There are many important factors to look at when deciding on who to choose for an online media campaign. From picking out the graphic designers to the actual strategists crafting the keywords you are targeting along with the demographic many moving parts are involved that have to be handled precisely. Often times an experiential marketing agency will also be able to help you understand how to reach your ideal customer and what sort of creative units will help bring in new customers.
Review their portfolio closely
One of the things to look for in a portfolio is a lot of recent work so that you know the agency is still really good within that field and can provide value to you. The next thing to be on watch for is relevancy. If you run a club and need night club promotion, a firm who just did Fortune 500 brands for pharmaceuticals may not have the fun touch you need and will be too dry and corporate, vice-versa as well. What sort of firms have they worked with? If their entire client list is not available to talk about the project anymore because they are bankrupt that may be a sign that projects they touch do not end up as successful.
When you look through their portfolio try to find projects that include clear objective results such as “increased orders 120%” or “built fan base from 1000 to 2750” that you can use to benchmark how they really did. Holding design and marketing firms accountable for their work is important to get the most value out of the relationship and keep them on their toes for the next stage. Preparing questions to ask their references within the portfolio is also important so that you can find out what the other clients think of their work.
Creative ability and unique approach to marketing
Another essential asset to look for from your marketing firm of choice is if they are able to think outside of the box and deliver something that will help you differentiate yourself. The standard stock image, and boring text campaign does not fly anymore and you need to stand out in a sea full of competitors.
We like to look for credentials such as Google Adwords specialist or Microsoft certified to show some level of certification with high-end technologies that are in the technology sphere. Let us know your thoughts on choosing the right marketing firm as well as some of the firms you have had a great experience with.
