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Marketing Agencies, Are They Worth It?

Marketing Agencies, Are They Worth It?

by | Feb 10, 2022 | Digital Marketing, Marketing Consultancy

I’ve been there, directing or managing a sales and marketing operation and needing marketing support to deliver. You don’t have dedicated marketing resources for what you need, or you do have marketing resources but there are aspects that you need more support with.   

Then you get a warm referral from someone you know, you start talking needs and prices, and then you sign up with a marketing agency for support of some kind.   

Maybe it’s putting articles out, or looking after your social media. Maybe it’s keeping your website updated with case studies. Or maybe it’s PR, or just maybe you go as far as wanting creative support and ideas.  

Then, gradually, after several months, you find yourself wondering… 

Is it all WORTH it? 

You might find yourself feeling like marketing agencies are a waste of time if your experience is like many others! Feeling like you are either being pestered to provide all the content and ideas that you thought you were paying them for, or that you are chasing them to deliver what they said they were going to deliver!  

You don’t have TIME to check up on these folks all the time to see if they are delivering what they promised. If you find you are being let down, you can find it is a bitter pill to swallow and it leaves you heavily biased against marketing agencies in the future!   

What I Tell People Who Ask “Is a marketing agency worth it?” 

Marketing is a widely misunderstood subject with a great many subcategories that are often even MORE misunderstood.  

Marketing agencies are worth it if you find the right people to work with who understand your business AND have the skills to make a difference, PLUS have the time to do what they say.   

If I tell people we focus on HELPING people with content marketing and organic SEO through blogs and web page updates, they mostly look at me as though I am talking in a foreign language.  

When I tell people we are a marketing agency, they will often assume we make flyers and posters, or we do PR campaigns.  

“If I have learnt anything through 20 years in Technology and Engineering companies, outsourcing is never easy.” 

Whether that’s getting hundreds of engineers set up in a faraway country with an aim to save time and money on a multi-million-pound development (which is hit and miss), or trying to get people to understand you and your business so that they can market you, without you having to spoon-feed them constantly, it can be a thorny road.  

I also know that employing people directly, trying to get as many competencies and skills in as few people as possible for the best price can be just as frustrating and challenging, not to mention how many people get comfy and a little lazy in their jobs past their probation period.  

Determined to Be DIFFERENT… 

So, having been down the road where so many companies find themselves, when my partner and I decided that we were going to launch a marketing agency and focus on helping people get found, I knew we were going to be DIFFERENT.  

We were determined to be different. 

With my background in industries like F1, Aerospace, H2 Fuel Cells, Rail, Electronics, IoT and Software through a career climbing from a project engineer to director overseeing sales & marketing operations, we knew what was MISSING from those I want to help.  

How many marketing agencies have a chartered engineer and engineering fellow on hand to translate for you?  

Add to that my partner, Andrea, who has 20 years of being a successful marketeer for her own business start-ups, running networking organisations, and has amazing communication skills which help her get over the line with businesses and allows her to easily translate technical terms in a simplistic way.  

Let’s not forget about our marketing team who are highly motivated, always on top of the trends and full to the brim of innovative and inspiring ideas. 

Andrea and Fred, Marketing agency

How many agencies have this kind of SUPPORT on hand?  

Imagine a world where a techy oriented company can talk to a marketing agency, and for those marketing folks to GET what they do, really UNDERSTAND them, have TECHNICAL competence, and a passionate and motivated team focussed on getting you found?  

Well, that’s what we’ve done with CREATIVE in TIME!   

Working With Us 

Does it sound too good to be true?  

That’s because there aren’t many agencies like us. It works perfectly. Once you’ve explained your business and how you help your customers, we can delve into the technical depths of what you do. This ensures we can translate it into simple language for your customers to understand HOW you can help THEM, and WHY they would choose YOU!  

I hate to say it but WHAT you do is of mostly no interest to your potential clients.  

With over 20 years working around techy oriented companies, I always found myself being the bridge between the proper techies and the more financial and business’ type folks. I could understand both sides without being an expert in either.  

I could explain the benefits of developing a bit of tech in a way a techie couldn’t, they will tell you all about what they need to do, I will tell you the benefits of what they need to do, and how much it will all cost.  

