Hiring a Marketing Agency? Here are some FAQ’s we get from businesses!
Watch
Listen
Read
You're thinking of hiring a marketing agency to help you with your marketing for your accounting firm, but you have a few questions. And if you don't, you should have these 10 questions that I am going to answer for you in this blog.
If you're thinking of hiring a marketing agency, or a marketing contractor, you likely have a few questions. I'm going to go through 10 FAQs, most frequently asked questions, that I get as a marketing agency when I'm talking with my accounting firm clients and prospects.
Let's go through one by one and I will do my best to answer each question that you may be asking yourself while reading through this blog!
Question #1
What kind of results can we expect from working with a marketing agency?
Working with a marketing agency can be a daunting prospect for accountants who are used to dealing with numbers and subjects that require absolute precision. Unfortunately, even the most talented of marketing professionals can’t promise guaranteed results from their services – no matter what they tell you.
What you should expect instead is an outline of the performance they plan to achieve, and how they are going to measure the ROI (Return on Investment) associated with it.
At the beginning of any relationship, it is important that both parties understand what each person and team will do, and how success will be measured. Any marketing agency worth its salt will be able to outline very clearly exactly which activities they plan on doing, as well as any results or ROI expected from those activities. This allows you to make an informed decision about investing in marketing and decide whether it is a good fit for your business.
Keep in mind that when it comes to ROI, sometimes the best indicator isn’t necessarily hard numbers, such as sales generated from campaigns. Other metrics like user engagement, brand recognition and customer satisfaction can also provide an insight into how successful your marketing efforts were over time - so don't forget to ask for those too!
Ultimately, choosing a marketing agency is all about finding one that aligns with your own goals and objectives - so make sure you do your due diligence before making a decision.
Question #2
How much involvement will we have in the marketing strategy and decision-making process?
When it comes to a marketing strategy, the level of involvement from you and your firm is completely up to you. Some firms prefer a hands-off approach, with just quarterly meetings to review the strategy and performance, while others prefer more frequent meetings and to be consulted on decisions throughout the process.
No matter which option you choose, it is important that both sides understand what is expected before beginning the contract. This will help ensure that there are no miscommunications about who is doing what and how much input each person or team has on decision making.
For those looking for more involvement in their marketing strategy, monthly consulting calls can be a great way to stay involved without taking too much time or effort away from other tasks. It is also possible to collaborate directly with your marketing agency on certain projects if needed - just make sure that this arrangement is discussed upfront to ensure everyone is clear on expectations.
Ultimately, working with a marketing agency should be an exercise in collaboration – so find one that works best with your own goals and objectives and start building something amazing together!
Question #3
Do marketing agencies specialize in certain industries or types of businesses?
Yes, they do. When it comes to marketing agencies, it is always beneficial to look for one that specializes in your industry or sector. That way, you can be sure that the strategies and campaigns they put together are tailored specifically to the needs of your business, and will focus on reaching potential customers within your sector.
For example, atHeart Creative specializes in marketing for accountants and other finance-related fields, so we are perfectly placed to deliver targeted campaigns with maximum impact. As well as understanding the nuances of this particular industry, our team also has extensive knowledge of what makes an effective accounting firm’s marketing strategy – something which isn’t necessarily common knowledge!
If you want to have a conversation we'd be happy to have a discussion with you to see if we are a fit for your marketing firm, all you have to do is go to atheartcpa.com and book a discovery call with one of our team members and we'd be happy to have that discussion with you!
Of course, there are also agencies that offer a more general approach to marketing. While this may suit some businesses, it’s important to remember that no two industries are the same – and having an expert on board who understands the specifics of your sector could mean the difference between success and failure for your campaign.
Question #4
Can a marketing agency help us improve our search engine rankings and online visibility?
A marketing agency should be more than capable of helping improve your search engine rankings and online visibility.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a key component of digital marketing and a great way for businesses to increase visibility online. A strong SEO strategy can help boost your website’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs), driving more potential customers to your business.
However, not all marketing agencies are created equal; if an agency can’t help you improve your search engine rankings and build your online presence, then they’re not the right fit for your organization. Before choosing a partner, make sure that their portfolio reflects success in SEO and reputation management.
