecting which digital agency to work with.
Don’t take for granted everything you see or read on the internet
It might seem strange for a digital agency to say such a thing. I hope you are sitting down for this, but you may be shocked to know that some digital agencies are so good at digital marketing that what you see at face value may not quite be an accurate reflection of the actual business. Go in prepared, do your research and be ready to dig a little deeper. Asking for additional testimonials (not the glowing ones that are published on a website) is a good place to start. If a client really knows the value of working with the agency, they will usually be prepared to answer a few questions. We know our clients love to shout about us almost as much as we do.
See if the agency works with similar-sized clients or with clients from a similar industry
I am sure that global brands like Nike, Google or Emirates Airlines do not spend significant proportions of their budgets on small agencies. Their needs and objectives are different. Similarly, smaller companies cannot usually afford the high rates commanded by larger agencies. It is not all about the money, there is a different kind of expertise needed when dealing with different-sized clients. If you find an agency of a similar size, dealing with similar-sized clients, then they can often provide a much better return on your investment as you are buying into relevant expertise.
Way up the pros and cons as to whether a local agency is important to you
Most of us like a natter over a coffee and maybe a biscuit or two, and there is certainly some comfort and benefit from having someone local to you. We have some lovely clients that we see regularly, but similarly, we have some equally great clients that we have never met, and may not ever get to meet face-to-face. The digital world makes it easy to have frequent communication in our virtual world, and Skype, Hangouts and Zoom meetings can often be significantly more effective. How often have you arrived for a meeting and had to wait for the meeting room you booked weeks ago to become free, or for at least 3 people to be called into the room to help figure out why the big screen isn’t working? When working with a remote agency, you can often achieve much more in less time. Consider what is important to you.
Understand your objectives
Experience tells us that the more specific your objectives, the more successful you are likely to be. Don’t worry if you haven’t quite nailed down your objectives, we are here to help! Sometimes your goals can be determined from a good understanding of what could be achieved through digital marketing; sometimes the digital marketing that we recommend is determined from your objectives. Whatever the case, those clients who know what they want to achieve will see stronger results in less time.
Set clear budgets
If you had an unlimited budget, you could be doing everything! In the real world, budgets are very important. No matter how big your budget is, you can always achieve something positive by way of digital marketing. For just £100 per month, you can have a brand new website with a monthly update service through our 100 Club.
If you would prefer to outsource your digital marketing to an agency, work with one who understands the importance of working within budgets by setting priorities. At Beyond Your Brand, before we make any recommendations, we will carefully consider your options and your budget, and only then will we create a proposal of work, ensuring that we first focus on the areas that will give you the quickest results. In order to see the impact that our work is having, we will set up clearly-tracked goals using specific reporting tools at our disposal.
If you have a project in mind, or you want to understand what digital marketing services may best suit your business, we would love to talk to you. You won’t find any pushy salespeople here; just people who work hard to increase your online visibility.
If you would like to contact us, our details are below: -
+44 (0) 1993 835432
