So you’ve made the decision to bring on a team of marketing professionals. Congratulations!

This means that your business is growing and ready to level up. On top of that, you, as an entrepreneur, recognize the importance of investing in its continued long-term growth and success.

However, outsourcing your advertising isn’t as simple as ordering a product. Marketing is abstract art. There are many avenues to consider, and there is no single right or wrong formula.

When it comes to something so critical to your business’s revenue and brand, you’ll want to make sure your marketing is in the capable hands of experts, such as this Asheville advertising agency. To find the perfect agency for you and your business, start vetting your options according to these essential qualities.

5 Prime Qualities To Look Out for When Hiring a Marketing Agency:

1. Accessible Track Record

A reputable marketing company has a wealth of prior experience that proves their expertise as well as their interpersonal prowess.

The easiest way to analyze their track record is to read their clients’ testimonials on review sites like Yelp, Google My Business, and LinkedIn. These sites offer clients the chance to express honestly and openly their experience working with the agency in question.

Another option is to ask the company to send you a few testimonials or referrals. What kinds of businesses have hired them? What were the results of their partnership?

If the company is unwilling to present any examples of their past experience, there’s your red flag. However, if they do, the reviews they show you will likely only be positive. That said, it’s not a bad idea to ask them to offer you a negative review and tell you how they handled the feedback.

You know you’ve found the right marketing firm when they can show you a track record when the reviews are mostly positive, and the few negative reviews have been addressed fairly.

In addition, they should be able to show long-term client relationships. Stay away from companies with frequent turnover, as this may indicate a lack of interpersonal skills or mediocre results. The agencies who approach relationships with longevity as the cornerstone will extend the same reliability to your business as well.

2. Transparency

Transparency is synonymous with honesty. Ask your prospective marketing partner for a proposal that clearly describes their process. The contract should clearly state the terms of the partnership, the best strategies to be used, how your budget will be spent, projected ROI, agreements on intellectual property, and reasonable pricing. With expectations determined upfront, you minimize the chance of miscommunications or being blindsided.

Transparency is not just about defining clear terms but also about communication. Do you know who will be your point of contact? What is the agency’s standard procedure for communication throughout a project and feedback after completion?

To what degree do you expect to be involved in content ideation and creation, strategy development, execution, etc.? Red flags to watch out for include frequently bouncing you from one account executive to another, rarely responding to emails and calls, or a reluctance to involve you in the process.

3. Beware the Yes-Man

Of course, everyone wants to work with an advertising partner who willingly gives them what they want and expect. On the other hand, what about a partner who is willing to stand up to you when it matters most?

Despite appearances, a company that says “yes” to every demand may be willing to do anything for your money and doesn’t actually have your best interests at heart.

It takes a great deal of courage to say “no” and to uphold boundaries. Instead of viewing a “no” as conflict, embrace it as an opportunity for discussion and mutual understanding.

An excellent agency will gladly take the time to explain its reasoning, present alternate solutions, and work toward compromise. Even if it’s not what you wanted to hear, you can trust the knowledge and instincts of qualified experts and respect their willingness to level with you as an equal professional.

4. Goal-Oriented & Personalized

An experienced marketing agency will want to know what your goals are. Do you want to increase your brand recognition? Do you need help setting up a sales funnel to increase conversions? Would you prefer trying a multi-channel approach to target your audience from different angles?

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to marketing. As such, your advertising partner should be invested in your unique goals and be able to create a personalized plan for your business.

Additionally, this marketing strategy and the firm’s services will need to work within your budget. For instance, a large corporation with a substantial budget will likely diversify its approach with a wide range of services, including audio-visual production, social media management, SEO, pay-per-click, and more. In this case, you’ll need to look for a full suite of in-house services.

By contrast, a smaller business may not be able to afford everything. However, a talented marketing team can still accomplish a specialized goal even within a limited budget.

If this example sounds like your situation, consider a marketing agency with scalable services. As your marketing efforts bring returns and your business grows, you may eventually want to increase your advertising budget.

5. In-House Services

Outsourcing your marketing requirements makes sense when you have the budget for it and stand to save money on in-house resources.

It frees your employees from spending time and energy on such a specialized field to focus instead on the daily operations and growth of your business. That said, a marketing agency is no more than a middle-man if it outsources its services. Companies that offer in-house services won’t send your work overseas, where it could be subject to shady tactics, language and cultural barriers, and time zone concerns.

In Conclusion

Even though you may be as busy as ever running your business, it’s wise to take the time to vet your prospective marketing partner properly.

You can save yourself dollars and headaches by finding an agency with a good track record, transparent communication, commitment to your goals, and in-house services. If you’re stuck between a couple of top-notch options, consider running a small-scale test project with each, and follow up to see the results and how they respond to feedback.

That said, the most critical factor when deciding upon an advertising agency is what your gut says. No matter what, trust your intuition. It will always reveal to you who feels trustworthy, reliable, and insightful enough to deserve your business.

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