Making the choice to hire an ecommerce marketing agency can be the start of a long and fruitful relationship. One of the best ways to think about hiring an ecommerce marketing agency is that it’s a symbiotic partnership. This is why it’s so important to take your time when choosing the right marketing agency.
While the basics like budget and experience should certainly be up there as key considerations, ecommerce brands can also benefit from considerations that go beyond cost, delving into areas like shared vision, trends and education, aligned cultures and communications.
The right ecommerce marketing agency can take your brand from survive to thrive. They can help with everything from implementing best SEO practices to tech fixes, curating engaging omnichannel marketing plans, boosting your brand strategy and positioning, and providing data and analytics that can help your business to make a positive pivot.
Signs you’ve found the right ecommerce marketing agency
They have a solid track record
One of the most important things you should look for is a solid track record of success. Any ecommerce agency can blind with buzzwords but fortunately, marketing often has the data and analytics to back up return on investment.
When choosing who to work with, don’t be shy about asking ecommerce marketing companies to provide data and conversion sale statistics or case studies that back their claims up.
Up-to-date knowledge and understanding
The digital landscape is forever shifting, and one of the perks of working with an ecommerce agency is that they should have their finger on the pulse when it comes to the latest trends and tech.
Changing algorithms on search engines, new software, automation, and even savvy new apps – an ecommerce agency that knows how to keep your brand relevant and responsive to modern day changes is a must.
Aligned visions and values
A marketing agency can be amazing but they still may not be the right fit for your brand. It’s important when striking up any partnership that you complement each other. Look for an ecommerce marketing agency that’s interested in your brand and wants to help you solve problems and you are well on your way to success.
A good marketing agency will ask you a lot of questions and won’t have a one-size fits all solution. Instead, they’ll take a track that fits with where you are.
First-class communication
Another essential trait when it comes to the world of marketing is making sure that anyone you’re working with has great communication skills.
Communication is key when outsourcing any work, as you want to be sure that any issues are resolved, everyone is on the same page, and trust levels are high. Communication should be strong not just between you and the marketing agency, but also between the team within the marketing agency. This helps with everything from expectations to deadlines, and any feedback that needs to be dealt with.
Good management skills
While good communication is top of the list, you also want a marketing agency with good management skills. Rarely will a marketing agency be a one-person band, which means there will be a team of experts working together on your project.
To ensure everything flows within budget and time constraints, the marketing agency will need to have good management skills. This is especially true in a world where digital marketing is done in a remote setting rather than under bricks and mortar. Ask which software and processes are used to keep projects on track and how the agency handles multiple clients, so you can be sure that your company won’t be lost in the shuffle.
The creative touch
Marketing is not all about dry data and analytics – it’s a language of creativity, connection, collaboration, and community. You want a marketing agency that has the ideas and the know-how when it comes to executing them.
Finding new and innovative ways to connect with your audience, becoming storytellers for your brand, and curating content that hits all the right notes is essential. You want to find a marketing agency that is also innovative rather than peddling the same old ideas that everyone else has been leaning on for years.
Pure transparency
Transparency truly matters. If there’s one red flag to keep your eyes open for when it comes to hiring an agency, it’s any company that gets vague about the specifics. Being open and clear when it comes to budget, expectations, deadlines and the like can save a lot of frustration and crossed communication.
When reaching out to ecommerce agencies, you should always be clear about your budget and ask whether your vision is realistic. Honesty and transparency on both sides helps everyone to stay informed and helps you and your agency to make decisions that reflect reality.
Outsourcing to an ecommerce marketing agency comes with many benefits. While keeping your marketing in-house can seem like the best way to keep every element on brand, the right marketing agency can help provide a fresh perspective, bring external expertise, free up team time so everyone can play to their strengths – and can get you the results you need.
The key angles you want to take away are finding an agency that aligns with your brand, that has a proven track record of success, makes communication a priority, and shares a realistic vision for where your brand can be.
Brandee Johnson is the owner and CEO of LimeLight Marketing. After a 15 year run in corporate America, working for leading brands Deluxe Corporation and LEGO, Johnson followed her long-time dream of starting her own company and founded LimeLight Marketing, a brand, digital marketing and development agency that helps brands foster customer trust and grow market share. Since then, the agency has grown rapidly to serve companies across the US.
