Most of the clients we’ve had, claim to have burnt hands with other digital marketing agencies before getting us on board. Some of the usual complaints we’ve heard about their previous agencies were:
- They gave a fabulous sales pitch but as soon as they came on board they disappeared.
- They showed all sorts of fancy reports but in real we could see absolutely no difference in business growth.
- They were not reachable most of the time.
- They do not approach a client’s business from a long term perspective.
- And so on…
When Pooja and me left Google and entered the agency world in India we were almost aghast with the quality of work being delivered by most of the digital marketing agencies (this includes agencies employing 100-200 people!).
We perceived the quality by:
- Our current client’s previous experience and reports shared.
- While interviewing candidates from other agencies, their level of knowledge divulged a thing or two.
Now, having said that, there are still quite a few agencies that are trying to change the game either through technology or through quality of service. While Whisskers is aiming for the latter, there are some companies like Melt waters who are pushing boundaries of the digital industry.
In most cases, a standalone business cannot specialize in Digital Marketing, especially if it’s not part of their core business. In which case, it might be commercially more viable to have an agency, given they are managed appropriately and an understanding is set between the agency and the client from the start.
Points that you should keep in mind while choosing and managing an agency:
- At the RFP stage, before signing an agreement, make sure the communication processes are well established. Weekly, monthly or bi weekly – whatever level of communication is needed at the given stage of your business, make sure you demand it and is a part of your agreement.
- Have a payment method that is more like on-the-go, like monthly retainers, instead of advanced payments of six months. This allows clients to have easy exits, and it becomes easy to perceive the value being added vis-à-vis the money invested in the agency.
- Set clear KPIs which are mutually decided by both the client and the agency. This is best for both the parties since both the client and the agency know what is expected of the engagement.
Hope the above helps! At the end of the day, if agencies and clients remember that they are both on the same side of the table, rest falls in place.
If you’ve had any experience of your own with Digital Marketing agencies and any learning you’ve had, please do share.