The Ultimate Guide To Hiring A Marketing Agency

BY: BRIAN DOWNARD
the ULTIMATE GUIDE to
hiring a MARKETING AGENCY
Everything you need to know before hiring a marketing agency.
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by Brian Downard
Brian is a marketing professional
with over 5 years of experience in
digital marketing, including:
strategy, SEO, content marketing,
website development, inbound
marketing, graphic design, mobile
marketing, social media and more.
In 2011, Brian co-founded Pocket
Your Shop, a full-service marketing
agency located in Los Angeles, CA.
Connect On LinkedIn >
brian@pocketyourshop.com
The Ultimate Guide To Hiring A
Marketing Agency

SIGNS IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE
PG. 06
REQUIRED RESOURCES TO GET STARTED
PG. 09
HIRE AN AGENCY OR BUILD A TEAM IN-HOUSE?
PG. 12
CORE AGENCY VALUES YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR
PG. 19
QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ASKED
PG. 21
WHAT AN AGENCY NEEDS FROM YOU
PG. 26
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN WORKING WITH AN AGENCY
PG. 28
HOW-TO GET MORE VALUE OUT OF YOUR AGNECY
PG. 31
CONTENTS

You’ve heard it a million times now,
marketing has changed.
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With the internet, search engines, social
media and mobile devices, today’s
customers are turning their attention
away from traditional forms of marketing.
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It’s okay to admit when your marketing
efforts have fallen a bit flat or when you
don’t have the time to keep up with all of
the changes.
!
Using this ebook I hope to guide you
through the proper steps that you need
to take in order to effectively research,
assess and hire a marketing agency.
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Enjoy!
INTRODUCTION

Signs It’s Time For A Change
ONE
SECTION

THE HONEYMOON IS OVER
It’s likely you’re reading this guide because you know
there is some aspect of your marketing that needs help.
Whether you’re doing all of your marketing in-house,
working with an agency or your second cousin is helping
out, the honeymoon phase might be over and you’re
ready to see some actual return on your investment.
!
Below are a couple of the signs that it might be time for
a change in your marketing.
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• Communication issues: Is your agency or team afraid of
their monthly progress reports? Are you even getting
progress reports? You and your marketing team need to
be on the same page at all times.
!
• Need to ﬁll gaps in your marketing: Be honest with your
self, what are your weaknesses? What areas of your
marketing have been overlooked?
!
• Inability to keep up with marketing: Marketing will
continue to grow, if you simply do not have the time or
patience for that, than it’s probably time for a change.
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• Not achieving desired results: You’ve been patient for a
while and are still disappointed with your marketing,
waiting for the day when things will turn around, they
won’t. It might be time for a fresh team and approach.
!
• Can not effectively measure results: How many leads did
your last $3,500 magazine ad generate? You probably
have no idea and you’re not alone. Embrace forms of
marketing that can actually be measured and analyzed.
!
• Spending too much money: Money still isn’t growing on
trees and likely never will. Which is why you’re conscious
about your business expenses. If you need to reduce your
marketing budget, it might be time for a change.
Every business has their own
set of goals and unique pain
points. Which is why the
decision makers in your
business need to spend the
time to realistically assess
your current marketing
efforts to decide whether or
not it’s time to mix things up
and try something new.
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Required Resources To Get Started
TWO
SECTION

YOUR MARKETING STARTER KIT
Congratulations, you’re a savvy business owner and
recognize that it’s time for a change, but understand,
that’s only the first step.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “nothing worth doing
is easy.” And while reading about new marketing
techniques from time to time isn’t too difficult,
implementing and properly using each technique to
their full potential and in sync with other tools can be
overwhelming for most.
New marketing initiatives will require an investment of
your time, resources and yes, money. Now if I haven’t
scared you off yet, here’s a list of the required resources
you’ll need to get started.
!
• Skills needed: Marketing/project management, graphic
design, web/mobile development skills, copywriting,
search engine optimization, content marketing, lead
generation, lead nurturing, email marketing, analytical
interpretation and technology savvy.

• Marketing software: There are some great all-in-one
marketing platforms out there like Hubspot, Marketo,
Pardot or Moz. However, those come with premium price
tags. Fortunately, there are a lot of free and/or affordable
tools like WordPress, MailChimp, Buffer, Google Analytics,
CRM platforms and more that you can take advantage of.
!
• Progress reporting: Be sure to identify your key
performance indicators and other metrics that need to be
regularly measured. You’ll also need a system in place to
measure and report on those numbers.
!
• Other tools and resources: Aside from having a fast,
reliable computer to work from, you’ll need other software
like Photoshop, Microsoft Office or iWork, website building
software, video editing, project management and more.
!
!
This short list is the absolute minimum that you’ll need
to get started. Be sure to start by conducting an audit of
your current resources. Do you already have some staff
or tools you can start using right away?
!
Your business may not be able to acquire the necessary
resources. So where will you go to find the resources
you’ll need? In the next section we’ll explore building a
team in house versus hiring a marketing agency.

