Having worked with a range of businesses in a variety of different sectors, we’ve noticed there’s one specific trait that every client has looked for in us; trust.
It’s a big leap of faith bringing in external help, and many businesses are a little hesitant in handing their marketing efforts over to an agency. This can result in micromanagement and the need for almost daily updates. Then again, there will always be those who are happy being as hands off as possible as long as they see results.
Ultimately, there needs to be a balance. Strawberry Forge wants clients who are interested in their digital marketing, will ask us questions and will help us when we need a nudge in the right direction. But remember, our job is to make life easier for you. That won’t be the case if you feel the need to be involved with every aspect.
Trust is earned, not given. But the opportunities to earn that trust do have to be given. Below, we detail why you should let your digital marketing agency do what they do best, while also explaining how you can find the right team to work with.
Digital Marketers Focus on the End User
There’s no doubt that you know your business better than we ever will. You know the ins and outs of your sector, which is what makes you the expert in the first place. But it is possible to push that expertise too far.
As an example, we work with a lot of solicitors as legal marketing is one of our specialties. A pain point we see all too often during our content audits is that these firms struggle to be relatable. It can feel as though solicitors are writing for other solicitors rather than potential clients.
Legal writing and legal marketing are two very different things. Blogs shouldn’t be written in legalise or technical jargon; they need to be kept simple yet highly informative so the end user can understand it. Save the specialised language for the actual legal documents.
Because our focus is on the end user, we can translate anything you want to say so it will appeal to your target audience. Marketing isn’t a vanity project. We don’t go over the top to impress competitors and we don’t find ways of dropping in random compliments to the boss. We create content to convert leads into genuine sales.
Marketers Put Plans into Action
You’ll probably have heard the saying ‘a camel is a horse designed by committee.’ When it comes to getting marketing efforts off the ground in-house, that can result in an almost endless amount of conversations and meetings first.
If you’re not sure about the right steps to take, you hesitate, you question every decision, and ultimately, nothing gets done. Digital marketers have the luxury of knowing all the right steps to take. We conduct enough meetings to understand what it is you want and need from our services, plus we speak internally to ensure we’re all on the same page.
After that, we crack on with the job at hand. As part of our service, you’ll be kept in the loop at every stage, which then gives you the opportunity to say if what we’re doing is in the right ballpark.
They Know You Have Other Options
We’ll be the first to admit that the world of digital marketing is fierce. There’s a lot of competition out there, and that means we always have to be providing clients with value. If we don’t, then we lose custom.
Naturally, this is the worst case scenario. It’s why we keep communication open so it doesn’t get anywhere near that stage. We’re honest and realistic, setting goals to align with your ambitions, but also ones that are attainable. This ensures both parties are happy with the progress being made.
It’s like we said; we want to provide you with value, and the proof is in the pudding. While it takes time for certain aspects of a full digital marketing strategy to kick in, we will always deliver quality work for both short and long-term success.
It’s also worth noting that the Strawberry Forge team is agile and easy to work with. We understand that work scopes can change and having to deal with an agency that is so resistant to adapt can be a nightmare.
That’s not our style. You’re the client, and we make sure to work in a way that suits you.
How to Ensure You’re Working With the Right Team
Trusting your digital marketing agency from the outset is no easy thing to do, but there are ways you can ensure your chosen marketers are capable and have your company’s genuine interests at heart.
Take a look at some of our key tips:
Do Your Research Beforehand
It goes without saying that you don’t want to simply pick the first company that pops up on Google. Before reaching out to a selection of digital marketing agencies, take a closer look at how they operate.
Their websites will indicate any specialist subjects, testimonials give you a better idea of how easy they are to work with, and case studies demonstrate actual expertise. You might even discover that they have worked with a competitor before — and if so, why are they not still working together?
Thorough research might even unveil that they’ve previously actioned a campaign that you like and recognise. It may be worth reaching out to that client yourself as well, so you can uncover some information directly from the source.
You’ll notice there that we mentioned speaking to a few agencies. This is because everyone operates a little differently, and what might not have worked for one company may actually be the exact thing you’re looking for.
Ask Questions
Once you’ve reached out to a few agencies, schedule a meeting as soon as possible. It’s hard to read someone’s vibe over email, so you’ll want to speak with their leadership team to get a real feel for them.
This is your opportunity to grill the agency. Let them explain what it is they do and what sets them apart. Don’t take surface level answers, and don’t think that you’re wasting anyone’s time in asking for details.
However, you should be prepared for them to ask you questions, too. Everything is a two-way street, and it may be that you aren’t the sort of client they’re looking for.
Where is Their Focus?
You should always be wary of digital marketing agencies that promise you the world. You should also be concerned if they start pushing services you don’t need or completely ignore your budget when they’re putting together a strategy.
It’s a tell-tale sign that money is their main prerogative. Every agency needs to make money to stay in business, but that should be done through delivering real value, not by taking a punt at random services.
Make sure to double-check whether every service they offer is in-house as well. While they may offer help with a particular aspect, it may be that they manage another team, and that can affect your budget.
There’s nothing wrong with that — it’s done so you get the best results without having several different points of contact, but you need to be aware of every party working on your marketing so there’s no hidden surprises.
Put Your Trust in Strawberry Forge
There’s a reason why Strawberry Forge has a string of happy clients. They trust in us to get the work done and with the company’s goals in mind. And of course, all that work delivers results.
If you’re tired of umming and ahhing when it comes to marketing and you want to avoid being burned on a bad deal, speak to the team at Strawberry Forge.
As part of our process, we conduct a free digital marketing workshop to get a much better idea of how we can help in a way that suits you.