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Not every agency is the same but your ideal B2B agency will be able to scale your business securely and tailor a marketing campaign to suit your needs.
The problem is that many businesses simply don't do the research. And the consequence of not fully understanding what an agency can offer means you could be wasting time on an agency that cannot deliver on your short and long-term goals.
Not all agencies provide the full range of digital marketing services
While some specialise in paid social, or SEO, others are best for social video or influencer marketing. It is worth exploring an agency’s ancillary services to ensure you get what you want but choose an agency with the right combination of people and resources to handle all of your marketing needs.
A full-service agency will have all the technical tools and expertise required to build a successful high-converting sales funnel, which should be the core of every growth strategy.
This quick checklist is typical of services provided by a full-service B2B agency
Web development and web design
Social media marketing
Advertising campaigns
Video and content production
Website analytics and monitoring
Website support and maintenance
B2B vs B2C
It’s also important to consider whether the agency you are considering is a B2C or B2B agency or a hybrid of both. It is our view that the agency that specialises in one or the other may have relevant experience that could deliver real value for your business.
What is the difference between B2B and B2C?
B2B is business-to-business and sells products, or services, to other businesses while B2C is business-to-consumer selling directly to individual consumers. While B2B marketing strategies focus on the needs and interests of customers who are buying on behalf of their organisation (often as part of a buying committee with multiple colleagues) B2C marketers focus their efforts on the needs and interests of everyday consumers.
There are times when B2B and B2C intersect. Typically, a coffee roaster might operate as a wholesaler, and a retailer, and will sell its coffee to businesses as well as individuals making it a B2B and B2C business.
Other examples of when B2B and B2C businesses crossover could be professional service firms, like accountants, offering their services to businesses and independent professionals. Or, a hearing aid supplier that provides auditory solutions to healthcare clinics selling its hearing loss products to individuals.
Always choose an agency that has experience in your sector specialism
An agency with relevant sub-sector experience will have the marketing know-how to push your brand forward.
Agencies with multiple client profiles, who claim to be good at everything, simply won't have the background be knowledge specific to make your business succeed. Find an agency that works with and for you with a proven track record of nurturing and developing relationships with clients in your industry sector. Whether your business is in:
Manufacturing
Agriculture
Technology
Construction
Project management
Software as a service
Make an informed decision using an agency's case studies and let the evidence speak for itself. Credible agencies will openly showcase client testimonials, or client work on their website as we do here: https://www.togetherdigital.ie/our-work/
Any agency worth its salt will be forthcoming about what makes its marketing strategies so effective and its value propositions unique. So it is vital to engage in a proper evaluation process with an agency to determine how they plan to optimise your sales funnel and maximise conversion rates.
So what have we learned?
Rule No. 1: never hire an agency without having done your research first. It’s also worth getting in writing how the agency you choose plans to deliver on their marketing objectives and execute a campaign to hit all your business goals – and set an achievable timeline to track progress.
Always opt for an agency with a proven track record that has the experience, skills and knowledge to market and grow your business effectively.
It’s important too that you have just one agency that inputs on your strategy – otherwise, things can sometimes get messy.
We would also advise you not to spread your efforts thinly by hiring multiple agencies for graphic design, PPC, SEM, content production et cetera if you can match with the one that has the capabilities to meet all of your digital needs.
One other critical area briefly touched upon is support and maintenance. You want an agency that can support your website over the long term and future-proof your business by ensuring your website is working securely around the clock to get you more views and traffic.
So whether you are a small to medium-sized business or a large corporation, choose an agency that you know will work closely with you and provide a seamless digital experience with every step of the way.
