Hiring someone to handle the marketing for your company is a big decision, but there are a few questions that you can ask to make sure you choose the right fit. Before reaching out to any marketing agencies, first be sure you know what goals you want to accomplish, how hands on you plan on being in the marketing process, and what tasks you want to hand off to the new team. Here are a few questions you can ask to select the right company for you:

1. What is your experience in this industry?

When it comes to brand marketing, quality trumps quantity. The marketing firm that was established a decade ago may have a larger number of years in the workforce, but with marketing trends drastically changing every few months you could end up paying for outdated experience. Not to mention, if a company has no experience in your industry, ramp up time while they research best practices could be longer and your strategy may be experimental until they find what works in your field.

Choosing a marketing group with relevant experience in your industry is important to ensure your brand is being represented by marketers who understand your audience and know how to meet your goals.

2. What do you know about my brand/company?

It’s a good sign if the marketers vying for your business come to the initial meeting prepared with some knowledge about your company. While they can’t be expected to know everything, taking initiative to learn the basics before meeting means they value your time as a client and can ask more meaningful questions to determine if you would be the right fit.

 

3. What are some examples of your work?

While you should do some digging yourself before meeting with a marketing company to ensure you appreciate the work they have completed for other clients, asking them to provide examples of their work is also a good idea. You want to see what campaigns they are proud of that they choose to use to represent themselves. This information can give you insight into how they approach different client work. Ask for campaign reporting measurements to see if they have past success – sometimes a flashy campaign looks great, but if it’s not performing well that can point to a lack of understanding of the audience.

4. Where can I find reviews from previous clients? 

Similarly to viewing a portfolio of work, hearing about the experiences of working with a company from previous clients can be helpful in choosing the right marketing group to represent your brand. Look for reviews from clients with similar campaign types and goals when possible.

 

5. What will be expected of me as a client?

All agencies will operate differently, so knowing what to expect in terms of strategy setting, communication, and level of client involvement is important to finding the right fit. Are you looking for a company who will create a strategy focused on your business goals and implement independently to meet them, or do you want to be more hands on in the day-to-day operation? Asking an agency to explain their ideal client can help you decide if your teams would work well together.

 

6. What are your operational expectations? Understand how an agency handles:

  • Onboarding processes
  • Establishment of project timelines
  • Distribution of work 
  • Communication between client and agency
  • Ownership rights
  • Scope of work and additional fees beyond that scope
  • Reporting and revision


7. 
What are your company’s core values?

This question can help you determine what motivates the team to operate and to better assess the cultural fit. If their values don’t match your brand’s mission, you may end up struggling to align on strategy and vision.


Ready to hand off some or all of your social media, website design, and marketing campaigns? KTB Creative Group has you covered! Reach out to discuss your company’s needs and to see if we might be the right choice for you!