Marketing agency – why it is worth choosing cooperation

What can a marketing agency bring to your company? Why is it worth choosing to cooperate with her? What should you know about this cooperation and how to choose one that will help you achieve your business goals? You will find answers to these questions in the text below.

Marketing agency. Let’s start with the story…

For the purposes of this text, let’s imagine an entrepreneur who sells shoes. For years he sold them in a stationary local shop. Customers, mainly friends, visited him often and willingly, because the quality of the products he sold was high and the prices were very affordable.

However, a new store was opened in the estate – more modern, larger and with a much wider range of products. It is visited not only by residents from the estate, but also from the entire city and surrounding areas! Even those whom our hero considered regular and most trusted customers prefer to go to a new place. More selection, cheaper, and besides – they have an online store!

The seller decides to educate himself and make up for all the arrears. He reads about internet marketing. At first he gets lost, but he organizes his knowledge and over time everything begins to seem very simple.

Finally, the entrepreneur creates the store’s social media profiles and online store, and also coordinates advertising campaigns himself. Soon sales increase noticeably. However, our seller is constantly looking for new ideas on how to attract new customers, but it takes him more and more time. When you suggest that he hire someone to help him, he gets offended – it’s an unnecessary expense!

After all, the hero of the story neglects other aspects of running his business. He forgets to pay invoices, sends packages late, and to make matters worse, he becomes rude to the last handful of customers of the stationary store. There are more and more negative opinions about his store on the Internet. Some write about mistaken orders, others about a rude seller, and still others about the store owner being untrustworthy because he does not pay invoices and is in arrears…

Marketing agency – why do you need it?

Even though it’s just a fictional story, it has a real – and very important – moral. Firstly, the self-taught hero put up a good fight to acquire new customers. He understood that without marketing and broadly understood marketing activities, he would not stand out from the competition. And the high quality of products itself will not be enough if they are not properly promoted and exposed. Kudos to him for understanding how important a role marketing plays and taking action to that end.

However, on the other hand, the hero did not take into account that as the business grew and sales increased, acting alone was simply no longer enough. Marketing is a very complex field that requires continuous activities on many levels, great attention and – very often – team cooperation.

The seller in the above story wrongly assumed that he could handle everything on his own and everything would “work out somehow.” He did not take into account that the increase in sales and the number of orders would also mean that he would have more work to do. Sometimes – instead of absorbing time and resources to acquire specific knowledge or experience – it is worth entrusting the services to someone who already has them and treating them as an investment, not an unnecessary expense.

This is where the colorful story ends, but this is only the beginning of explaining why it is worth choosing to cooperate with a marketing agency. We will be happy to tell you much more about it and clarify your doubts about why it is worth hiring a marketing agency. Let’s start with the most important issue – what a marketing agency actually is…

From advertising to marketing agencies

Until recently, the term “marketing agency” was identified with what an advertising agency was considered to be. That is, a company that dealt with preparing various types of advertising gadgets, wrapping cars or billboards, preparing graphic designs and developing non-standard ideas for promotional activities in various channels, most often offline.

However, this is definitely a misconception. Just as advertising and marketing are not the same (because advertising is only one of the elements of marketing), an advertising agency is one of numerous examples of the activities of a marketing agency. Very often, the areas of activity of the agencies listed and discussed below overlap significantly, and the scope of services and benefits offered by two different agencies of the same type may be completely different. It should therefore be assumed that the classification proposed below is purely conventional, but not final.

Different types of marketing agencies

As is often the case in marketing, the term “marketing agency” is a very broad concept. If we tried to simplify them and reduce them to what is most important, in short we would say that a marketing agency is a company to which you can outsource (delegate) marketing-related services and activities, and therefore – with support in area of promotion and sales in the company.

Advertising agency – what does it do?

Traditional advertising agency

We can understand this term in two ways. Firstly, an advertising agency may be an organization associated with the creation and implementation of various types of advertisements using various tools and channels. According to the first definition, an advertising agency may prepare graphic designs of leaflets, brochures, posters or billboards, distribute these leaflets, and implement the so-called outdoor marketing activities or design and implement stands or exhibitions, e.g. for industry fairs. This is the type of marketing activity that today we could consider “traditional” or “offline” marketing, functioning outside the digital space.

Advertising agency (performance)

On the other hand, the term advertising agency may also mean a company that specializes in the so-called performance marketing, i.e. taking care of paid PPC advertising campaigns online on platforms such as Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads. Planning, conducting and possible optimization of such campaigns and managing their budget are aimed at achieving the highest possible return on advertising expenditure, increasing conversions (actions expected by the customer and performed by the recipient) and obtaining the so-called sales leads (people potentially interested in the product or service).

Social media agency – what does it do?

As the name suggests, a social media agency specializes in social media and primarily supports its clients in this field. By support we mean ensuring that customers are present on selected social media. Most often, these social media are Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn, Pinterest.

