8 Effective Tips for Hiring a Marketing Agency

To help you navigate hiring a marketing agency, we’ve gathered eight specific tips from professionals in the field, including CEOs and marketing instructors. From ensuring ownership of all assets to evaluating an agency’s communication skills, these insights will guide you in making the right choice for your business.

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Ensure Ownership of All Assets Upon hiring A Marketing Agency

When hiring a marketing agency, ensure your contract specifies that you own all of your own accounts, creative, and IP. Too often, businesses encounter situations where their previous agencies are holding their Google Analytics, Instagram, Canva templates, Ad accounts, etc., hostage when the relationship ends. 

If a marketing agency won’t agree that you, the client, own the rights to assets created for your business during the partnership, consider it a giant red flag and run, don’t walk, in the opposite direction.

Jyll Saskin Gales, Marketing Instructor, Jyll.ca

Collaborate With Your marketing Agnecy for Successful Outcomes

As the director of a marketing agency, the biggest specific tip for hiring a marketing agency I can give is not to expect them to be a plug-and-play solution. Collaborate with them to achieve your goals and support them; the better you support them, the better the job they will do. 

The work will be easier for them with clear communication, and if it isn’t going well, your respect and collaboration will make them more driven to go above and beyond for you.

Chris Stott, Director, Seven Marketing

Understand Your Business First

If you don’t understand your business, services, and goals, Hiring a marketing agency won’t be able to help you.

Coming from the perspective of a marketing agency, it’s nearly impossible to provide support to a client that doesn’t have a firm understanding of where their company is currently, where they’d like to get to, and how they can best help their customers.

An agency won’t be able to fix a bad offer. They won’t be able to help you get your business plan in order. An agency’s job is to market what you’ve already spent time building up, not to help you build it from scratch.

Before hiring a marketing agency, have a strong sense of identity in your business and niche, and have an idea of the areas in which you’d like to grow or see results.

Get okay with relinquishing some control before hiring an agency. Trust that you’re hiring an expert with the experience and data to back them up. Review their client roster and previous work to see if they would be a good fit.

Chelsea Evans-Flower, Owner, Scott Social

Examine the Agency’s Track Record

When hiring a marketing agency, it’s essential to survey their track record and client references. At our company, we carefully look at their past work, especially if it was in a similar field to ours. We ask for case studies that show great campaigns and look into how they keep clients for a long time. Talking to sources gives more information about how well they communicate, how quickly they respond, and how results-oriented they are. 

This thorough evaluation ensures that their knowledge fits perfectly with our needs. Choosing an agency with a strong track record of delivering real results and keeping strong client relationships gives more trust in their abilities and increases the value they bring to our marketing efforts.

Daniel Carter, Head of Content, SEO-Audits.io

Identify the Agency’s True Specialties

Find out what their true specialties really are. Most marketing agencies provide a variety of services, but they’re only excellent at some of them. Asking a few questions and seeing what their other clients say about them will often give you a good sense of the agency’s core competencies. 

You want to make sure that hiring a marketing agency can provide the quality of service you need. In some cases, it actually makes sense to go with an agency that isn’t focused on the service you need. But it’s important to know this before actually hiring them.

Temmo Kinoshita, Co-Founder, Lindenwood Marketing

Conduct Comprehensive Due Diligence

When hiring a marketing agency, conduct thorough due diligence beyond the agency’s own marketing materials. Consider consulting employee reviews on platforms like Glassdoor. While all companies naturally strive to present themselves in the best possible light, these reviews can offer invaluable insights into the internal workings of the agency from those who know it best: the employees. 

An agency may boast an impressive track record, but it is important to consider the effort and conditions under which these results were achieved. Employee reviews may reveal whether the staff are consistently overworked and stressed, which can lead to burnout. 

Ultimately, the satisfaction and well-being of an agency’s employees can significantly impact the quality and effectiveness of the marketing initiatives they will conduct on your behalf. It is in your best interest to partner with an agency that not only produces great results but also fosters a healthy, sustainable work environment for its team.

Anneliese Peper, Director of Content and Influencer Relations, Gossip Genie

Define Your Goals Before Selection

Define your goals and desired outcomes. When Hiring a Marketing Agency, begin by defining your goals and desired outcomes. Examine the agency’s case studies and client achievements to determine if they align with your business objectives. 

Consider requesting a meeting with the agency’s leadership to clarify any uncertainties. Look for agencies that share their values openly, particularly those centered around trust, responsibility, and building strong partnerships. This ensures a collaborative relationship that supports your business’s growth and success.

Matias Rodsevich, CEO, PRLab

Evaluate the Agency’s Communication Skills

One specific tip for hiring a marketing agency is to thoroughly evaluate their communication skills and responsiveness. Effective communication is often overlooked, but it is crucial for a successful partnership. Look for agencies that actively listen, understand your goals, and communicate effectively. 

For instance, a marketing agency that promptly responds to your inquiries and keeps you updated on the progress of your campaigns will ensure better collaboration. By prioritizing communication, you can establish a strong relationship and work smoothly towards achieving your marketing objectives.

Ben Lau, Founder, Featured SEO Company

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