Hire An Agency Or
Build A Team In-House?
THREE
SECTION

BUILDING A TEAM IN-HOUSE
The required marketing resources that we listed in the last
section requires your business to manage campaigns,
ensure you’re meeting KPIs (key performance indicators)
and that you’re also keeping everything on track to
deliver positive ROI.
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!
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Unfortunately, most business do not have all of the
required staff, skills and resources. This means if there is
any chance of successfully implementing new marketing
initiatives you may have to hire some new employees.
If you are a business owner
or manager, doing this
alone while running a
business day-to-day is near
impossible unless you have
a highly skilled marketing
team or endless budget.

Let’s say you bring on a new marketing manager and
graphic designer. The average salary of a marketing
manager is roughly $75,000 while a graphic designer’s
salary is around $50,000.
Take into consideration, a CNNMoney case study found
that employees will often cost 18%-26% more once
you’ve added their benefits and taxes. Below is a simple
equation for calculating the total costs for this example.
Marketing Manager: $75,000 + 18% or $13,500 = $88,500
Designer: $50,000 + 18% or $9,000 = $59,000
$88,500 + $59,000 = $147,500
But remember, this does not take into account the small,
sometimes hidden costs that are associated with hiring
new employees like training, sick days, paid vacation,
office space, computers, or any other supplies and tools
that they will need to do their job.
IN-HOUSE MARKETING TEAM EXAMPLE

• You can hand pick your entire marketing team
• End-to-end control of your marketing efforts
• Nimbleness and ability to quickly delegate
• Can work in synergy with other in-house staff
• Your business is solely responsible for your own success
and failure
IN-HOUSE PROS
IN-HOUSE CONS

• High cost of a small, specialized team
• The need to hire and train new staff
• Requires office space and supplies
• Sick days, paid vacation, benefits and payroll taxes
• Tunnel vision or not “thinking outside the box”
• You could end up micromanaging every project
• Staff can get bogged down with too many initiatives and
projects to manage

HIRING A MARKETING AGENCY
When some people hear “marketing agency” or “ad
agency” they might imagine Don Draper from AMC’s
Mad Men over a 5 cocktail lunch. But this isn’t the 60′s
and life isn’t a TV show.
However, there are a ton of great agencies out there that
are in the business of helping you reach your marketing
goals, engaging your customers and that don’t drink all
day long like Don.
Marketing agencies can come
in all different shapes and
sizes with their own unique
methodologies and approach.
It’s important you research all
of your options to ensure you
find one that compliments
your brand, vision and goals.

BUT AREN’T AGENCIES EXPENSIVE?
By now you’ve probably found that one-off tactics and
fixed marketing campaigns are broken and have been
for a while. Your business needs a dynamic set of
marketing assets that are being continuously measured
and adjusted. Because of this, you should consider
partnering with a marketing agency, not simply hiring
them for one-off project or campaign.
Full-service digital marketing agencies typically charge
anywhere from $3,000 to $15,000 per month depending
on the size of your business, required services and time
frame of your goals.
Let’s say for example you partner with an agency at
roughly $8,000 per month. You will pay $96,00 per year
as compared to paying $147,500 per year for two full-
time employees.
You’ll save more than $50,000 when compared to the
previous example.

• Structured processes they can apply to your business
• Diverse well rounded skill sets
• Website and content design/development expertise
• It’s their job to understand new marketing trends
• Manages projects so you do not have to
• Reallocate your resources on day-to-day operations
• No pay-roll taxes, benefits or training required
• They already have the required tools and resources
• Help identify and cut unnecessary marketing costs
• Their experience will help them create and implement
successful strategies
MARKETING AGENCY PROS
MARKETING AGENCY CONS
• Your account does not get full attention every day
• Assigned teams work on multiple accounts
• Less control over campaigns and projects
• If they do not specialize in your industry there may be a
learning curve to overcome

Core Agency Values
You Should Look For
FOUR
SECTION

1) Clearly outlined delivery process
2) Goal oriented sales process
3) Excellent design skills
4) Offers a variety of useful marketing services
5) Has compelling case studies and customer testimonials
6) Showcase specific areas of focus
7) They act as an extension of your business, not a contractor
8) Teaches and trains your team
9) Key capabilities reside in-house or with a trusted partner
10) Possesses strong project management skills
11) They should practice the marketing services they preach
12) Places an emphasis on analytics and measurement
13) Values transparency
SELECTING AN AGENCY WISELY
It’s true, not all marketing agencies
are created equal. Below is a list of
the thirteen core values you should
be looking for when partnering
with a new agency.

