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1 A Definitive Guide To Choosing Your First Marketing Agency

A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO

CHOOSING YOUR FIRST MARKETING AGENCY

2 3A Definitive Guide To Choosing Your First Marketing Agency A Definitive Guide To Choosing Your First Marketing Agency

CONTENTS

Introduction

What can marketing deliver?

Integrated vs specialist marketing

Which discipline(s) could add value to your business?

Industry insights

How to write a marketing brief

Writing a brief

Suggested headers for a marketing brief

Next steps

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INTRODUCTION

In 2017, there were more than 5.65 million UK businesses with less than 50 employees – over 99% of all businesses1 – and that number is on the rise. Today there are more than 2.2 million more UK businesses than at the turn of the millennium2, as the trend for entrepreneurialism continues.

1. http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06152/SN06152.pdf

2. https://www.fsb.org.uk/media-centre/small-business-statistics

3. https://startups.co.uk/winning-customers-and-investors-biggest-challenges-uk-start-ups-2018/

Only 27% of small businesses feel their marketing strategy is effective

Small business owners face many challenges, from cash flow and resourcing, to inflation and cybercrime. One

thing that continues to test owners, however, is marketing.

How can small businesses differentiate in their marketplace? How much investment should be allocated to

marketing? And which marketing channels are right for the business? Marketing is an increasingly specialist

discipline that can overwhelm some business owners. In fact, one study shows only 27% of small businesses feel

their marketing strategy is effective3.

This guide from Agency Match provides start-ups and small business owners with everything they need to know

when taking their first steps towards appointing an external marketing agency. We will set out the benefits that

can be achieved through external marketing partners, detail how to get the most from your appointment and

share some best practice insights from experienced industry professionals.

“ “


WHAT CAN MARKETING DELIVER?

MARKETING CHANNELS AND ACTIVITIES

According to the Chartered Institute of Marketing

(CIM), marketing is ‘the management process

responsible for identifying, anticipating and

satisfying customer requirements profitably.’ This

is more than just advertising and social media; it is

a strategic approach to the way in which you meet

your customers’ needs.

Before you begin to

develop a marketing

strategy, make sure you

know your customers

inside out – how do they

search for products, what

media do they consume,

what drives their

purchasing decision?

ADVERTISINGPUBLIC RELATIONS

WEBSITE

SOCIAL MEDIA

DIR

ECT

MA

IL

COLD CALLING

EVEN

TS

EXPERIENTIAL

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

DIGITAL MARKETING

EMAIL MARKETING

AFFILIATE MARKETING

BLO

GS

VID

EOS

SIG

NA

GEBROCHURES

PROMOTIONS

PA CONSULTING

CONTENT MARKETING

WHITE PAPERS

WEBINARS

NEWSLETTERS

PODCASTS

TRADE SHOWS

TOP TIP

A good marketing strategy is built on research,

segmentation and data. It can drive empathy,

engage customers, change perceptions and most

importantly create value. In fact, research shows

marketing contributes three times more value to

a business strategy than any other organisational

function1.


BRANDINGA branding agency can help to develop a new brand, spanning everything from a logo

through to customer segmentation and complete visual identity.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETINGUse an agency to help develop a social media strategy – understanding which are the best

social media platforms for your business to be on, how and when to post, plus how to boost

engagement.

PPC (PAY PER CLICK)A digital agency can offer a variety of services including planning, implementing and

evaluating a PPC campaign based on comprehensive analytics. What’s more, PPC activity is

100% measurable, so a good agency will be able to constantly refine your campaign.

SEO (SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMISATION)If you need to be seen online, it’s important to consider SEO. This is all about lifting you

higher up the SERP (Search Engine Results Page). Using a combination of onsite (optimising

content on your own website, frontend and backend) and offsite (securing links from other

websites) tactics, a digital or SEO agency can take steps to make sure your business is

found on search engines like Google.

ADVERTISINGDo you know which magazines or websites your customers consume? An advertising

agency can help you plan a strategic advertising campaign to reach the most suitable

people, most effectively.

PUBLIC RELATIONS Whilst advertising is controlling what you say, PR is controlling what others say about you.

A PR agency can get you column inches online and offline to help promote your business to

key audiences.

EMAIL MARKETINGEmail marketing can be complex, which is why it pays to use a specialist who has the

knowledge and the software to plan, send and evaluate campaigns to your database

without compromising data regulations.

WHICH DISCIPLINE(S) COULD ADD VALUE TO YOUR BUSINESS?

INTEGRATED vs SPECIALIST MARKETING

Marketing is an increasingly complex discipline, with new

types and channels of marketing constantly evolving.

You may choose to appoint an integrated marketing agency that could look after your entire spectrum of

marketing requirements. Alternatively, you might prefer a team of individual agencies with specialist expertise.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach and there are no clear boundaries between each discipline. In many cases,

one will complement the other, so it is important to get the right support.

For example, if you are an e-retailer and you know your customers are online, then you will need digital and social

media marketing expertise. In a more traditional industry, such as engineering, then PR may be valuable too – but

it is important to do your research and understand your customers.

To help you, we have prepared a basic introduction to some of the most common and effective marketing

disciplines. Which do you feel would be useful for your business?


INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

What qualities should companies look for when appointing a marketing agency?

The best agencies work as an extension of your business, so select a consultancy in the same way as you would recruit for your team. Expertise and a track record are important but a like-minded culture and the right chemistry can make all the difference.

Choose an agency with a flexible offering and pricing structure. It’s important to buy expertise rather than resource when you’re just starting out.

Does an agency need sector experience to deliver results for a client in that sector?

