Running a business as we all know can be tough, from completing orders through to attracting future ones, everything seems to fall on your shoulders, no matter how many employees and colleagues you have.
For most businesses in the modern era, having a website is a must, but just having a stunning, online web presence is not enough, as you then need to get people to it, promote it, continually push it, and of course, find ways of making more and more sales through it. Whereas having a website used to be enough, nowadays it is just the start of the process, as without people actually using the website then your investment online is never going to pay off.
Understanding how to do this of course is a totally different matter, as knowing you need more traffic, visitors and sales are one thing, but getting them of course, is a completely different matter.
Digital marketing is a top-level phrase that covers so many things, including:
- SEO
- Pay Per Click
- Remarketing
- Email Marketing
- Content Marketing
And probably a wealth of other things, so when you know you need a digital marketing company, it can be quite hard to make the decision as to whether you would want more SEO than PPC, or more email marketing than remarketing. In fact, a decent online marketing company will try to help you reach this assumption by understanding your objectives and requirements, as online marketing should encompass the key areas that are right for the business concerned, not just what the online marketing company may specialize in.
If you are currently looking to hire the services of an online marketing company, here are some things to consider.
Location Of Company
I am a massive believer in trying to work with people that you can meet, and whilst this might not always involve working with a locally based company, it does mean that face to face meetings are generally a really good thing. Comments, words, and objectives can be misconstrued or misunderstood on emails, whereas if you sit down face to face, you will form a much stronger relationship, and also the accountability to each other will be stronger. Always look at a local company where possible as having people you can sit down with really is so important and can help your success online.
Success Stories
Your business needs results, which is why you are going to be spending money with an online marketing company to try and achieve this. Therefore, any business you consider working with you need to know to have a good track record of actually delivering success, otherwise, how do you know they stand a chance of meeting the requirements that you probably have in your mind. Ask to see real results, case studies and make sure these can be backed up with verifiable testimonials, as although every client is different, you want the best peace of mind when it comes to just how good your new partner is going to be.
Choosing an agency can become quite an overwhelming experience given what is at stake. According to one of the industry leaders, Igloo agency, brands should push for real-life case studies and watch the enthusiasm of agencies in sharing the same. Successful agencies cannot wait to show off their success stories and use the same when making a strong pitch for new clients. You should also check for experience in helping brands in your own industry niche. This will give you peace of mind in knowing that they have worked with businesses similar to yours in the past.
The Team Within
You do not have to work with a large agency that has 20 account managers to get success for your business, in fact, some of the most credible and performing online marketing companies are small and structured, as they often choose who they want to work with rather than signing up every inquiry that comes through the door. However, always make sure that you can form a good relationship with the people you are going to be working with, as this is vital to make sure that on an ongoing basis, you are going to be working with the right company, as strained and awkward conversations really are the last thing you need.
The Commitment To Your Business
As SEO, PPC, and online marketing companies tend to grow, sometimes, and this is not always the case, they can take on more than they can chew and it can be your business that often gets left behind or forgotten about. Therefore, you need to be 100% sure that at every step of your relationship they are still committed to getting your business results and that they will not just push you to one side. Equally, if you feel they have outgrown you or even that you have outgrown them, never be afraid to raise this question and then make a decision based upon the response, as sometimes it can be a good idea to move on, no matter how successful previous results may well have been.
