The benefits of working with a marketing agency
However, we recognise that making the decision to bring on board an external marketing team is a big leap to take. That’s why we’ve compiled a bit of a guide of what you can expect, to help you in your decision-making process.
Why invest in marketing your brand?
This is a question we know a lot of business owners ask themselves, and it’s completely understandable. You might be doing okay without having to think too much about advertising, or about the way your website is performing, but relying solely on word of mouth isn’t always the most sustainable approach to running a successful business.
For many business owners, this realisation comes a little bit too late. They might suddenly decide to start investing more time in maintaining their social media presence, often without a real strategy in place. They might even experiment a little with Google ads, but will often fall short by investing too little over too short a period, giving up on the endeavour when it doesn’t yield instant results.
Sound familiar?
The fact is that investing in marketing for your business does pay off, it just needs to be done right! And this is where having a dedicated marketing team on board will come in handy.
First things first
No marketing team can properly get to work and begin generating effective campaigns and strategies without first having gotten to know all about you and your brand – your products and services, history, core values, target audiences, and, generally, what makes you tick!
Developing a relationship that’s built on trust is the key to a successful partnership, and the right marketing team will be as invested in establishing a good relationship with you as you are with them.
It’s understandable if you’re hesitant at first to bring on board an external marketing team, but there are a whole heap of benefits which, we believe, may just tip the scales…
Access a whole range of creative and digital assets
Firstly, you won’t have to worry about signing up for and purchasing costly digital design packages, such as Adobe InDesign, as you might have done if you were to manage your marketing in-house – your chosen agency will already have all the necessary software installed and ready to go.
Additionally, working with an agency will allow you to have access to a range of marketing professionals, who are each highly experienced within their respective fields. So, by bringing a marketing agency on board, you can rest assured that you’re getting the best of the best for web and graphic design, web development, copywriting, and print and digital marketing.
Some agencies who provide website design services will also offer competitive rates for website hosting, with site maintenance included, which can save you the stress of having to scour the internet for the best deals.
At R52, we’ve worked with a number of business owners who, when first turning their attention to their marketing, have considered hiring additional team members to bring everything in-house in their own company. If you’re committed to making the effort with your marketing, this may seem (on paper) like a logical next step. However, what business owners often don’t realise is that the salary of one additional staff member, let’s say a Graphic Designer, could pay for a complete marketing service with an agency, where you would receive marketing support from a whole team of professionals, along with support in developing your long-term strategy and brand, for the same price.
Know that your marketing is being taken care of
One of the key benefits of working with an agency is that they’ll be on hand to ensure you’re on the ball with your marketing, so that you can spend more time concentrating on your other responsibilities, like running a business!
With plans in place to help you stay active on social media, or keep your website up to date, or advertise across online and offline platforms, you’ll no longer have to worry about finding the time in your busy schedule to think about brand development.
That isn’t to say you’re completely off the hook – you’ll still need to get involved from time to time to provide feedback, keep your marketing team up to date with any company news, and to review the impact of all the hard work that’s going on behind the scenes. But working with a dedicated team who have plenty of experience in the industry, who are keen to help you achieve your goals and will work tirelessly on your behalf, can be a huge weight off your shoulders.
Identify and target new audiences
Bringing creative minds and fresh perspectives on board can help you to begin thinking outside the box, and may help to open your eyes to approaches, strategies and potential audiences that you might not have considered before.
Not only will a successful marketing agency assist you in identifying such markets, but they’ll also have the expertise, tools and knowhow to effectively target those markets, helping to boost your brand and expand your reach, with a comprehensive strategy in place which aligns closely with your values and goals.
Boost engagement with your brand
Brand engagement can be tricky to generate if it’s something you’re unfamiliar with, and it can then become difficult and time-consuming to manage once you’ve caught people’s attention and attracted an interest in your brand.
A marketing agency will have the expertise required to set strategies into motion which achieve increased engagement with your brand and are then supported by additional marketing efforts which see those clicks and likes turn to enquiries and purchases.
How to find the right marketing agency
With so many agencies to choose from, it can be difficult to know which one will be the best fit for you and your brand.
Whilst your budget inevitably has to be considered in your decision, it’s equally important to remember that strong professional partnerships are the ones that yield the best results, so while pricing is an important factor, so are your first impressions and gut feelings about the team you’re going to be working with.
When it comes to selecting the perfect agency, here are some key factors that we recommend being on the lookout for:
They’re experienced
When it comes to finding a team to take care of your brand, you’re going to want someone on board who knows what they’re doing, and a marketing agency that’s been established and operating for several years is clearly doing something right!
When it comes to an agency’s experience, there tends to be a bit of a divide in the type of agency business owners will go for. Some business owners, especially those who provide specialist products and services for a niche audience, will seek out an agency who already has similar clients on their books. But this isn’t always the best way to go. An agency that works with a wide variety of clients is not only more likely to invest the time in getting to know your business and what you do, but they also may be able to bring in some fresh perspectives that an agency who has been working within your industry for years may not have thought about.
They’re passionate
It’s true of any industry that a team who is passionate about what they do will always produce their best work, and it’s no different in marketing!
They’re creative
Being in a creative industry, finding a marketing team with creativity is obviously a must! The best marketing agencies are not only creative in their strategies, but also in the methods via which they overcome any obstacles and provide effective solutions.
They’re invested
You know what they say – first impressions are key! An agency that’s keen to work with you will let their passion be known from the offset, and you should be able to tell in your first meeting how invested they are in seeing your brand and company succeed, and helping you to get there!
What the R52 team can bring to the table
With a dedicated team of creatives, whose expertise spans across digital marketing, social media management, graphic design, website development, and copywriting, we’ve been providing effective creative and marketing solutions for clients in all sectors since 2008.
We’re passionate about bringing innovation and creativity into everything we do, and we’re all about building strong working relationships to make sure our work is beautiful, functional and meaningful.
Here to help our clients with growing their business, powerful partnerships built on honesty, trust and transparency are a key part of our company ethos.
Do we sound like a good fit? Get in touch with our team today!
