How to Choose a Marketing Agency for Your Small Business?

A small business owner has a lot on their plate… and marketing is not a welcome garnish. If you’ve figured out you need marketing help and you’re gravitating toward choosing an agency… this video is JUST FOR YOU.

I am a digital marketing agency owner and I’ll be happy to guide you through the steps to find the perfect fit for your small business - from the perspective of being a small business owner myself!

Step 1: Understand Your Marketing Needs

First, do you know what your marketing needs are?

If you don’t know, consider hiring an industry consultant. They can help clarify your main needs and activities, ensuring you invest wisely.

If you do know… Great! List your specific requirements and start searching for specialized agencies that align with those needs.

Step 2: Select the Right Agency

Now… let’s go through a few tips on how to select the right agency.

First, check if they have experience in your specific industry. This ensures they understand your challenges and can also introduce you to industry Know-How you may not be aware of.

Ask for case studies or examples of their previous work. Look for measurable results that demonstrate their effectiveness, not only fancy words and pretty presentation decks.

Next, ask what would be their approach to achieving your specific business goals. A professional marketer should quickly outline potential strategies and tactics tailored for you.

You can even consider giving them a small paid task—like an audit or strategy proposal. This helps assess their skills, work ethic, and communication style. Just don’t expect them to do important work for free!

When they complete the task, evaluate their approach. Were they proactive? Did they back their suggestions with data? Was everything delivered on time and as agreed?

Finally, choose based on the quality of work, professionalism, and your gut feeling about the agency. It’s great if you only assess the work itself… but that gut feeling is an important part because you will be working closely with the agency, and communication should feel natural.

Step 3: Watch for Red Flags

To further de-risk the process, stay vigilant for red flags during the evaluation stage.

What do these red flags look like?

• If communication is vague or inconsistent, that’s a warning sign for communication issues.

• Late deliveries can indicate poor management.

• Beware of agencies that promise unrealistic outcomes. Marketing is not magic!

• Or, if they offer cookie-cutter solutions without understanding your business - reconsider.

• An agency should select its clients just as much as you select them. If they're too pushy, it might not be a good fit.

Finally, agencies should provide honest feedback and not just agree to everything you say. Save hiring ‘yes men’ for other positions.

I hope this discussion brought some structure to your agency research. I’m here to help you - a free marketing analysis awaits in the link below!