Choosing a growth marketing agency to work with isn’t an easy decision. That’s because your time, budget, and resources are on the line, and the wrong choice can cost you thousands of wasted marketing dollars. It’s no wonder this one decision can have executives pulling their hair out.
If you’re ready to work with a growth marketing agency, this article will help you pick one. You’ll find several key questions to ask as you shop around for the best agency for your needs.
1. How do you want to work?
Think about the working relationship you want. Some people prefer a completely hands-off approach, where the agency handles everything. Others are looking to outsource or bring in a growth marketing agency to become an extension of the internal team.
Both options have drawbacks. Consider the amount of time you can afford to spend on coordinating marketing initiatives every month to help you decide—pinpoint the most optimal collaboration arrangement.
2. Does the agency have a great website?
Any good growth marketing agency knows that a website is the first impression most consumers get when looking for services or products. If the company has a sub-par website, that may be a sign that the team executes internal projects poorly. Therefore, it’s unlikely the organization will deliver outstanding external work for your business.
Comb through the growth marketing agency’s website—consider the aesthetics, copy, and ease of navigation. Depending on the overall site quality, you may want to move on to another company that values exceptional user experiences.
3. Does the agency have experience?
This one is a bit tricky. Every executive wants to work with a growth marketing agency that has a good amount of experience. However, people can fake that, which is why you need concrete evidence to determine the experience level and expertise of the company.
The best evidence is to look at how the organization does its marketing. Take a look at the company’s blog to get into the teams’ minds a little. Use the search function to find information that’s relevant to your marketing needs for reading. If no search function exists, that’s a user experience fail and, as such, doesn’t bode well.
Oh, and bonus points if they have a podcast or an active YouTube channel or something else beyond just a standard blog!
Use a similar process for other marketing needs. For instance, if you need social media management, take a look at the brand’s social accounts.
4. Is the organization’s values a good fit?
The growth marketing agency should align with your company’s core values. Working with an agency with the same or similar values as your business is much easier. Some examples of values are honesty, authenticity, consistency, dependability, transparency, etc. When your values match, it can eliminate stress as a factor in the relationship.
The absolute best way to be sure an agency is right for your brand is to book a call to discuss your goals.
5. Does the agency have any social proof?
The psychological principle of social proof is powerful. It’s a social phenomenon where people tend to conform to the actions of others to undertake particular behaviors. Think about when you last shopped for something online. You most likely looked at product reviews to help guide your decision.
Seeing some social proof on an agency’s website or elsewhere (e.g., Google My Business) is a good sign. It can provide some insight into what you can expect when working with the company. While positive reviews are great, negative ones can give information about areas where the organization struggles.
Some examples of suitable social proof include:
- Past client reviews
- Case studies
- A list of past projects
- Certifications
6. Is the agency making sound promises?
It would be best to run the other way when companies make outlandish claims. For example, if the agency is promising results, such as ranking your web pages on top of Google within a few days, that’s a massive red flag.
While you can have quick wins with growth marketing, it’s a long-term strategy that uses innovative, data-driven tactics to grow a brand. Don’t hire any agency that makes far-fetched claims. Instead, seek agencies that offer realistic promises and practice transparency.
7. Will you receive reports?
You shouldn’t feel lost throughout your working relationship. Look for an agency that will share reports with you monthly so you can view the progress of growth marketing efforts. Reports also help you understand where your money is going and the decisions happening on your behalf.
Speaking of reports … if you want to stay up on what’s working in the world of growth marketing each week, you should seriously check out my free newsletter called GrowthMarketer Weekly.
Think of it as my marketing report made exclusively for anyone looking to up their marketing skills and keep up-to-date on the latest trends.
Good luck finding your match
No matter the size of your next growth marketing project, it deserves attention from true industry experts. So it’s worth taking the time necessary to do proper research before choosing a growth marketing agency.
I hope you found these tips useful as you search for the best growth marketing agency for your specific needs. Of course, if you’re looking for any further advice from someone who’s been living in the agency world for over 11+ years, you can always reach out to me on Twitter, or via email.
Happy agency hunting!
