There’s a time in just about every business when it becomes clear that a business owner or marketing manager needs help. The reasons for this realization can be multiple — a new product or service is about to be introduced, a seasonal push is on the horizon, or, just maybe, the sales funnel needs filling to help the bottom line grow.
The question, then, is what kind of marketing partner to bring in. A name-brand agency? A freelancer? A specialist agency? An integrated marketing agency? The answer comes down to whether that person is looking to make a splash (brand name), hire a band-aid (freelancer), fix a narrow problem (specialist), or find a partner.
Leaving aside the freelancer (you can’t knock the hustle), there tend to be three types of agencies that can help with marketing challenges: the OKR Agency, Duct Tape Agency, and Get it Done Agency.
Each has its strengths and weaknesses, depending on the client’s short- or long-term needs. There are several things to consider when looking for a proper marketing partner. Let’s get into it.
What should I consider while hiring an agency?
There are dozens of answers to this question, but let’s tackle the big ones.
Why are you hiring an agency?
Be really clear if you’re looking for someone to put out a fire or if you’re looking for a long-term partner. Do you need a specific thing done quickly? Do you need guidance on an annual plan? Do you need a website? The clearer you are about your goals and the services you need, the better results you will get.
Do you value industry expertise or marketing expertise?
Many people feel that direct industry experience is a must, while others are looking for experts in marketing across a wide range of sectors. When looking at an agency’s portfolio, make sure you see a variety of approaches and styles. While niche experience might be appealing, a cookie-cutter approach won’t help you stand out.
Did they hear me?
Relationships grow or fail with the quality of communication. You should always feel like the agency you’re working with understands your pain points and offers suggestions to solve them, doing what’s best for your business rather than what’s best for theirs. A Super Bowl ad might be great for Budweiser (and the agency), but it might be a business-ending decision for you.
Who’s on my team?
Salespeople are amazing and will promise the stars. Often, you’ll hear something like, “Our senior-level creative team will work on your project,” only to find that junior-level inexperienced creatives are doing your work. Make sure you understand who’s working on your project and that they have the experience needed to meet your goals.
How much does a marketing agency charge?
Marketing agencies handle billing in a few different ways — an hourly rate, project fee, or retainer. Depending on the agency’s experience, hourly rates can vary between $100 and $300 per hour. Project fees depend on the actual work requested. Websites, for instance, can range from $3,000 to more than $200,000 with e-commerce integrations and custom code. Many agencies prefer when a client defines the budget — often 5 to 10 percent of a company’s revenue, depending on the industry.
There are many more questions to consider when engaging with a marketing or advertising agency. Here are two final thoughts: watch out for agencies that promise you the world (“You’ll be number one on Google!”) and trust your gut. If you don’t trust the team you’re bringing in to help, you won’t trust the guidance they offer, and you’ll be worse off than you started.
The OKR Agency
OKR — objectives and key results — is one of those fancy business terms that many people have to Google after they hear it for the first time. We can all thank Andrew Grove on Intel fame for the term.
In its simplest definition, OKR is a framework for businesses to set and track measurable goals. The Objective is the BIG THING you’re trying to achieve. The Key Results are the small steps you take to get there.
An OKR Marketing Agency will help a business owner or marketing executive uncover and understand the BIG THING, strategize how to get there, and then get to work.
Often, you’ll hear an agency say that they’re an Integrated Marketing Agency or a Full Service Marketing Agency. We consider those OKR Agencies because they will have the experience and expertise to understand your business and your industry and the capabilities to connect with your ideal clients.
It’s important to note that being an Integrated, Full Service, or OKR agency does not equal big budgets. There are a lot of scrappy, nimble, smart, strategic, creative, and hard-working agencies (cough, cough, you could contact one now) that will work for a fair wage with little overhead.
The Benefits of Working with an OKR Agency
Strategy — A lot of research and analysis happens before defining the marketing objective that helps drive a business forward. An OKR agency understands the importance of strategy and how it fuels the rest of the process.
Goal Setting — More often than not, OKR Agencies drive toward clear, measurable KPIs and goals and strive to analyze, learn, and adjust throughout every campaign.
Effectiveness — Because you and the agency have defined the Objective and agreed on the Key Results (AKA deliverables), you can trust that the agency is thinking about the entire marketing roadmap rather than just the project at hand.
Consistency — Most OKR agencies have a dedicated team to answer the client’s needs. So, you’ll see the same faces and work with the same people, ensuring uniformity in look and content during the engagement.
Cost Efficiency — You’ll spend less money getting a new team up to speed before getting that one project done by engaging with a company that knows the Objective and the Key Results needed for success.
The Duct Tape Agency
One of the greatest inventions in the history of the world? Duct tape. Yep, that beautiful silver tape with incredibly strong adhesive that can mend just about anything broken.
Okay, that’s a little hyperbolic.
In this instance, a Duct Tape Marketing Agency parachutes into a client’s business to fix things. Broken website? Failing PPC campaign? Missing social posts? The marketing crew at a Duct Tape agency can come in and fix it.
We often think that specialized agencies — digital marketing, social media, website — are akin to Duct Tape agencies because they drop in to do their job and get out.
Clients should understand that this type of agency does not specialize in strategy and goal setting, which can be a weakness because long-term success is not baked into the engagement. Plus, a Duct Tape agency often doesn’t understand the entire marketing picture and how their work impacts the rest of the ongoing marketing work.
The Benefits of Working with a Duct Tape Agency
Effectiveness — The agency knows exactly what lane it’s working in and can accomplish the assignments quickly and efficiently.
Cost Efficiency — A Duct Tape Agency will often charge a lower hourly rate or a project rate for any assignment, but make sure you understand exactly what you’re getting and hold the agency accountable for every deliverable.
Speed — The agency often produces similar work for a series of clients, so they can rinse and repeat creative work quickly.
The Get It Done Agency
Who doesn’t love a gritty team of folks with one thing in mind — getting things done? We do. We used to be one of these agencies — call us, tell us what you need, approve it, and run it. There’s a certain amount of adrenaline for an agency and a bit of don’t-have-to-think-about-that-again for a client.
Get It Done agencies, for the most part, are small teams that have mid-level experience. While they have the talent and skill to put the pieces together to get small- to medium-sized businesses up and running, thinking about and working towards a big-picture sales and marketing strategy is outside their minds.
Business owners who need quick fixes can search for a small team or a freelance job market website for help. Look for references and sample work (don’t take screenshots for proof; ask for live links or samples from accurate publications).
The Benefits of Working with a Get It Done Agency
Cost Efficiency — A Get It Done Agency will often charge a lower hourly rate or a project rate for any assignment, but make sure you understand exactly what you’re getting and hold the agency accountable for every deliverable.
Speed — The agency often works on one project at a time, so they should be able to produce the work quickly.
Last Thing
Picking the right marketing agency comes down to a few key factors: experience, expertise, and trust. No matter what type of agency the client selects, clear communications are a must. Even if you pick a Duct Tape or Get It Done agency, do your best to keep an eye on bigger business strategies and goals.
We’re happy to serve as a resource and answer any questions. Reach out to us anytime!
