Why Investing in an Ad Agency Brings Big Results
Every business today would agree that standing out from the competition is an ongoing challenge. Most companies struggle with an important dilemma: whether to self-manage the marketing in-house or to outsource it to an expert agency. The decision is deeper than just a matter of convenience. Getting the maximum result from the marketed amount of money spent often depends on the choices that have to be made. Though in-house marketing might appear to be cheaper, it is often fraught with challenges that lead to missed opportunities.
In this article, I explain why an advertising agency is a strategic investment that can drive significant marketing results and ROI, not to mention why they should be viewed as an expense. I will discuss some of the hidden costs of marketing done in-house, explain the powerful advantages marketing agencies have compared to in-house marketing, and outline the criteria to help them select the right agency. By the end of the article, the reader understands the impact agencies can have on business growth and why they should be professionally tasked with running marketing campaigns.
The Costs of DIY Marketing
Businesses often believe managing marketing internally will save them money. This is common for small businesses. Often businesses overlook internal resource allocation that is spent managing savings on marketing. This internal resource allocation becomes a roadblock for growth.
Time and Resources
An unmeasured expense companies incur when managing marketing projects internally covers allocation of internal time and resources. Every business comes with unique daily operations that need to be handled. Considering the hard work a business puts into its daily operations, internal marketing management will result in stress. Not to forget the marketing tasks that come with managing a business. At the end of the day all that needs to be handled is the time spent generates revenue.
Lack of Expertise
Now, let us talk about modern marketing, one of the most important aspects of business today. It covers a wide range of practices and is traditionally divided into SEO, PPC, social media, content creation, graphic design, and data analytics. Ensuring that every member of the marketing team is versed in all of these practices is nearly impossible. In the absence of these marketing efforts with no specialized knowledge will most certainly incur unproductive costs indulging in inefficient spending and losing the chance to capitalize on potential audience.
Software Expenses
To carry out effective marketing, one requires a specific set of unique tools and software, such as an SEO analysis tool, an email marketing platform, a social media scheduler, a graphic design software, a CRM system, and an analytics dashboard, all of which have subscription fees. These software and tools, individually and collectively, can result in substantial monthly or yearly hidden expenses, which are often overlooked.
Training Needs
The in-house team of any organization has a constant need of training and upskilling, as new platforms, algorithms, and consumers emerge with new tools and shifts. This not only results in a financial investment in courses, certifications, and taking time off work to learn, but also places a drain on resources, as the team becomes less productive.
Wasted Potential
The most impactful cost of marketing yourself is the opportunities that are lost. Poor or inefficient marketing results in the inability to reach your intended audience, convert leads properly, or build your brand effectively. The result is a loss of potential sales and business growth. The decision not to hire an agency can result in less expenses, but the amount of revenue you lose far outweighs the decision.
Benefits of Partnering with an Ad Agency
Let’s shift focus from the challenges of going solo to the powerful benefits of partnering with a professional advertising agency. These benefits often transcend the costs an agency may charge and serve as a catalyst for aggressive business growth.
Expert Team & Knowledge
With an advertising agency, you can access a full, well-rounded team of professionals as a core benefit. Rather than spending time and resources hiring a separate SEO, PPC, social media, content, and design experts, you can acquire an entire team through an agency. Every team member is an expert in their individual fields, guaranteeing optimal results for the marketing strategy. As a bonus, agencies are always entrenched in the industry, equipped with the latest trends, algorithm changes, and best practices, allowing for your campaigns to be industry-leading and fully optimized.
Cost-Effective and Efficient
Hiring an agency can feel like a costly investment, however, in the long run, it is often much cheaper than an in-house team. With internal departments, the in-house salaries, benefits, software, and training are often set to a staggering number. Agencies, on the other hand, spread these costs across multiple clients, giving them the ability to access top-tier talent and tools for a fraction of the price. They often secure better ad rates and software deals, leading to economies of scale. Most importantly, agencies optimize ad spending, allowing for every single dollar to generate sales and leads.
Strategic Execution
An ad agency does more than execute tasks; they devise and implement integrated, comprehensive marketing strategies. They implement a holistic view for the business and how various different marketing channels aid in achieving set goals. The strategies are data-driven, collecting analytics and running thorough and proper reporting to make informed decisions and optimize for the next run. With this level of strategic oversight and efficient workflows, smooth processes and streamlined workflows, agencies maintain effectiveness in all their marketing efforts in relation to key business performance goals.
Focus on Core Business
Using an advertising agency shifts the marketing burden from in-house employees. This allows your team to concentrate on product development, customer relations, and other important innovations, ultimately improving the overall performance of your business. In addition to these benefits, agencies provide unparalleled flexibility. In-house teams often lack the ability to adapt quickly, but agencies are able to scale back or ramp up effort on short notice to meet in-house team needs.
Innovation & Fresh Ideas
Long-term internal marketing often leads to stagnation. An external agency, free of internal company politics, is able to creatively and objectively rebrand and recast your campaigns in a way that helps your business stand out. Fresh ideas often lead to new market segments and provide the company the needed measure of competitive advantage.
Measurable ROI
Ad agencies with a good reputation focus on achieving marketing results that are quantifiable. Their focus on performance reporting makes them accountable for the amount of advertising spend. As a partner, you not only spend on marketing, but invest in a partnership that is committed to achieving defined outcomes. Agencies thrive on client success, which motivates them to ensure your campaigns perform.
Choosing the Right Advert Agency
For your investment to pay off, choosing the right advertising agency is crucial. It’s about discovering an authentic partner who genuinely resonates with your vision. Here are some main points:
Define Goals
Mark your business objectives and marketing needs. What is the desired outcome? Defined goals streamline the selection process for agencies that possess the requisite experience.
Research Agencies
Explore options, carefully reviewing portfolios, to gather the information that you need. An agency’s case studies and client testimonials are good places to look to determine whether their past successes match your business type and goals. Online reviews and industry-specific awards are helpful too.
Evaluate Expertise
Evaluate whether they lie within the agency’s realm of expertise. If your business deals with SEO, paid advertising, and related fields, does the agency hone in on these? An agency that cares about their clients will have the information and performance metrics necessary to explain their plans.
Communication
Evaluation Criteria: Strategy presentation and final outputs. Do they suffer from chronic telephone and email silence? An agency that is strong will have open communication with the client and will keep the client informed on a regular basis.
Budget Fit
Make sure that the agency’s pricing fits your budget. Be upfront about your investment and request a detailed summary of the charges. Bear in mind that the cheapest option does not offer the best value, and the most expensive option does not always add value. Look for value and a clear path to ROI.
Conclusion
The other way is to market your business by investing in an advertising agency. This could prove to be a strategic investment for your business. Though the “do-it-yourself” marketing option may be tempting, the lack of expertise and hidden costs, coupled with the lost opportunities makes it a lot more expensive than it appears.
Ad agencies are more effective because partnering with these agencies gives you the opportunity to work with different experts. This makes the marketing more efficient and less expensive. They provide strategic execution while you concentrate on your business, offer fresh and innovative ideas, and most importantly they take responsibility for the measurable results. This ensures that your marketing investment will result in actual growth.
If your aim is to grow your brand, reach and engage with an entirely new set of Customers, and enjoy growth over a sustained period, the transformative power of a professional advertising agency is what you are looking for. Partnering with a results-driven agency like True North Social can give your business the strategic edge, creativity, and expertise needed to unlock its full potential. Rather than just spending on promoting your business, the marketing investment creates opportunities to spend in the marketing partnership that creates significant results. Learn how an agency can help you unlock the potential of your business.