Let's start with the reasons you should outsource your marketing to an agency:
1) Agencies are agile
Unlike business giants, agencies can shift and keep up with the ever-shifting marketing world.
2) Agencies are more affordable than a hiring a full-time employee
Given that agencies are contracted workers, they don't have to work a set schedule, receive benefits, etc.
3) Marketing services are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law
This is a no brainer to invest in because it is tax-deductible and can provide an ROI on top of your tax savings
4) Agencies can provide outside perspectives
Agencies bring fresh perspectives given the ever-shifting consumers and possible groupthink of internal employees.
5) Agencies have the software, processes, and the professionals
When you're sick, you see a doctor because they are professionals. When your car breaks down, you take your car to the mechanic because they are professionals. This is the same for marketers. When you have a marketing problem, you hire a marketing agency because they are professionals.
Before you see a return, you must invest with the idea that it won't pay off overnight. This is one of the most critical factors in any investment. Another thing to keep in mind is that the return in marketing may not always come in the form you are expecting (money). Your return can come in the form of something like brand awareness which is a return on your investment from potential customers. The last thing to keep in mind is that all the marketing in the world does not affect the way you do business; in other words, it's not the magic bullet as much as we want it to be.
Speaking to Return on Investment (ROI), given the current Cookieless and Privacy shifts in analytics of web-based marketing channels, it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain data, but not all hope is lost. Agencies worth their salt will be agile, and part of that is adapting quickly to these shifts in the ever-evolving world of technology. Data is instrumental to all things marketing because you will be making nothing but baseless campaigns without it.
When numbers back you, you will do great
Backing your decisions with numbers is your safety net and can be comparable to proving to a tax auditor that you bought something because you have a receipt. If numbers are used strategically, you are much better off than hoping a bunch of people are exactly like you and want your product as bad as you do. The sad reality is that this is seldom the case.
There is a delicate balance between purely basing decisions on numbers and taking calculated risks when using numbers. Here is an example of the downside of using only numbers. Let's say you made a social media post, and after one day, you received five link clicks, and you decided that since it did well, you would spend an additional $100 on paid ads. The issue with this logic is that those clicks are more than likely only from people you know or work with, which means that extra money will likely go to waste.
The appropriate response would be to analyze the data and check your numbers against other metrics. If you saw five link clicks and ten reach, you lost most of your ad spend on your coworker's eyes. On the other hand, if you saw five link clicks and 10,000 reach, you invested $100 for the brand awareness of 9,995 people. Make sure you maintain a balance and be mindful of context, and you will be successful in your investments.
It's a Numbers Game
You don't like spending money that you will never get back, and you expect a return on your investment within a reasonable time. The reality of investments is that you have to take risks and be patient with the returns. All the reasons to select the right marketing agency for your business. It is a red flag if a marketing agency tries to hide numbers, makes outrageous 10x claims, or doesn't know how its marketing performs.
One thing that is a must-have for just about any business is a website, even if it's a landing page. This is because a website with proper marketing can constantly provide a return on investment which could then be used to get other marketing channels off the ground or increase their budgets. If you are curious about ROI on websites, please refer to this blog post, where I break down all the costs and what types of profit you can make on a website.
Marketing done right over time provides a return
We have seen several of our clients experience massive returns on their investments in DDRC Marketing. Like any good investment, marketers can provide a sustainable and consistent return. Some critical factors in delivering a return are consistency, data-backed decision making, integrated marketing, excellent communication, strategy, a holistic approach, research, and more. It is one thing to make a social media post, and it’s another to create a social media post that goes to the statistically-proven highest potential converting customers and drives traffic to your website, leading to higher and more consistent conversions.
Using all the factors mentioned above, you will see a return rather than seeing posts fall flat, websites with high bounce rates, and even high printing costs.
Marketing is multifaceted
Some of the biggest pros of outsourcing your marketing are that marketing services are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Good marketing provides you with a return on your investment, and to provide the hyper-personalization that consumers expect, you need dedicated marketers on the job. Let professionals support you if you don't have the time or the tools to market to the caliber that provides a definite return.
Conclusion
A sound basis and starting point for any investment decision is to do your research. Then, plan your next steps. Lastly, execute by hiring the right marketing team for you and give them the time and information they need to provide you with results.
How can we help you get to the next step towards investing in marketing?
At DDRC, we use ROI reporting which is twofold for our clients: one to provide our clients with transparency, and two to make sure all our decisions and creations are based on research. This allows us to provide massive results and drive traffic to strategic conversions which ultimately provide them with a return on their investment.