Finding the right marketing partner for your company can be a challenge. You have to make sure that you’re working with a company that understands your business's needs and goals. But before selecting a marketing agency, you should be sure there is a mutual compatibility. Your agency should serve as an extension of your in-house team. It should be a partner who can speak to the latest marketing trends and how they can apply to your company and marketing strategy.

But how can you properly vet a company to be sure they are the right one for you? We’ve put together the following questions to ask the marketing agencies you are interviewing to help you determine if you’ve found the right team of marketers or if you need to go back to the drawing board.

Do you have a record of success in my industry?

Why work with a company that doesn’t know how to specifically market to your customers? Knowing that this company understands your customers and how to market to them can help you decide if you want to hear more about their services. Additionally, working with a company that has experience in your industry means they are a better fit for your company than those who don’t know the first thing about the complexities specific to your industry. The right marketing company will happily speak to their methods of marketing for your industry. If you meet with one who is hesitant to discuss the details, this may be a sign they are not the right company for you.

What will my results look like?

Your marketing company should be able to detail exactly what their marketing can do for you. Whether that’s getting you more customers or putting your brand out there, you want to have an idea of what your marketing company can deliver and how they plan to do so. This question can also inform what details your company will provide with monthly reporting. Looking to review the reporting so you know what you’ll get? Ask the agency if they can provide you with a sample report that you’d receive at the end of the month.

Do they know what the latest marketing trends are?

As a marketing company, one should be constantly evolving and learning. If a marketing company isn’t up to date on what’s happening in their own industry, they may not be as serious about your industry and about earning your business. A company that keeps up with the trends that are specific to your industry can recommend products and services that will best suit your needs.

How will you improve my direct mail response?

This is the perfect question to ask your agency if they are looking to become your strategic holistic marketing partner. If you are planning to have them work on your direct mail campaigns, the company should be able to tell you what they can do to boost your response rates, whether that’s cleaning your data, adjusting the design to make it more impactful, updating the messaging and call to action, or adjusting the size of the piece.

How can I help my campaign be successful?

No matter the type of campaign, your marketing company will ask for certain things from you before beginning the project such as the goal of the piece, distinct offers, call to action and company brand assets. This question helps you to gauge how knowledgeable and organized this company is because they should know what they will need from their client at the initiation of any campaign type.

Finding the right omnichannel marketing agency can be tough. Not only is it important that they know your goals for your business but they should also be able to talk marketing strategy, budget, best practices, and deliverables. If you’re looking for a marketing company that knows the latest industry trends and has years of experience with omnichannel marketing, look no further than Darwill. To learn more about what we offer, contact us today.