My name is CJ Kortes and I am one of the owners of The SEO Contractor. I often search for vendors and services online thinking, who is the best, but this question can mean different things to different people. When I perform searches on Google, I always find that many of the top websites are actually directories with a list of the best companies. When I search for marketing agencies and think about finding the best marketing company, I don't think the answer is as cut and dry as directory websites might lead us to believe.
For instance, when you search this question, the first thing you are going to find are websites with lists of top 10 or top 100 marketing companies. To these websites, the best is going to be measured by the largest, with the most reviews, and the most revenue. Does this mean the best, though, I mean Starbucks probably has the most stores, reviews, and income, but in my opinion, their coffee is far from the best? What is best for you is not always best for the other guy or, in this case, business. The SEO Contractor suggests looking at the actual companies you discover when searching in Google or Social Media and vetting them, the same way your customer's do for you.
Do They Offer Comprehensive Marketing?
A great business owner once taught me that your brand is a puzzle to the customer, and until they see all the pieces, they don't always see the full picture of your company. I believe this to be very true, which is why our company focuses on a comprehensive online marketing approach. The SEO Contractor believes that when you choose a marketing agency, you shouldn't get just one service. Although one marketing channel, like Paid Ads, may work to a certain extent, it will not be enough to reach your full target audience.
With marketing, you need to up your odds by reaching your target customer from multiple marketing channels. As they begin to see your brand from all angles repetitively, they will eventually become ready to choose you. When you pick a marketing agency, you must select a company that will deliver a full-service approach rather than one service. Think about your customer going online and searching for you; they will want to see your website vibrant with content, your social media active, and your map listing full of reviews. Finding your paid ad could be the first way they discover you, but referencing all your marketing channels will be how they vet you. You want to work with one company to deliver all of this seamlessly.
Are They Reliable & Caring?
Reliable and caring marketing companies will not chat with you on the phone all day and bring you cookies, so you remember them. Reliable means delivering marketing services that drive new business. It's easy for any company to make social media posts, build a website, and have paid ads clicked. The challenge lies in turning marketing into engagement and converting sales. We have seen time after time digital marketing companies make a post for their clients, and the only people to comment and share those posts are the agency who made the post. The best marketing agencies don't just perform work; they care about delivering your results. You can measure this by seeing transparent reporting and customers that come to your business. Don't get tricked by vague reports making false claims, or random phone calls of assurance. Great agencies care more about strategy, workload, and your leads as appose to just being on call 24/7.
I tend to find that smaller, less knowledgable, marketing companies tend to overcompensate by continually letting the customer know they are there. You end up liking your marketing guy cause he calls so much, but you don't know if the results have improved, or how to make sense of the reports. On the flip side, I have noticed that larger agencies don't care enough about your business. They have you in the system delivering cookie-cutter methods, and if you leave, they will be ok. Marketing agencies may know how to perform work, but are they customizing their approach specifically for your company? The SEO Contractor, reliable and caring, means we're delivering real results, and we can explain them to you with ease.
Are You Going With Your Gut Feeling?
When choosing the best marketing company, you have to end up going with your gut feeling. I find the best way to do this is to have an initial talk with the company you are about to hire. From speaking with the agency, you can determine if they are knowledgable and if they are trustworthy. It's pretty easy to tell when speaking with someone if they know what they are talking about, and I would be wary of a representative who is relying on a team of people to broker their service. It's one method working directly with your team in full understanding, and it's quite another farming work to a team that you don't understand yourself.
I would also be wary of individuals who are very pushy to close the deal, especially when they start changing their services around so that you will say yes. Don't get me wrong; our agency works with customers every day that we hope will signup for our services, and there comes the point where a potential customer has to choose to sign up or wait. We do not push this aggressively because we want comfortable customers who are happy to get started. We also don't dismantle our services just to get paid. When an agency changes its services to make a quick sale, it is often the case that the adjusted service will not be as effective as the original.
Choosing The Best Marketing Company
Don't choose your next marketing company by picking a name off the top 10 or top 100 list on a random website. We suggest searching and find one yourself via Google or social media. Once you find a few options, vet them out by seeing if they first offer a full-service digital marketing approach. Then begin looking at their reporting and transparency with their services and reviews. From their reach out to speak with them and see if they care enough about your business to analyze it. Lastly, go with your gut feeling and talk to them on the phone. See if they know what they are talking about, and can grasp an understanding of your business. From there, you should gauge whether they are actual experts or just salesmen trying to close a deal. If you would like to talk with a digital marketing specialist and have your questions answered, please contact The SEO Contractor.