Decisions to Make Before Working with an Agency

Decisions that should be made by companies before they start working with agencies

In the early stages of deciding what marketing agency to work with, it is important for businesses to first solidify some major decisions before finalizing the partnership. These decisions can help guide companies towards the agency best suited to them and most importantly, it aids in achieving their overall marketing goals.

So, here is what companies should decide before meeting with a marketing agency in Trinidad and Tobago:

1. The Goal of Marketing

The first factor that should be made by the company, even before they start searching for an agency is, the goal they want to achieve through their marketing. These can be both long term and short term goals, however, they should be as clear and specific as possible. For example, it could be goals such as:

• Increased online sales

• Improved brand awareness on Facebook and LinkedIn

• Community engagement

• Reaching new customers

The more specific the goal the better as this will also help the company and the agency decide what platforms are worth pursuing and what metrics, tracking systems and KPIs are worth using.

2. Have a set Budget

There are a plethora of options for companies to pursue especially in digital marketing. This includes:

• Page management

• Social media content (for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok)

• Customer service on social media

• Email marketing

• Website development

• Lead generation

• Website content

• Blogs

• Implementation of E-commerce Solutions

This list doesn’t even consider the more traditional forms of advertising. All of this can quickly add up and without a limitation or a minimum companies will not get the “bang for their buck.” Having a set budget can help the company and the agency find the best medium for what they want, what will be effective and what they can afford.

3. Manage Expectations

Many local companies expect to see a return on their investment when advertising within the first few weeks of its implementation. However, almost all local agencies tell their clients that it will take up to three months to see the impact their advertising has made.

Whether it be the creation and maintenance of a website or a strategic plan for social media content creation across platforms, it takes about 2-3 months to gauge its performance and growth.

Far too often local brands cut content plans within a month if it doesn’t meet their expectations. However, once there is approval for the direction and content to be produced, the company should give 2-3 months to measure the success before upheaving the plan.

Once a company has these three main factors decided and understood they are in a better position to make the right decision in terms of the agency to work with and what proposals meet their goals and budget.

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