A good social media agency is responsible for creating or implementing a communication strategy, managing their brand profiles, monitoring their profiles and entire social media, creating content dedicated to social media (usually in the form of a precisely proposed schedule), but also responding to messages or reacting, moderating comments, organizing competitions or creating the so-called RTMs – quick, spontaneous and creative brand reactions to current events.

The social media agency also deals with planning and implementing paid activities. And this requires knowledge of the advertising tools of Facebook and Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn. Additionally, the social media agency somehow takes over the obligation to support the brand’s promotional and sales activities through social media. All this in order to reach the target group of interest to the customer or an even wider group of recipients using well-thought-out and engaging content and to consolidate the positive image of the brand in their minds.

Internet marketing agency / Digital agency

The digital agency focuses on implementing marketing, promotional and sales activities in the broadly understood digital environment. It combines the competences of an agency specializing in social media with a performance agency extended to include internet marketing. It can create, coordinate and conduct advertising campaigns on the Internet.

And also, run social media and Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, and deal with areas such as e-mail marketing, buzz marketing, content marketing (content marketing), influencer marketing, programmatic and marketing automation. SEO/SEM activities (Google advertising, YouTube advertising, etc.) are also important, aimed at high positioning of the brand in search engine results – optimizing the company’s website or creating expert content that increases the brand’s visibility on the Internet. .

An internet marketing agency should also have excellent knowledge of e-commerce. In addition, it also happens that an interactive agency deals with web & app development – it designs and creates websites, applications and stores.

Creative agency

Here again we come across a very broad definition. A creative agency is a company that deals with the creation and implementation of creative concepts for a given client. Most often, it brings together experts with extensive experience in the field of creation, strategy, visual identification, branding and design.

On the one hand, a creative agency can provide invaluable support in creating expressive, memorable advertising campaigns, and on the other hand, it can help in finding an interesting idea for branding, i.e. shaping the brand in the minds of its recipients and potential customers by creating a consistent image and communication so so that it is memorable and stands out from the competition.

PR agency

Sales and acquiring new customers are not everything. Equally important – if not even more important – is establishing and maintaining the best possible brand relationships with a very wide group of stakeholders, which include customers, investors and business partners, as well as company employees, media, offices, non-governmental organizations and even competitors. A good company image paves many paths and – indirectly – helps achieve business goals.

For this purpose, it is worth considering using the services of a PR agency that will comprehensively take care of the brand image, company image and the company’s relations with recipients both online and offline. Choosing a PR agency is a good solution for a company that is launching a new product or is just entering a new market and wants to gain positive publicity.

The scope of PR agency services is very wide. It includes the creation and implementation of the organization’s communication strategy, e-PR (i.e. conducting image-building activities on the Internet, including social media – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), good relations with the media (running a press office, sending press releases, contact with journalists and arranging individual publications or interviews), public affairs (relations and communication with public authorities), crisis management and communication, positioning experts and building the image of an opinion leader, organizing events (briefings, breakfasts, press conferences), employer branding and influencer marketing.

Very often, public relations experts also deal with content marketing, copywriting and preparing SEO-optimized content.

Agency 360 (full service) – what does it do?

It should be noted that many marketing agencies focus on more than one area of their activity. Many of them function as the so-called 360 agencies, also known as the so-called full service agencies offering comprehensive services in almost every marketing area. Such organizations bring together specialists from virtually every discipline.

They employ specialists in creating advertisements in the press, television and radio, through advertising campaigns on the Internet, internet marketing, SEO and SEM, performance marketing, social media marketing and creating graphics, to public relations, events, influencer marketing and the design and creation of materials. POSM (Point of Sale Materials, i.e. promotional materials at the point of sale).

Advantages of working with a marketing agency

Using the services of a marketing agency brings several key benefits.

A good marketing agency has know-how

When you decide to cooperate with a marketing agency, you also “buy” its know-how, i.e. previously acquired knowledge and experience that can be used to work for your company… and thus increase sales and build the image of a trustworthy company. .

A good marketing agency has a larger team

Typically, starting cooperation with an agency involves delegating a special project team to the client. Depending on the scope of services and benefits, it may consist of several people – usually two or three people, but in the case of the largest clients it may be much more numerous.

In practice, this form of cooperation means that your company acquires additional human resources for the cost of remuneration for the agency. It has employees focused on “delivering” the best possible results, highly motivated, with a creative approach bringing a fresh perspective and new ideas.

A good marketing agency provides expert support

Cooperation with an agency means not only gaining know-how or expanding the team, but also acquiring expert resources. Do you have any doubts about the adopted communication strategy or its implementation? Something is not clear to you? Don’t understand any of the statistics? Do you need reports and analyzes on statistics? That’s what experts are for. They provide help, support, advice, dispel doubts and explain complex issues. Full professionalism!

Time – it is not without reason that it is said to be money and this is not an ounce of exaggeration. By entrusting the performance of specific services and services to an agency, you save time and can freely focus on other aspects of company management.

A good marketing agency. How to choose a marketing agency to cooperate with? What should you follow?

