The latest in a series of how-to articles, arming you with the key questions to ask the professionals you’re considering working with to help develop your business. This time we look at the glamorously portrayed world of marketing.
Where do you think I need to start?
A decent marketer will have done some preliminary work and will have an idea of where you are, what housekeeping needs to take place and then have an idea of what they need to do to meet your goals.
How can you help my business meet its objectives?
Objectives are vital if you want to measure your ROI. So make sure you have an idea of what those will be. “If the marketing specialist you speak to says that they are unrealistic, listen to this advice,” suggests Natalie Weaving, a director at The Typeface Group. “They are the experts. I would be more wary of the marketer that says ‘YES’ to everything and doesn’t take the lead.”
What steps do we go through when we work on the project?
Anyone providing a marketing service should have some sort of process, and how quickly and easily they reel off these steps is an indication of how well they know this process and how used to it they are. “If they explain things clearly and the answer seems to be a logical process, this is a good start,” says Keren Lerner, founder and managing director at Top Left Design.
They should also be given the opportunity to learn from you and your team, present and get sign off on the planned material and activity, and to establish how best to implement design, copywriting and other production activity.
Do you have examples of how this has worked for a previous client or yourselves?
Most marketers will be using variations of tried and tested activities for your business, so they should be able to answer this question. However, do be aware that every business has many different variables and objectives. “While the result may be different to what you are aiming for, the methods are transferable and would be tweaked to suit you,” suggests Weaving.
What factors would make this project fail?
Ask them what would make the campaign go wrong. You need to know exactly what they need from you to make the campaign a success. Some examples of things that would cause failed campaigns are a lack of regular communication, or not enough availability to provide feedback and ideas, or even that you don’t work well together. “If your business values do not align, it could impact your working relationship and therefore the campaign or project. It is crucial to get things off on the right foot and set expectations,” explains Lerner.
What will you need from me/us?
While you may feel that someone else is about to take the marketing reins, there will be a period where lots of information and resources will need to be handed over by you. An initial brief, images, videos, logins, access to hosting, preferred suppliers – as well as a whole host of other things that will crop up as you start to work together. “They will also need to know what is happening in your business, especially if they are producing content or carrying out social media, which is easily done via email or the phone,” explains Weaving. “You need to see them as an extension of your business rather than outside help.”
What methods will you use to show our new activity having an impact?
To benchmark your objectives early on, and avoid disappointment, it is key to ensure you know exactly how everything is going to be reported back to you, based on clearly defined objectives aligned with your business goals. Most marketing agencies or specialists will send you some form of regular report, detailing social media engagement, website hits and a summary of recent campaigns. “Regular reporting also helps instil trust as progress will be visible, which leaves room for discussion on what is working and what isn’t,” concludes Lerner.
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