The days of “I-can-do-it-all-myself-marketing” are over. There are simply too many diverse marketing tasks for one person, even a small marketing team, to manage well. And employing an expert in each discipline—strategy, design, content, SEO, SEM, marketing automation, etc.—is cost-prohibitive and impractical for all but the largest of companies. So, knowing that you need a comprehensive marketing effort to grow your business, what’s the best way to do it all?
Answer: Partner with a growth marketing agency.
When you partner with a growth marketing agency, your in-house marketing team works closely with the agency’s experts to deliver a comprehensive marketing effort. Your team knows your customers best. They also understand and can ensure consistency of messaging and branding, so they lead the way while the agency’s team fills the gaps, from senior marketing leadership and planning to specific skill positions, like paid media and SEO management, website and graphic design, account-based marketing (ABM), content writing, and more.
Benefits of Working with a Growth Marketing Agency
An experienced growth marketing agency should be able to quickly identify where your current market efforts and systems are lacking and provide you with a plan to meet your growth objectives. While some agencies, like PIC, have the experience and broad skill sets needed to be your marketing department, in most scenarios, the agency augments the existing marketing team, and that relationship offers numerous advantages.
Expertise in Growth Marketing
Growth marketing agencies typically employ a team of specialists with diverse marketing skill sets and expertise, enabling them to take your marketing efforts to the next level quickly. Rather than relying on a single in-house marketer or a generalist agency, hiring a growth marketing agency gives you access to a team of professionals who excel in their respective domains. This specialized expertise allows for comprehensive strategies tailored to your business's unique needs, ensuring maximum impact and rapid return on investment.
Cost-Effective Marketing Solution
If you’re concerned about the cost of a marketing agency, don’t be. Instead, think about what it would cost your company to hire an expert in every major marketing discipline, and you’ll see that hiring a growth marketing agency is a very cost-effective solution.
Building an in-house marketing team requires substantial investments in recruiting, training, salaries, and benefits. On the other hand, growth marketing agencies typically operate on a retainer, allowing you to access their expertise without the overhead costs associated with maintaining an in-house team. Moreover, growth marketing agencies often have established relationships with vendors, media platforms, and technology providers, enabling them to secure better rates and discounts for your marketing initiatives.
Scalability of Marketing Campaigns
Businesses are often limited in their ability to scale their marketing efforts effectively. Growth marketing agencies are well-equipped to handle the ever-changing demands of businesses by providing scalable solutions. Whether you're a small startup looking to establish your brand or an established enterprise seeking to expand your market share, growth marketing agencies can adapt their strategies to match your growth goals. They have the resources, tools, and experience to scale campaigns up or down as needed, ensuring your marketing efforts remain aligned with your business objectives.
How a Growth Marketing Agency Can Augment Your In-House Marketing Team
One of the key advantages of hiring a growth marketing agency is their holistic and data-driven approach to marketing. Growth marketers blend creativity with analytical thinking to develop strategies that deliver measurable results. They leverage the power of data analytics to identify key trends, consumer behaviors, and market opportunities, allowing them to make informed decisions and optimize campaigns in real-time. By relying on data rather than guesswork, growth marketing agencies can provide you with invaluable insights and recommendations that will drive your business growth.
Additional Skills and Knowledge
Growth marketing agencies are armed with a team of experts who possess specialized skills and knowledge across various marketing disciplines. From search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing to content creation and conversion rate optimization, these professionals have a deep understanding of what it takes to drive growth in today's digital landscape. By tapping into their expertise, you gain access to a diverse range of skills that might otherwise be cost-prohibitive to develop in-house.
Increased Bandwidth and Capacity
Growing businesses need marketing strategies that can keep up with their evolving needs. A growth marketing agency offers scalability and agility, allowing you to adapt your marketing efforts to changing market conditions, industry trends, and business goals. Whether you're launching a new product, entering a new market, or expanding your customer base, a competent growth agency can quickly adjust its strategy to align with your objectives. They have the resources, expertise, and networks to execute campaigns efficiently, ensuring that you stay ahead of your competitors.
