Business to Business (B2B) marketing is not simple. In fact, it can be an extremely complex endeavor with long sales cycles and competitors sometimes doubling up as partners. In essence, B2B marketing demands courage and determination, but you don’t have to go it alone. A top-class B2B marketing agency can offer valuable support and function as an extension of your internal teams. However, it’s critical to find an agency that has an in-depth understanding of your business, the industry you operate in, and, most importantly, your customers and potential customers. Here are six important questions to ask when considering a B2B agency:
1. Does the Agency Speak to You?
Each industry comes with its own unique terminology. Take a critical look at the agency’s content on its website, blog, and social media channels. Does what the agency is writing about resonate with you? Is it applicable to your products, the way your business works, and its challenges?
2. Can the Agency Work Effectively with Your Teams?
You need an agency that can sit down with your product developers and managers and get technical with them. The ideal agency can talk to your customers without sounding like an outsider, speak to your sales team about the challenges they face, and inform your company’s executives of the needs of your customers.
3. Does the Agency Attend Events Key to Your Industry?
Does the agency have a presence at key industry events? This is important because there is so much to be learned by interacting with companies in the industry, particularly those with major industry influence. When interviewing an agency, find out which key events they have attended in recent years and what important information they obtained from their attendance.
4. How Well Known and Regarded is the Agency?
Do representatives of the agency regularly appear as speakers at relevant industry events? Does the agency contribute to the leading media outlets in your industry? Survey your media reps and other industry contacts to find out if they’re familiar with the agency. If others see the agency as an authority in your industry, this is a good sign that they will have a deep understanding of B2B.
5. Who Are the Agency’s Clients?
Take a good look at the agency’s client list. Is the agency already working with other companies in your industry, your partners, or your customers? The agency’s client list is key to knowing whether they will be able to connect with your business and your potential audience. The bottom line here is to avoid having to cope with a frustrating learning curve because the agency is not already working with other businesses similar to yours.
6. How Good Is the Agency’s Client Retention?
Ask the company how long their major clients have stayed with them. An effective agency will have a list of clients that have been on their roster for longer than a year or two. Client retention shows that the agency is capable of helping a brand evolve over time.
Conclusion
Each agency is unique and deserves careful consideration. Your aim should be to come up with a short list of agencies that know B2B and how to use it to achieve online results for your business. Your chosen agency should have experience in your field and be able to offer expertise on marketing techniques that will work to increase your sales.
If you’re in the market for B2B experience and expertise, the strategic advisors at Americaneagle.com can help. Feel free to contact us to see what we can do for you!
About Author
