8 Ways Marketing Agencies Can Be Better

The field of digital marketing is always changing — and digital marketing agencies should also continuously work to improve. Because digital marketing is a cutthroat industry, firms need to look for ways to stay a step or two ahead of their competitors. The following ideas are excellent for small and/or young digital marketing agencies that need help attracting new clients, starting new projects and improving in new ways in the new year.

Invest In Better Tools

There is an old saying that goes “A man is only as good as his tools.” Marketers rely on a bevy of tools to complete projects and accomplish goals for clients, and the better those tools are, the more value clients tend to receive. This year, marketers might invest in a larger number of higher-quality tools to boost their capabilities. Every digital marketing field offers many solutions that marketers can and should experiment with to find the tools they need to improve performance.

Optimize Your Team

Of course, there is another important quote for marketers to note: “Tools are only as good as the team wielding them.” Digital marketers might commit to improving their workforce in various ways to ensure that the tools they have invested in are put to proper use. Firms might prioritize attracting top talent, or they might further invest in their current team members through professional development programs and initiatives. It might also be valuable for agencies to build teams of professionals with differing skills and expertise.

Offer More Services

Many small firms have no choice but to specialize in a single field of digital marketing, such as analytics, social media, content or affiliate. This helps manage costs, deepen knowledge and skills and improve results for clients. Over time, firms can and should increase the number and type of services they offer, adding complementary services that will deliver greater success to clients. To do this, it might be useful to work with SEO resellers or other third-party partners who can offer high-quality services at lower costs.

Show What You Sell

A marketing firm is its own best resource for attracting new clients. Firms should use their own resources to market themselves, showcasing their abilities to their clients in their own success. Though marketing the agency will demand time and resources, it should pay for itself in the amount of attention the agency receives. Of course, if marketing efforts are not profitable, it may indicate that the firm needs to reevaluate its strategies and make changes to its practices and procedures.

Boost Branding

Marketing firms benefit from branding just like any other company. Without changing any other aspect of the firm, marketing agencies can attract more clients simply by investing in better branding strategies and solutions. If branding is not an agency’s strength, they might partner with brand marketing consultants to help reposition the firm’s brand strategy and drive traffic to their website.

Simplify Onboarding

Onboarding new clients is an essential process that helps marketers understand their clients on a deeper level. However, the onboarding process should not be so complex as to turn off clients who are looking for fast and easy marketing solutions that drive positive results. Marketing agencies might look for ways to simplify their onboarding and then continue to learn about clients as they provide the services that clients demand.

Improve Pricing

No one wants to pay more for services than they have to, so marketers might look for ways to cut their costs and pass those savings along to clients. If slashing rates is not possible, agencies might instead look for ways to improve their pricing structures to attract more clients. For example, a firm might offer different tiers of service, shift to a flat-rate model or boost the transparency of their rates and fees. Interviewing current and prospective clients about what they like in marketing pricing can help guide decision-making in this field.

Learn to Say “No”

Marketing agencies need clients, but they do not need to bend over backwards to comply with clients’ every wish. Sometimes, clients’ demands are far beyond what a firm is capable of delivering. Other times, clients’ behavior does not align with the firm’s culture and values, and continuing to work with them is impacting employees’ attitude and performance. In either case, marketers need to recognize that it is appropriate for them to decline a client and move onto more productive projects.

Because the world of digital marketing is constantly in flux, digital marketing agencies might find it easier to find ways to improve every year. The above broad ideas might help smaller firms grow and find great success over the coming months and years.