Questions That Need To Be Asked
FIVE
SECTION

DON’T GET A “LEMON”
As with any other large investment of money of your
hard earned money, it’s wise to do your due-diligence.
Prospective agencies might have websites with
information about who they are and their services, but
it’s important you’re asking the right questions to ensure
you find an agency that compliments your business.
!
!
!
!
!
Use the following questions in this section to make sure
you’re not getting a “lemon” when partnering with a
marketing agency.
At the same time, agencies
should be asking you questions
for them to better understand
your business and at the same
time, demonstrating their
honest interest in helping you
achieve your marketing goals.

QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ASK
• What services do you offer that generate visitors?
!
• What services do you offer that generate leads?
!
• What services do you offer that generate sales?
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• What tactics do you use to deliver these results?
!
• What current example(s) best illustrate success you have
delivered for each of these services?
!
• What do you see as the most critical piece of inbound
marketing for our business and goals?
!
• Have you worked with other clients in the past that have
similar challenges?
!
• Can you provide me with case studies and referrals?
!
• Have you worked in my industry before?
• How many people will work on my account?
!
• How will you set my staff up for success?

QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ASK CONT.
• Is all your work done in-house?
!
• What types of requests of you anticipate making of myself
or team on an ongoing basis?
!
• What project management
software, spreadsheets, materials,
etc. should we expect to receive?
!
• How do you plan on measuring
the success of our marketing efforts?
!
• How often will you report on progress
toward key metrics?
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• What training will our team receive?
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• How much will it cost? How long is the agreement?
!

QUESTIONS AGENCIES SHOULD ASK
• What are your business goals?
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• What is your time frame for achieving these goals?
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• Who does your target audience consist of?
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• How are you generating visitors? Leads? Sales?
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• Which marketing initiates have been successful?
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• What makes your brand unique and special?
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• What are your brand’s strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats?
Save these questions so you can refer back to them
when you meet with prospective marketing agencies.
Remember, they shouldn’t be trying to sell you anything,
they should offer a goal-oriented sales process that
focuses on finding a unique solution for your business.

What An Agency Needs From You
SIX
SECTION

GETTING YOUR AGENCY READY
Once you have found the right agency for your business
there are a couple things you will need to collect in order
for them to get started.
Below are some things you should begin preparing:
• Collect your marketing assets: Photos, videos, editable
files, print ads, flyers, ebooks or any other collateral your
agency can use to get a better understanding of your
business, products and services.
!
• Access to online accounts: FTP servers, domain and
hosting, analytics, blog, social media accounts and any
other log-in credentials they might need.
!
• Description of past efforts: In order to get your agency
started down the right path, provide them with a clear
picture of which marketing initiatives have worked for you
in the past and which have not.
!
• Deﬁne goals and expectations: It’s important that
everyone is on the same page from day one. Your agency
should clearly understand your goals, while at the same
time, they should be keeping your expectations realistic.
!

What To Expect When
Working With An Agency
SEVEN
SECTION

MARKETING IS A PROCESS
Regardless of your agency’s
approach, you’ll want your
agency to go the extra mile for
you right? While not obligated,
there are a number of things
every marketing agency that
strives to exceed client
expectations will do before and
during the time you spend
working together.
BEFORE THE AGREEMENT
• A free, no obligation marketing assessment
• A formal proposal that outlines the project
• General marketing advice and insight
• Referrals that can vouch for the agency’s work
• Relevant, helpful content that addresses your questions

• Yearly and quarterly goal setting meetings
• Defining target audience and customer personas
• Laying out and describing the strategy they will use
• Development and optimization of current marketing
• Defining what differentiates your brand
• Regular followups, progress and success reporting
• Input on ways to reduce marketing costs
• Face-to-face meetings with your team
• Strategy implementation and monthly retainer services
DURING THE AGREEMENT
In a perfect world, your agency will deliver on what they
promised, they’ll continuously prove their value to your
business and they’ll grow with you into the future. In the
next section you’ll find tips to make that happen.
TO INFINITY AND BEYOND

How-To Get More Value
Out Of Your Agency
EIGHT
SECTION

GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
• Stay in constant communication
• Participate in the content creation process
• Constantly ask questions
• Schedule regular meetings to discuss progress
• Understand the metrics that are being reported
• Join your agency’s shared project management tools
• Continuously share company news, press, events, etc.
This will be an investment into the well-being your brand
and should be treated as such.
Even though you are paying someone to do the work
you either can’t or won’t do, it’s important to stay
involved and regularly review the progress.
To ensure you’re getting the most value out of your
agency as possible, I prepared the list below to get you
started down the right path.

I truly hope you found some value is this
guide and can use what you’ve learned to
make a more informed decision when the
time comes to hire a marketing agency.
!
Your next step it to assess your current
marketing initiatives, expenses and
numbers so you can figure out exactly
what you’ll need from an agency.
!
Ready to take your marketing and
business to next level? You don’t have to
do it alone! Stop by our helpful resource
center for more great content:
!
!!pocketyourshop.com/resources
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