Published on : 21 May 20205 min reading time
Today, faced with increasingly tough competition and more demanding consumers, companies are constantly seeking innovation in their marketing strategy. Therefore, the use of a marketing consultancy agency is indispensable. Here are a few tips to help those interested in finding the consulting agency that will implement their innovative marketing strategy.
Find out more about the agency’s experience
A good consulting firm with many years of experience is one that has had the opportunity to deal with different cases in a variety of different industries over the years. However, some firms working with young student marketing consultants stand out at present as junior companies. To ensure their competence and reputation, it is always necessary to know their network of partners, their mentor, etc. It is also possible to ask them to make a planning to see how they intend to organize themselves in their tasks. In this way, you will be able to judge the relevance of their way of working. Be aware, however, that opting for an experienced firm does not entirely guarantee the success of your marketing strategy, whereas with a junior enterprise agency, you can have the chance to benefit from innovative ideas. However, you should never decide on a whim! You should always take the time to think carefully before taking the plunge so as not to be misled.
Check the agency’s recent professional references
Nowadays, seniority is no longer a guarantee of reliability. There are consulting agencies whose members are all young people with high potential. Although experience is an important parameter for most companies, the majority currently prefer to give young entrepreneurs a chance. You may be surprised at their prowess. If you are dealing with a marketing consulting firm that has less than three years of experience, ask for at least three recent client references. Then, take the time to call these references to get to the heart of the matter. It is also possible to do research on the internet, via social networks to ensure the seriousness and competence of the agency’s team. It is also important to note that during your selection process, once the agency has provided you with a schedule of activities, you should compare the quotes obtained from other consulting firms. If there are very large price differences, ask yourself questions. Also judge the consistency of the prices in relation to the volume of actions to be undertaken. It is not a question of choosing a low-cost agency, but of focusing on a collaboration with the best quality/price ratio.
Evaluate the agency’s previous work
In order to avoid wasting the budget allocated to your marketing strategy and embarking on a risky project, judge for yourself the services of the consulting agency. Once you have got to know its former clients, ask the agency what it has done for this or that client. To do this, in addition to calling the client in question, go on the Internet and evaluate the design and content of the client’s web page, their level of visibility on social networks, etc. Take the time to think about the credibility and relevance of the marketing strategy adopted by the agency. Don’t hesitate to ask them about the means of work they use: software, survey questionnaires, the frequency of their meetings for a briefing, etc. Also find out about the software tools used by the agency. In general, a good consulting firm should master two or three automated marketing software tools.
Opt for an agency composed of a multidisciplinary team
A good marketing strategy encompasses a variety of professions and specialisations working in synergy. With this in mind, ask about the specialization of the members of the team of the consulting firm with which you plan to collaborate. Putting together a team of multidisciplinary people can be quite feasible if you think using an agency is expensive. However, it could take you months to manage your team and shape their cohesion to achieve the goal. On the other hand, with a consulting agency, you’ll have a ready-made team that is used to working together in unison. To this end, it is best to check the working environment within the agency and to talk to some of your future employees. You can also ask the consulting firm to provide you with the CVs of its team members to give you an idea of the level of expertise of the firm in general. In short, delegating a part of its activities is not an easy task. However, when it is in the hands of a competent and involved consulting firm with all the means required to achieve the final objective, it is important to be positive.