How do marketing agencies work?

How do marketing agencies work? I think it's fair to say that most companies, along with their employers, expected to be back in their offices by now.
This, however, hasn't quite materialised, and the whole idea of "work from home" has been completely redefined. It's no surprise then to find out that things like e-commerce sales were up by more than 100% in June 2020, compared to the previous year.

Whether your business is performing well or could use a little improvement, there's never been a better time to freshen things up and hire a marketing agency.

Both small and large businesses will turn to marketing agencies to help increase brand awareness and identify and implement certain strategies.

Another big benefit of hiring a marketing agency is that it's more cost-effective than hiring someone in-house. This is why a lot of smaller companies, or start-ups, turn to marketing agencies. Think of a marketing agency as a collection of talent. Today's marketing campaigns require many areas of discipline to work effectively. From SEO, social media, content, branding, paid ads, and so on. Having an in-house department doing all of that is simply not sustainable. Agencies offer diverse specialities and are always up to speed on the latest trends and technology.

In this post, we'll explain the difference between the types of marketing agencies that exist, certain factors and questions to think about before hiring a marketing agency, and the many benefits that come with hiring the correct marketing agency for your business.

What are the different types of marketing agencies?

Direct marketing:

A direct marketing agency will assist you with your direct marketing campaigns. Often, they will provide you with mailing lists that specifically match up with your target market, as well as design and write your direct marketing campaigns. Direct marketing agencies also handle mailing out items on your behalf, and a good one will measure the consumer response to the given campaign.

Digital marketing:

A digital marketing agency will assist you with making full use of the internet, email, and or social media for your marketing campaign. These agencies will give you advice on certain ways to use social media, help improve the search engine optimization (SEO) of your website, launch e-commerce services, and execute email marketing strategies and campaigns to communicate more productively with customers and leads.

Telemarketing:

As the name suggests, telemarketing agencies provide telephone-based marketing services, often by acting as somewhat of a call centre for your business. For a more in-depth look at what exactly telemarketing is, read our article here.

Marketing consultancy:

A marketing consultancy agency will examine and scrutinise your specific marketing strategy, and offer up any suggestions or criticisms that they may have. This type of agency is usually not directly involved when it comes to the implementation of a marketing plan. Instead, they will do an analysis and "audit" of your plan and suggest new strategies that you can implement. For example, targeting a different market, or introducing a new product.

Marketing communications:

A marketing communications agency will provide assistance with things like brochures, product guides, newsletters, and so on. This type of agency will also provide any writing, design, and or production services that you may require. A good one will also devise a new strategy and method to best reach your target market for any upcoming campaigns or products that you might be lining up.

These are important factors and questions to consider before hiring a marketing agency:

What are your objectives?

Before approaching a marketing agency, it's important to establish your own logical and achievable objectives. Doing so will allow you to make an informed decision when it comes to choosing the correct marketing agency partner for your specific needs.

What are you looking for in a marketing agency?

Having an understanding of your target market is key in order for a marketing campaign to succeed. Does the agency in question have specialised employees in the specific marketing channels that you are looking at? A good tip is to write down your areas of concern and bring them up with any marketing agency that you contact.

Planning and strategy

There's a good chance that, once you've decided on a marketing agency partner, they will require you to provide a variety of information. This could be anything from certain market research you've conducted to an analysis of your inventory. It's always a good idea to think and plan your strategy ahead of time, so you're ready to go when the time comes.

What is the marketing agency's track record?

This may sound obvious to some, but one of the key factors that will impact the success of your marketing campaign is the track record of the marketing agency that you choose to do work with. An experienced and proven agency will generate rewarding results for your business. Ask the agency who they've worked with previously, what experience they have working with a company like yours, and so on.

Timeline

It's vital to establish a clear timeline for your marketing campaign with your chosen marketing agency. Without one, there's the possibility that you can give up too soon on a marketing campaign before seeing the desired results. On the other hand, there's also the chance that you keep spending money on a campaign that is not generating any advantages for your business. Having a timeline will help alleviate these issues.

How and when does the marketing agency report back?

Knowing how and when the specific marketing agency sends you reports is also essential for the success of a campaign. One should set clear expectations regarding how often reports and updates will be sent to you and what specific information will be contained in them.

What are the advantages that come with hiring a marketing agency?

Cost-effective

Hiring a marketing agency, especially when you're just starting out, or if you require specialised services for a specifically timed marketing activity or goal, is the most cost-saving and cost-effective way of running a successful marketing campaign. Forget about needing a budget for an in-house marketing team, which can become extremely expensive, and allow experts to do the job for you. For what will essentially be the salary of one person, you're getting a whole team of specialists. With all the infrastructure already in place, and with a sole focus on your specific needs and goals, it's a no-brainer!

Technology and systems

A top marketing agency will always be up to speed on the latest trends and technology and will have systems in place to collect and analyse all the data that they require. Marketing agencies will use analytical reports, data, and specific software to target the right customers, with the right products, at the right time. Investing in similar infrastructure is a monumental budget expense, so again, why not leave it up to the professionals?

Flexibility and scalability

What if, for example, your products or services are seasonal, and you only require the support of a marketing agency during certain periods of the year but not throughout? It wouldn't make sense to pay an entire in-house team to only work certain months of the year. This is where the flexibility and scalability of a marketing agency come into play, along with the obvious cost benefits as well.

Maximises ROI

Another significant advantage of hiring a marketing agency is that your objectives and return on investment (ROI) can be measured straight from the get-go. A top marketing company will do a deep dive to see what is working and where its strategy may need to be adjusted. An agency is well-trained to capture the right information and make it actionable to grow your bottom line.

Creativity and fresh ideas

It's never a bad idea to get a fresh pair of eyes to look at any given project or campaign. Hiring a marketing agency will open you up to new ideas and fresh perspectives that you may not have thought about before.

What does marketing look like at Spirus?

How do marketing agencies work? At Spirus, we offer a full range of marketing and communications services. From developing your strategy, mission, vision and values, to implementing and reviewing your marketing campaigns. Many of our customers have commented that they love the fact that we "do the doing" as well as the talking, making us something of a one-stop-shop for all of your marketing and PR needs. Working alongside your existing marketing team, we will provide any additional services that you require. Whether that's writing great copy, designing beautiful graphics, producing engaging videos, running your social media, printing your physical campaign, or liaising with the media, we will get your business out there!

We work collaboratively in partnership with our clients to bring your brand to life, reach the right people, and ultimately, make more sales. Your marketing activities will have the most impact if they are scheduled for the right time, to make the most of seasonal opportunities, and be aligned with your business needs and strategy. We have you covered!