Mastering the Match: How to Find Your Perfect Outsourced Marketing Agency Partner

In an earlier blog, we wrote about some of the benefits of outsourcing your marketing to a suitable agency, and suggested why it might the right decision depending on your marketing goals and available resources.

That’s all well and good, but once you’ve made that important decision, you’ll need to go about finding and selecting a suitable outsourced marketing agency to work with.

The relationship you have with your agency – whether for a single service such as social media management, email marketing or graphic design – needs to be close and enduring.

At C4B Media, with over a decade of experience as an outsourced marketing agency, our insights are based on our extensive experience and client feedback.

In this article, we’re going to describe the characteristics you should look for and how these should align with your marketing goals, company culture and specific needs.

Characteristics to look for in an outsourced marketing agency partner

Evidence of expertise and experience

The first and most obvious qualities to look for in your outsourced marketing agency are proven expertise, skills and experience in the areas of marketing you require. Ideally, the agency should have experience of working within your sector or target market, but most importantly they should show the capacity to understand the dynamics of your market.

Furthermore, they should have a solid track record of successful delivery of projects, campaigns and services, with evidence to back it up.

Check the agency’s reputation by looking at reviews, testimonials and case studies, and don’t be afraid to ask for references from current or past clients about their experiences.

Capability to deliver full-service marketing packages

Depending on your needs, you might want an agency that offers just a single service – such as Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

On the other hand, many companies want a full range of marketing services (e.g. strategy, digital marketing, content creation, SEO, PPC and social media management).

Ensure they have the capabilities to cover all aspects of your marketing strategy, but also see how these services would fit together in a managed, outsourced marketing package.

Strategic thinking

Your ideal outsourced marketing agency should not just be a service provider but a strategic marketing partner.

They should demonstrate an ability to think critically about your business challenges and offer innovative solutions that align with your objectives.

This is important, because while many agencies have specific skills in a single discipline (such as in web design, for example) fewer have a full range of marketing experts on offer.

Cultural fit

If you’re going to entrust any of your marketing to an agency, you’ll need to make sure that the marketing agency’s work culture and values are a good fit with your own.

By “cultural fit”, we’re talking about factors such as sustainability, team ethos, inclusivity, commitment to quality, results orientation and work ethics. Find out, for example, about your intended marketing agency’s approach to ethical marketing practices, how they comply with data privacy laws and whether they avoid deceptive or spammy techniques.

A strong cultural fit is a good recipe for clear communication, close collaboration and a better overall, mutually beneficial and enduring working relationship.

Reporting and results

A strong and ethical marketing agency that’s worth its salt should communicate clearly and regularly, providing you with updates, reports and insights into the results of your marketing activities.

They should have a strong focus on outcomes and ROI, and be willing to discuss their approach to measuring and reporting on the success of their efforts, using relevant KPIs that align with your business goals.

Flexibility and adaptability

In business, things can change fast, particularly in the digital marketing landscape.

Your outsourced marketing agency should not only show a willingness to be flexible, but should be agile and able to adapt strategies to changing requirements and market trends.

They should also be prepared to shift gear on projects and campaigns, flexing resources up or down based on according to time deadlines, budgets or performance.

Creativity

It goes without saying that your ideal outsourced marketing agency should bring creative ideas to the table that will help your brand stand out.

Not only that, but the work they deliver should demonstrate originality and out-of-the-box thinking, so that your products, services and brands are uniquely positioned through the marketing activities, channels and media you use.

Technical proficiency

Your chosen outsourced marketing agency should bring knowledge and expertise to the business that you don’t have, or which complements your in-house team’s capabilities.

This includes knowledge and use of the latest marketing technologies, techniques and platforms such as marketing automation, analytics, web design tools and emerging tech trends such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Final word

When evaluating potential agencies to whom you want to outsource some or all of your marketing, the simple rule is to do your due diligence.

You might want to request a proposal, meet with their teams and interview management to assess compatibility.

You’ll also want to see examples of their work, evidence of their success and maybe even talk to existing clients.

Choosing the right outsourced marketing agency will be an important decision for you, but given the substantial commitment you’re going to make, it’s important to ensure compatibility and alignment with your company’s values and long-term objectives.