San Diego is quite a hotspot for marketing agencies, so how can you make sure you’re picking the right one? Which one truly deserves the final rose? After all, the company you decide to partner with will become a key player in the positioning of your brand going forward. It’s critical that you find an agency that you can trust, not only with your investment, but with your company’s image, as well. There is no one-size-fits-all advice in a situation like this, but we’ve compiled a list of strategic questions for you to ask so that you are informed and can make the best choice possible.

1. What kinds of clients have you worked with?

Researching the firm’s professional background is a great way to start. Not only will this give you a foundation as you begin your search, but it will also help provide an in depth look at the type of service you will receive:

- Does the firm work with large, international companies, or is their emphasis on smaller, more local businesses?
-Have they gone on to create engaging and unique marketing campaigns for their clients or does some of their work rival that of a 5 year old?

All jokes aside, taking the time to familiarize yourself with what these firms offer will streamline your search and help you centralize exactly what you’re looking for.

2. What service areas are your specialty?

Finding an agency that has a background in your field of business is key attribute to look for. Every industry has their own, specialized patterns that need to be considered. When it comes down to it, a firm’s past success doesn’t mean much if they don’t know anything about your field. In addition, finding marketing professionals that have insight on the trends in your area of expertise is an invaluable resource for you to utilize.

3. Can you describe your team’s client on-boarding process?

While it’s important to establish what the company can give to you, you also have to consider what you will need to give to the company. Some companies are eager to welcome any and all firms while others have a very strict on-boarding process, only accepting firms with a certain amount of $$$ in revenue, firms in a specific field, etc. Be careful not to fall in love too early because nothing hurts more than not being liked back :(

In all seriousness, you need to recognize that, just as you have preferences, marketing firms also have a degree of selectiveness that they maintain. Determining what an agency is looking for will help you further narrow down your search and keep you from getting your hopes up too soon.

4. How does your agency measure marketing success?

Agencies can determine marketing success in a wide variety of ways, making it a key point for you to clarify. Is the campaign’s performance strictly measured by the financials? Or does success take a more subjective approach, considering the consumers’ emotional responses or number of retweets on Twitter. You will also need to consider what the best approach for you is. Are you intent on getting your investment back after the first 3 months, or are you more focused on reaching new consumers and building your brand identity?

5. Will I receive an analysis of performance? If so, how often?

Performance analysis is incredibly valuable to you as a client. You need to make sure your investment is paying off! Additionally, you should have the ability to see how your audience is responding to the campaign. Having routine reports will allow you to determine what’s working and what’s not. With this information, you can then work with the firm to make the necessary adjustments to maximize your efforts.

6. Who is a part of your agency’s team?

All agencies operate differently so you will need to know the structure of the team providing services to you. Sometimes, an agency will assign a single delegate that exclusively focuses on your company. Other firms tend to disperse your project amoung different employees in various departments. Both approaches have their pros and cons so it’s best to decide for yourself what you want: specialization of skill or specialization of brand.

7. Who will be my main point of contact?

In order to keep the marketing campaign running smoothly, it’s vital to maintain an open channel of communication. Below are a few specifications that should be discussed:

-Who is the designated person I contact for updates/ questions/ general inquiries?

-Are they easily accessible? If not, where do I go for urgent matters?

-How often will they contact me, directly?

-What information will they be able to provide me?

8. How often will we need to meet?

Going along with the discussion above, keeping in touch with the agency should be a priority. When you’re working with a marketing firm, you will need to determine if they tend to be super hands-on, wanting your input for every decision, or if they utilize a more autonomous approach. It’s possible the firm may only want to meet once during the life of the project, or they may want to meet on a regular basis. Again, it comes down to personal preference and the unique needs your company has.

9. Will our interactions need to be face-to-face?

Once it’s determined how often you will meet, the meeting style should be discussed. Before technology took over, nearly all interactions had to be face-to-face. However, apps like Skype and Zoom make meetings possible, from anywhere in the world. The method you choose will ultimately come down to the level of involvement you want to have and what you feel will be the most beneficial to success of your project. A good agency will adapt to the communication style their clients prefer, whatever it may be.

10. Which marketing tactics do you find are most successful today?

The beauty of marketing manifests itself through innovative thinking, so don’t settle for a one-size-fits-all strategy, simply because it’s been successful in the past. The campaign that you will work together to create should be personalized to your company, upon the consideration of several factors. You don’t want the entirety of your investment to go into one facet of marketing. A good marketing strategy is diversified, reaching as many customer touch-points as possible. Think of it like a stock market portfolio: you wouldn’t invest all of your money in one stock, because, if it fails, your losses will be major. An ideal approach is to maximize exposure through all available channels, allowing every possible opportunity to interact with potential customers.

So there you have it, a handful of questions to help you find “The One”. If you still have questions about picking the perfect marketing firm, you can always contact one of our team members here. We’re all ears!

If you’d like to learn a little bit more about the services Dynamic offers, you can check them out here. We’d gladly accept your Final Rose ;)

Top Questions to Ask a San Diego Marketing Agency