5 Indicators of Excellent Marketing Agency

So, you have decided that you need to retain a marketing agency, perhaps you need specific skill sets that your team doesn’t have, or maybe you are at a point where you are ready to hire a marketing agency to elevate your marketing and sales goals. In either case, it is vital to find the right marketing agency that fits you and your needs. In short, you want to make sure that this new service provider is top notch and can deliver results. Below, I will discuss five signs that competent marketing agencies share.

1. Excellent References
   When you are narrowing down the marketing agencies, ask for references. Ask for references that had the same type of services or work done that you want. Moreover, ask that the references had their projects within the last year. This is important because, with digital marketing’s best practices, tools and techniques are continually evolving. A website designed three years ago is likely out of date and lacks many of the bells and whistles that generate traffic and sales.
2. Clear Effective Communication
   Depending on the type of work you need, regular communications is critical for a successful collaboration. Effective projects happen when client and consultant have a collaborative communication. Ask the agencies that you are interviewing do they have a project management and communication platform. If you are looking for digital marketing, SEO or pay-per-click services, ask the agency if they provide quarterly reports – with executive summaries. The consultants should also be able to meet in-person, via video conference or whatever manner of communication suits you.
3. Does the Agency’s Website Hit It Out of The Park?
   As you are exploring your options, take a close look at the agencies websites – especially if you are retaining an online or digital marketing firm. Their website should impress – period. If they cannot create a top notch site for themselves, how could they do one for clients? Things to watch out for include:
   • Slow page load times
   • Poorly written content
   • Graphics and images that look out of place, irrelevant and not aligned with the site’s content
   • Poor user interface – the layout and menu of the site aren’t logical and intuitive
4. Staff Experience
   The staff that is experienced working with companies in the same or similar industries, as yours are a great advantage. Knowledge of your industry means less research and faster progress from the team working on your project. Another tip – make sure that besides having the right industry experience that they have a robust skill set for the work.
5. Fit
   This is the intangible element that makes it all work. Do the personalities at your company and the prospective agency match? A proper fit is important. It is the dynamic that all high-performing teams have and it is a key component for their success. You are about to embark on an important project, possibly very long-term. A strong fit will help the project accelerate, and it is also key to success when projects are hit by unexpected challenges.

Keeping these tip in mind when searching for an Internet marketing agency will help you focus in and select the best agency for your project’s needs.