The right marketing agency is a team of multidisciplinary marketing professionals who align with your business needs, goals, and organisational culture. Being located in the same country, or at least a complementary timezone, can also help the relationship run smoothly.
This comprehensive guide draws on experience and expert advice to create best practices for choosing a marketing agency, from selecting the type of agency you need through to the final decision.
3 steps to choosing a marketing agency
Anyone in a leadership role in business knows that putting together the right team, with the skills, capabilities, and specialisations you need to achieve tangible results, is critical.
So, how do you find an agency with the right skillsets, the right attitude, and the capability to work effectively alongside your internal team?
In short:
- Understand what your business needs
- Assess an agency’s expertise, experience, and industry knowledge
- Learn about the agency’s approach, track record, and communication style
To help you navigate this important decision, we’ve put together a guide that draws expertise from our team, who have over a decade of experience navigating agency engagement.
1. Understand what your business needs
The first step in any marketing strategy is to identify what your goals are for the next period — that might be three months, six months, or 12 months. Your goals might be to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website or physical store, or to increase sales. Each goal will require different marketing tactics and expertise.
If you have a business strategy, a good marketing agency can guide you to the marketing strategy that will help you move closer to these goals.
Define the scope of work and align internal priorities
The Scope of Work is a framework that identifies which aspects of the work the agency is responsible for executing and delivering, and which aspects sit within your business.
Start by identifying which skills and knowledge exist within your team, and where the gaps might be — this is where an agency can bring fresh eyes and expert knowledge.
Your marketing strategy should align with your business or strategic plan. Make sure that internal stakeholders agree on the next priorities for the company. This is also the time to determine the budget. Make sure that the budget you have aligns with the goals you want to achieve.
With the business priorities clear, it’s time to uncover the marketing services you will need.
Identify the marketing services you need
With clear business priorities in mind, it’s time to identify which marketing services your business needs. If your business is new or has evolved, you may decide to revisit your brand identity to determine the look and feel that will resonate with your intended audience.
To build brand awareness or drive online sales, pay-per-click and social media advertising may help to reach your goals.
If you want to drive long-term growth and establish industry expertise, an SEO-led multi-channel content marketing strategy can help to build brand awareness, engage with your target audience, and build trust and loyalty with your potential customers.
2. Shortlist and evaluate marketing agencies
With a clear understanding of what you want to achieve, it’s time to search for a suitable marketing agency — one that has the skills you need and fits within your budget.
One place to begin your search is to ask for recommendations from peers and colleagues. Word-of-mouth referrals provide confidence that the marketing agency delivers results and does so in a way that aligns with your company culture and communication style.
Use an online search to see if there are suitable agencies located locally. Whether you search on Google, LinkedIn, or use a generative AI search, look for signals of expertise like case studies, industry awards, and evidence of success.
Review the agency’s portfolio and ascertain if they have had success with other businesses in your industry, or a similar industry. If an agency already understands the landscape and potential challenges you face, they are more likely to drive success in marketing strategy and execution.
Something else to look for is whether the agency is willing to provide training to upskill your internal team. An agency that is generous with their knowledge and expertise is also confident in their ability to drive results.
Finally, make sure the marketing agency has a creative and innovative approach. Marketing changes fast, so an agency that stays abreast of the latest developments and changes, adapting marketing strategies to lead in new trends, will help your business stay ahead.
3. Selecting and engaging a marketing agency
Once you have narrowed down your shortlist to marketing agencies with the expertise and experience you need, the final selection step considers cultural fit, communication and pricing.
Choosing the marketing agency to partner with
A marketing agency whose values align with your company values will be able to work more effectively to achieve your goals. Find out how the agency manages client relationships and the communication you can expect during the term of engagement.
Find out where the agency’s team is based, as this can impact the quality and turnaround time of work. For a growing business, the ability to scale is also important. Find out if the marketing agency is in a position to scale as your business grows and to offer a range of specialised services.
It’s also important to receive reports on progress of work and performance. These reports should measure the marketing results against business objectives monthly.
Pricing transparency is essential. Make sure that the costs are clearly outlined, with no hidden fees. Be up front with the agency on whether you value speed, quality or spend — setting expectations up front will lead to a more successful relationship.
Make sure you ask how any deviations from the proposal or scope of work will be handled. This is also the time to ask about any urgent work that needs doing and if there are increased costs for early delivery or a priority service.
Engage a marketing agency
Engaging a marketing agency is an important investment that can drive your business forward. Once you receive the proposal and scope of work, make sure you ask any questions you have before signing the contract.
Questions to ask a potential marketing agency
Asking the right questions up front can quickly narrow your shortlist and streamline the selection process. Here are some questions to consider:
- How does your team stay up to date with the latest changes in marketing?
- How does the agency handle changes in scope?
- What is your ideal client or project?
- How do you like to receive feedback?
- What steps will you take to ensure you follow our internal AI policies and any other relevant policies?
- How do you use AI in your marketing output?
Values-driven performance marketing can drive results for your business
When your business strategy and marketing activities align, you see results. Kwasi has guided small and large businesses to scale for over 14 years, driving success for small businesses and growing them into larger enterprises.
Find out about our services and how our proven marketing expertise can help your company reach its business goals. We can’t wait to see how we can help you drive success.
FAQ: choosing a marketing agency
How do you choose the right marketing agency?
Ask about their track record, evaluate expertise against your business needs and ensure that the communication style, reporting frequency and values align with your team. Then check for transparent pricing and define the scope of work within your budget.
Is it worth using a marketing agency?
Businesses can often achieve better results and return on investment by engaging a performance marketing agency. Agencies specialise in executing campaigns tailored to specific goals and have a single, focused objective to achieve results.