So, we realised we would be the bridge for complex or techy companies that need marketing support, we have built a team of amazing marketing execs that get trained by us in what our customers do, how they help people and why they should work with them.  

One Way We Are Different 

There’s one more ingredient in our mix other than our techy know-how. Whilst we are extremely familiar with CORPORATE environments including CxO level folks, we are persuading those same types to allow a little more fun to be injected into their messaging and put a little less “corporate” out there. 

People engage with FUN content, rather than the same old boring corporate messaging saying how amazing they are and how people should just buy their products over and over again.  

So, if you want to engage with people in a fun (and not quite so corporate way), if you do techy things that are often hard to explain to people outside of your business, then you could do with some help from some honest, decent and hardworking marketing folks just like us! You’ll be glad you did!  

Click here to get in touch with us now!

Fred RJ Warner  

5 Tips for Landing a Technology Consultant

5 Tips for Landing a Technology Consultant

by | Dec 5, 2020 | Digital Marketing, Marketing Consultancy

So, you need help, advice and support with the technologies in your company and want to hire a Technology Consultant, but you’re at a loss on what to look for?

Never fear, let us take you through our five top tips for finding your technology guru. 

1. Demonstrate Relevant Experience (DRE)

A technology consultant needs to demonstrate they have relevant experience and understanding of your specific needs and challenges, whether you are an SME, corporation or a non-profit organisation, you will benefit from a technology consultant who has experience in your specific challenges. 

On a similar note, it’s very important to drill down into what the consultant/consultancy firm specialises in, an relatable example of this is in marketing, often “marketing” companies are actually website designers rather than a fully comprehensive marketing business. Are you speaking to people with very specific skills, or do they provide a wider range? Both are fine, but you need to understand what they are great at, and what they can signpost you to.

Whatever they excel in, does it complement the needs of your business?

Relevant experience will give you, as an employer, peace of mind that they can deliver on their promises. If they can’t, then it’s time to move on.

2. Communication

Communication between you and your technology consultant is critical for establishing a good working relationship that yields efficient and impressive results. If you don’t feel the communication is great within the first one or two contact points (email/ phone / video/ meeting), why would it work out. Being able to communicate with human beings is critical and you must not overlook it. Not only that, but the world of technology can be a daunting place for your other employees.

Your consultant must be able to communicate any technical speak in ‘layman’s terms’ to ensure clarity and reduce the chances of miscommunication. This is why it’s imperative your potential consultant will keep you up to date about any progress, set-backs, and developments.

So, do your due diligence, and see whether any of their previous clients/employers can vouch for their communication skills. 

3. Innovative ideas and involvement

A technology consultant must be able to come up with solutions to rectify any tech problems you’re experiencing. A great technology consultant will look to the future and determine what will benefit your business needs moving forward. 

Whether it’s improved online customer service or enhancing your digital consumer experience, it’s up to your tech consultant to provide innovative ideas.

In short, the more involved your consultant is, the more benefits you will reap.  

A key aspect to understand here is that the landscape out in the “tech” space is changing constantly. Your consultant needs to be constantly researching new solutions coming to market and have experience in other companies implementation experience to guide you. Consultants that are pedalling old solutions as its all they understand should be avoided. 

4. Processes and teamwork

Your technology consultant must understand what their role entails, what your role entails, and how that interacts with others in your company. This means making it clear what work is required of them within the organisation or infrastructure of your company. They must be organised and able to delegate work to team members to ensure quality control and productivity.

Efficient processes and a team that has clear process and teamwork is essential for their success and ultimately yours. As a consultancy firm, they should be able to adapt to suit your needs and overarching business goals. 

5. Adaptability and a Willingness to Learn

Any technology consultant worth their salt will know their industry inside out, but that in itself isn’t enough, they also need to be willing to learn about whatever sector you’re operating in.

Combining the world of tech with your niche is critical for expanding your business’s horizons and increasing revenue. 

Needless to say, this involves your consultant adopting a 360-degree perspective to your business plan.This goes a long way to ensure each and every one of your needs are addressed and looked after.

To learn more, get in touch with us today.

This blog was produced in collaboration with Remote Resource: Your web and software development outsource management team; and producers of Comfortable Shoes: Jhuti.