Before hiring a marketing agency, it is important to check their references. If possible, ask if their clients are in the same industry as yours. If possible, get a list of several different companies to check out their performance over the last few months. Marketing agencies that specialize in one industry are also worth looking at.
Reviewing a marketing agency’s website
Before hiring a marketing agency, it’s important to review their website. Not only should you check the content, but you should also check out the website’s overall usability. If images and links are broken or the site takes a long time to load, this might signal that the agency doesn’t give their work enough attention. In addition, page load speed can have a major impact on SEO. Generally, Google recommends a load time of three seconds or less.
The website of a marketing agency should be up to date with industry standards and trends. The website should contain comprehensive and detailed information about their services and solutions. It should also include links to relevant resources. In addition to client testimonials, you should also check out the agency’s past campaigns and clients. Whether a marketing agency has a solid track record is important, as it may indicate how well they can serve your business.
Getting a detailed service agreement from a marketing agency
A marketing service agreement is a legal document that details the services and obligations of both parties. In most cases, the agreement will include a Statement of Work and Standard Terms. The Statement of Work is similar to an “order form,” and will outline the specific services that the agency will provide for your business. This document also specifies payment terms, including deadlines, payment methods, and currency.
A detailed service agreement is essential when working with a marketing agency. The agreement will establish your relationship with the agency and detail the expectations you have of the relationship. Although the terms and conditions of the agreement vary based on the type of services that the agency offers, the basic elements of any marketing service agreement are the same. For example, the agreement will outline what the agency is expected to deliver, how it will be delivered, and how it will resolve disputes.
In addition to the service agreement, the contract should include a termination clause. This clause will protect both the agency and the client. If either party terminates the contract early, the agency can no longer perform marketing services for that client.
Asking for client testimonials
Asking for testimonials is an important part of marketing your business. Studies show that 92% of users trust recommendations from others, and a customer testimonial helps build trust with your target audience. The testimonials provided by your clients can help your company build a better reputation and make purchasing decisions easier.
One of the best ways to get testimonials is to reach out to previous customers and ask for feedback. People who have given positive feedback are likely to be honest, so make sure you follow up with these people to ask for more testimonials. Even better, give them incentives like a gift card or a prize for writing a review.
Aside from testimonials, you should also check the agency’s online reviews. These can be found on review aggregators such as Yelp and Google. Read the positive and negative reviews, and note common themes between them.
Using an RFP process to weigh different agencies
When choosing an agency, you should utilize an RFP process, or request for proposal, to help you evaluate each candidate. This process allows you to weigh each criterion against each other and compare their responses. The evaluation criteria should include a range of characteristics that you want to consider, such as the qualifications of staff, pricing, depth of client base, and other factors. To ensure fair comparisons, you should create an evaluation committee comprised of three or more people. This committee should also be formed before you issue the RFP.
The RFP document should clearly state your organization’s needs. It should also reflect the goals and objectives of the organization. In addition, if you have a portfolio of assets, you may want to provide candidate firms with a sample asset allocation to compare with each other’s. You should also specify whether the returns are hypothetical, representative, or composite.
The efficiency of the RFP process should be evaluated regularly to ensure it’s achieving its goals. If the process is taking too long, you might end up with an unsatisfactory outcome. You can fix this by incorporating a service level agreement or prioritizing the responses based on priority. The process should be streamlined to maximize speed without compromising quality. It should also include regular check-ins with stakeholders to gather feedback and determine whether your goals are being met.