Not necessarily. Previous sector experience can be useful as media relationships are often already established and the agency is likely to understand your industry issues from day one. However, a fresh perspective and the ability to learn from other sectors can be really valuable. Doing things differently from a communications perspective can give a start up a real competitive edge!

What one piece of advice would you give to help choose the right partner?

Once you have a final shortlist, ask to speak to two or three of the agency’s existing clients before making your final decision.

How can you ensure a successful appointment? We’ve asked three entrepreneurs from the other side of the fence.

Sarah KentManaging Director,

Whistle PR


Don’t over-spec your agency. In just the same way you wouldn’t hire PricewaterhouseCoopers to manage your personal finances – unless you’re Richard Branson of course – why hire an agency that carries resources you’ll never get the value from. Not in the short term anyway.


This is always a contentious issue. I come from a specialist agency background and have spent my entire career working mainly in one specific sector. Some argue that makes me less adventurous and a bit too safe. I would argue that saves my clients from expensive experimentation and avoidable mistakes.

Matt FlemingCo-Founder of

Aylesworth Fleming and

Space & Time Media

It’s important to buy expertise rather than resource when you’re just starting out.

““

The other ‘why not?’ is the question of conflict of interests, but I take this view; two clients from the same sector in the same agency is a conflict – twenty-two clients from the same sector in the same agency is a specialisation. If the agency hasn’t been cited for a conflict keeping all those same sector clients under their roof, they must have the independent teams and bamboo walls situation sorted.

Then add in the benefits of economies of scale, media and industry contacts, market awareness, etc etc – it’s a no-brainer.


Take your time. Decide exactly what you need from this key supplier and do your research; call up their accounts, see how they’re trading, ask for references. But, in the end, ‘gut-feel’ is as important as anything else. You’ve got to like the people you are going to be working with.

Pete HitchmanDirector,

The Enamel Works


I’m a big believer in flexibility. You need a marketing partner who can work to the same time restraints, the same schedules and the same demands that your own business works. So if you operate in a sector that works 24/7, don’t choose a rigid agency.


Not necessarily, no. For me it’s more important to find somebody that applies the right strategy and approach to your requirements. Whether they have worked with a direct competitor or not is irrelevant as long as they take the time to understand your market, your products, your customer journey and your business culture. You will get a feel for this if you undergo a competitive pitch process with two or three agencies.


Go with your gut feeling. From the first phone call you’ll get an idea of personality, understanding and (most importantly if you ask me) desire – whether that agency really wants to work with you or not. Remember, you’re the client and they should be pulling out all the stops to win your business.

There are lots of ways an SME can be a trailblazer – brand differentiation is crucial – but buying an expensive consultant that doesn’t understand their core market shouldn’t be one of them.

You need a marketing partner who can work to the same time restraints, the same schedules and the same demands that your own business works.

“

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““


WRITING A BRIEF

There are numerous templates online to

help you prepare a marketing brief, but

we have collated some of the best hints

and tips below.

HOW TO WRITE A MARKETING BRIEF

When a small business makes the decision to source a marketing

partner, it is important to prepare a detailed brief. This should include

details of your company, key products and service, target audience(s)

and main competitors. It should also outline any existing marketing

activity, your company vision and values, and what you want to achieve

from marketing.

The agency will then use this brief to develop and deliver their

proposals, which are the first steps towards a successful marketing

plan. A good brief can:

ENSURE CLARITY

IMPROVE COMMUNICATION

SAVE TIME AND MONEY

ESTABLISH WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

HELP DELIVER THE RIGHT WORK, FASTER

A good agency

might challenge

the brief if they feel

there is a better way

to do things. Don’t

be defensive – this

is a positive sign and

shows proactivity.

TOP TIP

Keep the briefing form simple

The brief is one of the most important parts of any agency/relationship so

invest time to include all useful information, but keep it simple by including

detailed documents as attachments

Be creative, think about how you can stand out

Research shows this encourages the agency to increase their own creativity

in response

Avoid internal jargon

Remember they don’t know your business yet

Be open to meeting and discussing the brief in person

The best agencies will request at least a phone call

Mark your goalposts from the start

For budget, timing and expectations

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2

3

4

5


Company background:

Sales/marketing objectives:

Describe the company in three words

(e.g. friendly, personal, corporate, disru

ptor)

What makes your company different?

Communications channels:

(e.g. website, sales literature, social me

dia, catalogue, emails)

Target audience(s):

Key messages:

What is it you need your marketing partner

to

help you achieve?

Timings for marketing activity:

Budget for marketing activity:

Evaluation/success criteria:

Details of agency response

(e.g. pitch):

1.2.3.

4.

5.

6.7.

8.

9.10.11.12.

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Five steps to appointing your first external marketing resource.

Make sure you understand your customers - Get an idea of what media

they consume, how best to reach them and what drives their purchasing

decision. This will determine which type of agency you need.

Write a brief - Remember to include all the relevant information, but keep

it simple and easy to understand. This could shape the success of your

marketing activity.

Find a shortlist of agencies - Agency Match takes the hard work out of

this process. Register for free at www.agencymatch.co.uk and we will

put forward suitable agencies for you to consider from over 3,500 UK

agencies.

Undertake the pitch process - Set the brief to two or three agencies and

see what they would do for your organisation.

Appoint an agency - Your first steps towards marketing success are

complete. Work together to ensure your investment is well spent.

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NEXT STEPSSUGGESTED HEADERS FOR A MARKETING BRIEF:

Download this

briefing form

template from

www.agencymatch.co.u

k

14 A Definitive Guide To Choosing Your First Marketing Agency

Prepared by Agency MatchSeptember 2018

www.agencymatch.co.uk

For more information contact:

0330 133 1719

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