The process of selecting a marketing agency should be preceded by a thorough and thorough analysis, because the marketing company should offer high-level services. It is worth paying special attention to the following factors:

Marketing agency: Hard data

In business, specificity counts, and cooperation with an agency is no different. Does the agency present hard, measurable data on its website confirming its spectacular success in working for the client? Maybe he boasts about achieving a high ROAS or ROI, multiplying reach and engagement in social media or generating a record number of publications in the media?

If an agency cannot support its successes with hard, measurable indicators, doubts are justified. This may also mean that the agency’s actions so far have not brought any spectacular results.

Marketing agency: Case studies

If an agency has something to be proud of and has had spectacular successes, it should have case studies, i.e. extensive case studies that describe the course of a specific campaign or other form of cooperation with a client. Such a case study should include an assessment of the initial situation, the course of the campaign and the results achieved, preferably confirmed by the above-mentioned hard indicators.

The ability to read such case studies allows you to assume that a given agency will be able to skillfully take care of your brand.

Marketing agency: Knowledge and expertise

We mentioned earlier that cooperation with an agency is an investment in know-how, experience and knowledge. Before starting this cooperation, it is worth making sure and verifying them. How? There are several possibilities.

For example, you can check whether the agency runs a company blog where it collects and presents expert content regarding the discipline it deals with. Another option is to simply… ask the agency’s representatives about their experience or possible certificates confirming their knowledge.

Marketing agency: Individual approach and understanding of needs

This is something that is worth paying attention to when we have selected several agencies with which we are considering cooperation. Are the representatives of the agency you are talking to prepared? Are they able to say something about your brand?

Can you honestly admit that they understand your needs and expectations well? They know the industry in which you operate. They know what its requirements and limitations are, or maybe they have experience in serving customers in your industry and immediately have interesting thoughts about your company?

Have they become familiar with your target group? All this is of great importance. If you have an irresistible feeling that the agency does not fully understand you and you are not on the same wavelength, this is a clear signal to… look further.

Marketing agency: A realistic assessment of reality

If you have the impression that during cooperation talks, the agency promises you pears on willow and unthinkingly commits – for example – to achieve an immediate return on investment without knowing the advertising budget, this should attract your attention.

Pragmatism, i.e. an approach based on a realistic assessment of reality, is a very important feature because it proves the agency’s honest attitude towards the client. It may happen that some of the effects can only be achieved after several months of consistently implemented strategy.

If, during conversations with the agency, you feel like a client attacked by a desperate salesperson tempting you only with promises, and at the same time you are not entirely convinced that he knows how to fulfill them – this is not the way to go.

Which companies should consider hiring an external marketing company?

The industry or size of the company does not matter. In theory, any organization that needs support, relief or a fresh look at the area of existing marketing, image or promotional and sales activities may decide to cooperate with an agency.

A comprehensive marketing agency will select the appropriate scope of activities. It will prepare recommendations for both large market players and market leaders, as well as small and micro-enterprises, and will understand the needs of both.

How much does it cost to cooperate with a marketing agency?

There is no other answer here than “it depends”. It depends on at least several factors: the reputation and popularity of both the client and the agency, the scope of benefits and services, the size of the project team, and the formula and length of cooperation.

After all, a small social media agency dealing with social media serving smaller enterprises will price its services differently. A large, full service agency employing several dozen people and employed by huge internationally renowned corporations will approach the valuation differently. It is worth choosing the marketing agency you are interested in, contacting it and talking to it.

At the beginning, define your needs and expectations very precisely, based on which the agency will prepare a valuation of marketing activities and services.

How to prepare for cooperation?

Start with a brief and clarify your expectations

Before you start working with a marketing agency, write a brief as precise as possible. It is nothing more than a document or note that constitutes guidelines regarding expectations and cooperation. It is worth including information about the initial situation in the brief. So, for example, where is your company currently located, what is its competition and target group, what makes it stand out, how does it reach new customers? Does it only operate on the domestic market?

But that’s not all – clear information about your company’s aspirations is equally important. Where is it today and where do you see it in 2, 5 or 10 years? What goals has she not achieved yet? What is the biggest challenge for her? This information is a very valuable source of knowledge for the agency. The more specific the brief, the greater the chance of an offer tailored to your expectations and, consequently, of successful cooperation.

Determine your budget

A precisely defined budget – just like a brief – gives the agency an answer to the question about the shape of cooperation and helps in preparing an offer tailored to your expectations. In addition to the agency’s remuneration, it is worth separating funds for, e.g., additional paid activities – e.g., advertising.

What can you give the agency? How can you help her?

Cooperation with an agency begins with the prefix “co” for a reason. It requires effective cooperation between the client and the contractor. A good marketing agency in Warsaw, in return for remuneration, gives your company enormous support in the form of know-how, creative ideas and extensive experience, but at the same time expects broadly understood support.

Designate a person in your organization who will be responsible for contact with the agency. On the one hand, he will monitor her work. On the other hand, provide her with everything she needs to achieve specific goals in a professional manner. These may be graphic materials, product descriptions, substantive support, training materials – anything that will make the agency’s work easier in any way. Thanks to this, the Warsaw marketing company will be able to effectively implement marketing projects.