Fresh, Unbiased Perspectives and Creative Ideas
Sometimes, it's easy for internal teams to become too close to a brand, make unverified assumptions, and develop blind spots. Hiring a growth marketing agency introduces an unbiased perspective into your marketing efforts. These agencies can objectively assess your business, target audience, and market trends to identify new opportunities for growth. Their external viewpoint can uncover insights that you may have overlooked, leading to innovative marketing strategies and improved decision-making.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Growth Marketing Agency
Some agencies have specific strengths or areas of focus, are experienced in specific industries, or serve businesses of a certain size or with specific objectives (e.g., a business with a small marketing team looking for rapid growth). Know your needs and objectives when you start your search and consider the following criteria to find a well-matched growth agency partner:
- Expertise and Specialization: Evaluate the agency's expertise and specialization in areas relevant to your business. Consider their track record, case studies, and client testimonials to assess their ability to deliver results in your industry or niche.
- Services Offered: Determine the range of services offered by the agency. Identify whether they provide comprehensive solutions or specialize in specific areas such as SEO, content marketing, social media advertising, conversion optimization, or data analytics. Ensure their services align with your specific marketing needs.
- Industry Experience: Assess the agency's experience working with businesses in your industry. Familiarity with your industry dynamics, target audience, and competitors can provide valuable insights and save time on the learning curve. Start-up agencies might charge less money as they seek to build a reputation. Check their reviews, online portfolios, and customer testimonials. If they claim SEO is one of their strengths, see where their website ranks when doing a search.
- Client Portfolio: Review the agency's client portfolio to gauge the quality of their work and the industries they have served. Look for successful case studies and examples of how they have helped clients achieve their growth goals.
- Strategic Approach: Understand the agency's approach to growth marketing. Are they data-driven? Do they prioritize testing and experimentation? Look for agencies that emphasize strategy, research, and analysis to develop tailored marketing plans rather than relying on generic approaches.
- Transparency and Communication: Transparency is crucial in a successful agency-client relationship. Ensure the agency is open and communicative about their strategies, progress, and results. Ask about their reporting processes, how frequently they communicate, and how they handle feedback and inquiries.
- Team Composition: Evaluate the agency's team structure, including their key team members and their qualifications. Assess whether their team has the right mix of skills, expertise, and experience to meet your marketing objectives effectively.
- Collaboration and Flexibility: Consider the agency's willingness to collaborate and work closely with your internal team. A growth marketing agency that values collaboration and is flexible in adapting to your business's needs will be better equipped to align their efforts with your overall growth strategy. From the information provided on the agency’s website to their responsiveness to your inquiry, look for an agency that shares your priorities and fits your company’s culture.
- Technology and Tools: Inquire about the agency's use of technology and tools for data analysis, reporting, and campaign optimization. A tech-savvy agency that stays up to date with the latest marketing technologies—the HubSpot Marketing Platform, for example—can bring added value to your marketing efforts.
- Budget and ROI: Discuss the agency's pricing structure and ensure it aligns with your budget. While it's important to consider cost, also evaluate the potential return-on-investment the agency can deliver. Look for agencies that can provide a clear understanding of how their strategies will generate measurable results and contribute to your business growth.
Conduct thorough research, ask for references, and consider multiple agencies before making a decision. A growth marketing agency that ticks all the boxes and demonstrates a strong understanding of your business can become a valuable long-term partner in driving your business's success.
Case studies and Success Stories
Conclusion
Working with a growth marketing agency should augment your internal marketing team, not replace them. Their data-driven approach, specialized expertise, scalability, cost-effective solutions, and innovative thinking can transform your marketing efforts and unlock your business's full potential.
PIC is an established and proven marketing agency with a unique Walk With You Marketing™ approach. We invest heavily in each customer’s success, seeing ourselves as part of the client’s team with a focus on achieving growth objectives at a pace set by the client. If you are ready to see how PIC can augment your internal marketing team, contact us today for a free consultation.
