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Choosing The Right Digital Marketing Agency: Avoid These Red Flags

Marketing your small business can be challenging and time-consuming when you’re also trying to juggle all the other responsibilities of a business owner.  Oftentimes, hiring a digital marketing agency can save you time and ensure your marketing is being effectively managed. But how can you be sure you’re choosing the right agency?  Below are some signs to look out for. The best digital marketing agencies are Swiss army knives, who can do it all and won’t raise any of these red flags.

Unrealistic claims

Good digital marketing can do a lot, but it’s not magic. If an agency you’re considering is claiming they’ll be able to get results that seem unrealistic or overly optimistic, be wary. Increasing your profits by 1,000% in 1 month? Probably not going to happen.  But laying out a plan to gradually help you see a threefold increase in sales over the course of 6-9 months?  That makes more sense. 

Chances are, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. When looking for a digital marketing agency for your small business, you should try to find an agency that is realistic in their expectations. 

No examples of work or client reviews

On the topic of making claims: When a digital marketing agency is making claims about themselves or what they can do for your business, they should be able to back it up. The best small business marketing agencies will be willing to share examples of their past marketing work and/or feedback from their existing clients. For instance, if you run a restaurant, you likely want to look for an agency that has done marketing for restaurants.  You’ll want to see what they’ve done and how they’ve helped other restaurants that are similar to yours. 

If you ask to see what an agency has done in the past and they’re unwilling to show you, that’s a red flag.  They may be covering up failures, or may just lack the experience and expertise to direct your marketing efforts.

Lack of personalization

The digital marketing agency you work with should be able to give you one-on-one attention, and personalize their efforts to the specific needs of your business. You don’t want an agency that just sees you as a number.  Look for a marketing agency that treats you as a valued client. 

If all of the emails and communications you’re receiving seem like they’re boilerplate templates, you should be wary. Chances are, these agencies won’t be willing to change their methods or strategies when you need something outside the norm. You want to work with real marketing experts at an agency, who personalize their work and communication for your business, not just a bot or automated system.

One-size-fits-all approach

And finally, along similar lines, it’s not just the communication that should feel personalized.  The marketing approach and methods used by a digital agency should be flexible and vary by client, not be rigid and formulaic. 

It’s true that there are general trends and principles that tend to hold true in marketing, that are supported by statistics, and that should be applied across industries. However, this does NOT mean that the exact same digital marketing strategy will work for every company.  Your small business is unique, and the marketing efforts to support it should be as well. 

If you work with a marketing agency that has a rigid structure and takes a one-size-fits-all approach, they may not be willing to be flexible and adjust to make a plan that works for your specific brand. The best digital marketing agencies offer full-service marketing, and are willing to do what’s best for each individual client and their individual circumstances. For instance, here at BYK we are a marketing Swiss army knife, offering a full range of digital marketing services that are catered to each of our clients individually.

By avoiding these red flags, you’re more likely to find a top digital marketing agency that will help your brand implement successful marketing campaigns.

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