Whether you are a small business or a company of any size without an internal marketing team, you understand the struggle of putting together a marketing campaign. Especially when you don’t have the right skills, you can waste money, time, and effort, all on marketing efforts that were doomed to start. So, if you are considering an outside marketing agency, there are a few things to consider before you agree to any marketing campaign with a set of outside professionals.

When your team is considering hiring an outside marketing agency, the first and most critical part of the decision is understanding your needs and budget. The better you understand your needs, the better an outside marketing agency can help you. Take the time to understand how to describe your business needs, including website design, social media presence and advertising, graphic design, and anything else you believe should be a part of your upcoming marketing campaign. Let them know your budget first and foremost, after you’ve explained some of your business needs, so reasonable expectations can be set from the start.

As you search for local marketing agencies, make sure to demand full transparency. If a marketing agency agrees to take on your company and its campaign but does not communicate or allow you to ask questions along the way, there’s your red flag. You should be able to speak to this team of marketing experts whenever you have a question, and if you can’t, they may be hiding something. It’s your company’s money on the line, sure, but more importantly, your reputation and brand value. 

Credibility of the marketing agency is a crucial aspect. This is something that you must check before you start a project with any external team of experts. Start with a simple Google search: you can find a range of reviews through Expertise, Yelp, Google reviews, and Clutch. As you search through these reviews, remember to take them each objectively: there will always be bad experiences that aren’t. Speak to companies individually and ask for client references, looking into specific successful campaigns. A reputable, successful company should be willing to share in their successes, showing you that they can handle any project.

As you are searching through reputable, local marketing agencies and make your choice, consider the agency itself, their past clients and campaigns, and what you understand about the technical side of their work. And, on top of everything, make sure the agency you choose has experience in insurance agency marketing. Take time to make your choice and jumpstart a successful marketing campaign.