How to Pick Your Marketing Agency: Part Two

Every business needs marketing –– it’s a simple fact. When considering who to choose as your marketing partner, it’s critical to understand that not every marketing agency functions the same. From differences in size, approach and even personality or culture, the way an agency operates affects your relationship with them and, as a result, the quality of outcome you will see. 

So where do you begin? With thousands of marketing agencies across the country, each with their own unique niches, strengths and weaknesses, finding the perfect fit for your business or product may seem like an impossible task. While total perfection is unrealistic, the right marketing partner for you is out there. Here’s how size directly impacts your ability to find them.

Find an agency that is the right size for your business. 

The first step to finding the best fit for your business is to consider the agency size you are most comfortable with. A good way to gauge this is by ensuring your chosen agency is reflective of your business’ size.

If your company is very large and looking to accomplish really audacious goals, then a large agency with the resources, experience and network to bring that to fruition is the right move. As an example, choosing a small agency or video freelancer to produce a Super Bowl commercial is a recipe for disaster. You need a large agency with significant strategy, creative, multimedia and media buying resources to execute at that level. 

For a small to medium-sized business ($5-$100 million in revenue), trying to work with a big agency is going to be expensive and overkill in many respects. Going with a freelancer or really small creative agency is going to underperform from a strategy, technology and execution perspective due to lack of resources and experience. Utilizing an agency that is a medium-sized firm with a track record of working with similar-sized companies to yours will provide robust resources without the sticker shock.

If your business is more of a mom-and-pop size then a medium to large-sized agency is simply going to be out of your price range and not adept at helping you grow locally. It is likely that a freelancer or two to three-person shop will be the right fit. 

Going with a smaller agency is not a jab at the quality or prestige of your business by any means, but rather a conscious decision to do right by your product or service. You need to ensure that your goals, budget and the size of your business match up to the marketing partner you choose to work with. 

In the end, what matters most is that your investment of time and money in marketing is successful and rightsizing your choice of marketing partner is key to doing that.