Marketing is crucial for startups and SMBs with ambitions to grow in today's competitive marketplace. However, you may be asking yourself “do I need to hire a marketing agency or can I do it in-house?" Well, not every business has the necessary expertise, resources, or time to execute an effective marketing strategy. So, in this blog, we discuss the tell-tale signs that you need to hire a marketing agency to help grow your business.
THE 9 SIGNS YOU NEED TO HIRE A MARKETING AGENCY
LACK OF EXPERTISE
Marketing expertise is crucial for developing and executing effective marketing strategies. Without it, businesses may struggle to reach their target audience or generate sales which ultimately can hinder the business’s ability to grow and achieve its targets.
You are an expert in your field, not marketing and trying to learn this valuable and in-depth discipline can be very challenging for the smaller business owner. A marketing agency can provide the necessary expertise to help grow your business by developing effective marketing strategies, optimising your website for search engines, and creating compelling content.
Not only that, but they can provide strategic advice and recommendations on where to invest your marketing budget, the channels you should operate in, and the best tools and technology to execute that strategy.
NEED FOR SPECIALISED EXPERTISE
It’s not uncommon for SMBs to have some form of in-house marketing function. Whether that be an experienced Marketing Manager or an enthusiastic Executive just starting out in their career. However, you may need a marketing agency to help complement that existing internal skillset by supplementing it with specialised resource. For example, a business may need to undertake a company rebrand including a new website build, but they do not have a branding or web development marketing specialist in-house. Whereas, a marketing agency can provide specialised expertise in areas such as this that can easily be used to plug those gaps. They have teams of experienced professionals who you can utilise to complete these specialised projects and requirements, ensuring that your business always benefits from having the professionals in your corner.
LIMITED RESOURCES
Similar to lacking expertise, limited resources can also impact a business's ability to effectively execute a marketing strategy. For example, a small business may not have the budget to hire a full-time marketing team or invest in expensive marketing tools – remember what we said above about not having the full complement of skills?
Even if you do have some in-house resource or have a few marketing pros who can “do a bit of this and a bit of that” it’s unlikely your staff will have the capacity to execute your marketing strategy effectively. Therefore, you may need a marketing agency to help provide the necessary resources and expertise to execute a successful marketing strategy, regardless of your budget or size.
DIFFICULTY KEEPING UP WITH TRENDS
The marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and it can be a challenge for businesses to keep up with the latest trends and technologies. With many SMBs struggling to keep up with trends due to a lack of time, resources, or expertise, but you may need a marketing agency to help keep your business up-to-date. They've built their business on helping drive business growth for their customers, keeping them ahead of the competition and on track to achieving their goals.
INCONSISTENT RESULTS
Inconsistent results in marketing efforts can indicate a need for a marketing agency. For example, a business may have a few successful marketing campaigns, but they struggle to replicate that success consistently. This inconsistency can be due to a lack of expertise, resources, or strategy. A marketing agency can help by developing a comprehensive marketing strategy that is tailored to your business's specific needs. They can also monitor and adjust the strategy as needed to ensure consistent results.
As the old saying goes “you don’t know, what you don’t know” and in such a fast-paced industry what you don’t know can grow by the day. You may find you need a marketing agency to advise you on what is working, and what isn’t. You also have the added advantage that they work with businesses similar to yours, so they can use this knowledge to help inform and improve your marketing too.
LOW WEBSITE TRAFFIC
Website traffic is crucial for businesses that rely on their website to generate leads and sales. Whether you’re an eCommerce store, a B2B solutions provider or a leisure centre, your website is your digital storefront and is an opportunity to attract and win business. However, if your website traffic is low, it may be a sign that your website is not optimised for search engines or that your marketing efforts are not reaching your target audience effectively.
However, if you hire a marketing agency, they can help with Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), creating engaging content, and developing effective marketing campaigns to increase website traffic.
INCONSISTENT BRANDING
Consistent branding is essential for businesses to establish and maintain their brand identity, build credibility and maintain front of mind for potential customers. Inconsistent branding can confuse customers and harm a business's reputation. Using different logos, colour schemes, typefaces or imagery across different marketing channels can lead to a disjointed customer experience. If this sounds like your business, you may need a marketing agency to help develop and maintain consistent branding by creating brand guidelines and ensuring that all marketing efforts align with those guidelines.
LACK OF SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT
Social media is a critical marketing channel for many startups and small businesses, as it provides a platform for engaging with customers, building brand awareness, and driving traffic to your website. For fledgling businesses, this is particularly important if you need to raise exposure and visibility of your brand and products. However, if your social media engagement is lacking, it may be an indication that your social media strategy needs improvement.
A marketing agency can help you improve your social media engagement by developing and executing a comprehensive social media strategy. They can help to create high-quality content that resonates with your target audience and engages your customers in a meaningful way.
INABILITY TO GENERATE LEADS AND SALES
Sales and marketing are two very different functions with two very different skill sets. You may feel you don’t need a marketing agency as you have an in-house sales team that generates opportunities. However, sales are often only as good as the leads coming into them and this is where a robust marketing strategy comes into the equation.
Lead and sales generation are critical for businesses, as they are essential for driving revenue and growth. If your business is struggling to generate leads or sales, it may be an indication that your marketing strategy needs improvement. So you may not need to hire a new sales team, but do you need to hire a marketing agency?
If you notice that sales are only generating leads from cold outreach and you have low conversion rates or a lack of customer inquiries or interest, you may need to hire a marketing agency to improve those top-of-funnel leads. They can help you create targeted campaigns, develop effective messaging and sales copy, and optimise your website and other marketing channels to drive conversions.
SO, DO I NEED TO HIRE A MARKETING AGENCY?
If you identified your business in even a couple of the above scenarios, it might be worth exploring the possibility that you need to hire a marketing agency. The first step is recognising the signs that your business needs a marketing agency and if you’ve read this far, you’ve probably just come to that conclusion – or at least you’re thinking more strongly about it now.
By working with a marketing agency, you can leverage their expertise, knowledge, and resources to develop and implement effective marketing strategies that drive growth and profitability for your business.
If you're considering hiring a marketing agency, we offer marketing consultations to help you get a better handle on what might be holding you back from achieving your goals, and what you need to do to hit them. Simply book your free, no-obligation consultation using the link below to get started.
