When Should I Hire a Marketing Agency?
Marketing is an important part of any business that wants to succeed and grow.
And anymore, online marketing is non-negotiable.
Some businesses do fine with their own in-house digital marketing team, but there are situations when that doesn’t cut it.
Whether you are a small business owner or a large corporation, understanding when to bring in outside marketing expertise can make a significant impact on the success of your business.
Here are some tips on why, when and how to hire a marketing agency.
(And if you’re more visual, there’s a fun quiz at the bottom if you should hire or not.)
First: Why Hire a Marketing Agency?
Here are some reasons why businesses hire a digital marketing agency to help them get more leads and sales.
Your Marketing Experience is Not Up to the Task
As we said earlier, sometimes winging it and doing your business’s marketing yourself is not the best idea. Experience goes a long way with any profession.
You wouldn’t want a car mechanic to perform open-heart surgery on you, right?
Digital marketing agencies have a team of people who are well-educated in all things digital marketing. They have spent the time to master their craft to produce the best results for each client they work for.
This leads us to my next point…
You Want to Get Better Results
Digital marketing agencies spend their whole time thinking about and working on digital marketing.
They tend to have a better grasp of what results your business should be getting and how to get them — because it’s what they do all the time.
A digital marketing agency’s team has the experience to provide recommendations for which digital platforms to use for your business. They can offer ideas for different targeting and creative options that have worked with similar campaigns.
Marketing agencies also have multiple people working on your campaigns, so hiring a marketing agency is hiring a team dedicated solely to your marketing goals. You have more eyes and brains working with you, so you get more insights and ideas, which leads to a better return on investment (ROI) for your business.
You Don’t Have Time for Marketing
This last reason is pretty straightforward.
There are a lot of moving parts that go into running a business. Business owners and managers have to deal with day-to-day tasks, put out (metaphorical) fires that can randomly happen, manage employees, and much more.
Good digital marketing is a full-time job in itself.
There’s a reason large companies have whole departments dedicated to marketing, with segments that focus on digital, print, events and more.
Many businesses hire a digital marketing agency when they don’t have the time to do it themselves or the budget to hire more people. As a business owner or manager, you can take advantage of partnering with a digital marketing agency to bring on that expertise and dedicate time to digital marketing for that business.
Second: When Should You Hire a Digital Marketing Agency?
We’re not saying that all businesses should hire a marketing agency, but there are certain scenarios where your business could benefit from partnering with a digital marketing agency.
You are Looking at Trying New Marketing Channels
Let’s face it: Traditional marketing — ads in newspapers and magazines, print mailers, TV ads — is not always the best choice for bringing in new leads and sales.
A recent study shows that the average person spends more than two and a half hours a day just on social media. Digital marketing on Meta or through email is crucial for businesses to include at this point. And let’s not forget about how fast new platforms — like TikTok and Snapchat or Threads — are popping up.
A good digital marketing agency will be well-versed in all channels and stay up to date on newer marketing trends, knowing when to use them for your business.
Your Business is Not Meeting Its Goals
It takes time to reach digital marketing goals. That being said, if your in-house marketing is not producing the goals you want to meet after six months or a year, you might want to consider hiring a digital marketing agency.
A good agency will spend time looking at what is and what isn’t working in your marketing. They will provide you with different recommendations in targeting, advertising graphics and formats, platforms and budgets to make sure your business reaches its goals.
Your Lead Generation is at a Standstill
Your business might have done well initially with your own marketing. However, if you start noticing the new leads plateauing, it’s time to make a change.
You could do the marketing changes yourself, but lead generation takes thorough attention and inspection every month. And if you don’t have the time to do that, a good digital marketing agency can help you get past that plateau.
How Do You Hire a Marketing Agency?
If your business needs help getting better results and decides to hire an agency, don’t just settle on the first one you find. Follow these tips on how to hire a marketing agency.
Do Your Homework
Researching marketing agencies — digital or traditional — is crucial for finding one that fits your needs. You need to know what services they offer, how much they charge, and what sets them apart from other agencies.
Ask For Work Samples
Getting work samples also plays into doing your homework, but I feel like this needs to be talked about separately. You should always look for partner profiles or case studies from any agency. These can give you a general idea of what campaigns they have run and if their ads fit your business’s style.
If the agency that you are thinking about hiring doesn’t have samples similar to your business, they might not be the right fit for you.
Shop Around
Don’t be afraid to check out other agencies. Ask the questions you need and get proposals from them. This helps you get a general idea of which agencies provide fair prices for their services and ones that don’t.
Hire 9 Clouds as Your Go-To Digital Marketing Agency
Want help analyzing what you’re currently doing and getting ideas on how to improve? Talk to us about consulting or a marketing analysis.
Want help learning how to do it yourself? We offer education and training packages as well.
Just want us to do it so you can focus on your business? Let us help you create a package that fits your budget and needs.
Get Your Digital Assessment »
Tyrel Finck
As a digital strategist — and our resident weightlifting expert — Tyrel understands performance. He helps clients achieve their online marketing goals with digital ads, email, website content, and more. Learn more about Tyrel Finck.
