A business relationship can be a lot like a friendship. You may find it very intense and positive in the beginning. Maybe it stays that way for years. You may also find that the relationship changes over time and you’re less interested in pursuing it a few years down the line. Maybe your goals have changed, maybe one party is less responsive than they used to be…there are many reasons our relationships shift. Keeping in mind that business relationships involve money changing hands, you may be ready for a change. Today we’re discussing how and why to change your digital marketing agency, and what to think about after the fact.
What is Wrong?
As a business owner or manager, you’re probably hearing a sales pitch every week; someone has a better way of doing things or can cut your costs. Maybe their new cutting-edge software can boost productivity or increase efficiency. Sometimes those sales pitches are compelling, and you find yourself thinking, ‘maybe we should give this a try’. As you’re weighing that decision you should also consider, ‘is there anything wrong with our current setup’. If you’re hiring a new digital marketing agency, you’re probably firing one as well. Is there something you don’t like about the current one?
We don’t bring this up as a matter of fairness or hurt feelings (every agency gets fired someday). It’s an exercise in tracking results. If the old agency didn’t communicate well or bring back the right results, you want to make sure the new digital marketing agency does.
Tracking, Tracking, Tracking
After you’ve moved forward with your new Colorado digital marketing agency, make sure you’re keeping track of the results. Have a spreadsheet (or at least some notes) on what the old agency was up to so you can evaluate the new agency over 3, 6, 12 months. Here are some examples of what we’re referring to:
- If there is a new tracking setup, does it make sense? Is it creating more revenue?
- If the new agency creates more sales, how is the profit margin?
- If they are making sweeping changes in your accounts or on your site, are they documenting the changes?
- If you need to backtrack someday, can you?
Ideally every step you take is a step forward, but we all know things don’t always work out that way. Someday you’ll part ways with the new agency too, so it pays to know what is changing, how it worked and what you might need to do in the future if the experiment doesn’t work. A new digital marketing vendor should make your life easier (by doing the work and by being transparent). The last thing you need is a mess to clean up if their new solutions aren’t ideal.
Set a Timeline
Whether you have been working with your agency for years or just kicking off a new engagement you want to have a regular check-in schedule. Whether it is a monthly call or a quarterly review, everyone should know where they stand in terms of expectations, meeting goals and how satisfied everyone is with the relationship. You’ll be able to ask pointed questions about performance and what comes next. Your agency can ask for collaboration or communication they might be looking for.
This is especially important with a new agency. If they are hitting their targets, great! They will be able to show off the success they are creating, and everyone will know they made the right call bringing in this new team.
If they aren’t hitting their marks, you can have a frank discussion about what is preventing that. Maybe there are clear, fixable issues you can move forward to solve. Even if the problems are intractable, it’s better to know what’s stopping you from succeeding. You can always make a plan to identify new solutions later on.
Hopefully this quick walk-through helps you evaluate your current situation and plan for the future. If you have questions about a current or future relationship with your Colorado digital marketing agency, get in touch. We’re happy to offer a second opinion.