When it comes to SEO, local SEO strategies are crucial. You should be ranked prominently when someone searches for an accounting firm in your city or neighborhood. Additionally, you’ll need to ensure that proper keywords are included across your blog posts and website so that you show up as a top result for broader-term searches related to what you do.
Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of maintaining a good reputation online—virtually everything has shifted to the digital world, so it’s essential that people view your business favorably when they come across it via social networks or through search engines. A good partner will help you create content that adds value and positions you as an industry leader. There’s no substitute for hard work—even with the help of a competent marketing agency—but having the right support can make achieving success much easier!
Question #5
What is the typical timelines for seeing results from a marketing campaign?
Marketing campaigns vary in the timeline of when you should start to see results. For example, if you are running a brand campaign and have your logo displayed on billboards, bus benches, or sporting arenas, it may take longer to determine the true return on investment. However, when running paid campaigns such as pay-per-click (Ads on social media platforms, Google Ads etc.), you can start seeing measurable results within 60-90 days.
It's important to start with a long term commitment when developing a marketing strategy. Having a six month minimum allows for setting up the foundation for success and getting desired results in that following 60-90 days period.
This is why consistency is key in all aspects of any marketing plan from implementation, execution and measurement; so the effort can be tracked over time.
Finally, it’s essential to track your progress over time against all metrics set out in the strategy so you can easily evaluate how well each aspect performed. This will also help identify what worked best so that similar successes can be replicated in future campaigns.
Question #6
How will a marketing agency communicate progress and results to us?
Communicating progress and results is an important part of any successful marketing campaign. A good marketing agency should provide consistent communication, at least quarterly, to show you the progress of your ROI.
Having these conversations regularly ensures that both parties are on the same page and that the strategy is organized and efficient. It also allows for a better understanding of what worked well and what needs to be improved upon or changed during each stage of the campaign.
Regular communication will also help you identify if any additional resources or support might be necessary in order to ensure a successful outcome from your marketing efforts.
Finally, it's essential for the marketing team to keep you informed about where your investment stands in terms of ROI. If this isn't happening as part of their overall strategy, then it's best to find another firm who can provide more transparency in their approach and do what they say they will do.
Question #7
What kind of budget should we expect to allocate for monthly marketing services?
Deciding on the budget for a monthly marketing service can vary greatly depending on the scope and size of your business. For a smaller firm, you may look at spending anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500 per month, while larger firms may have budgets of up to $4,000 or more.
The budget allocated should cover any services required including organic content creation, website development, SEO management and pay-per-click advertising.
When working with a larger team or firm that requires more involvement and detailed strategies, the cost could be slightly higher than when working with a smaller team that only requires essential services like newsletters.
It's important to keep in mind that whatever the budget is allocated towards a monthly marketing service should contribute to tangible growth in your business over time. A good marketing agency should be able to explain how each aspect will help meet your goals and what success looks like within the given timeframe.
Question #8
Will we be assigned a dedicated account manager or point of contact at the agency?
Every business needs to have a dedicated account manager or point of contact at the marketing agency they work with. Without one, it would be difficult to seek answers to any questions you may have, resolve any issues or brainstorm creative campaigns.
Having a dedicated account manager provides an extra layer of trust and accountability as both parties will be familiar with each other's processes, goals and objectives. It also ensures that you are able to communicate clearly about your expectations for the campaign and get timely updates on those expectations being met.
When selecting a marketing agency, make sure to ask if there is a specific person who will be assigned to your account so that you can feel confident in their commitment towards getting the best results for your business.
Question #9
How does the agency approach developing content for our business, such as blog posts or social media updates?
Content Creation is handled differently by every Digital Marketing Agency. It is always good to look into the kind of content they are creating and offering for their clients so you are able to determine if it is a good fit for you.
When it comes to atHeart and how we approach blog and social media content, we approach it in two different ways.
The first approach is what we take with the vast majority of our clients. We create content as if we are creating it for a single accounting firm. Then we share that content across all our accounting firm clients’ sites and social media pages. The reason we do this is because if we created organic original content for every one of our clients we would have to charge significantly higher prices on a monthly basis in order to get that work done as organic content.
However, the common question that comes up with that is, well how do I stand out from any other accounting firms? My answer to them is this – if you are an accounting firm, let’s say in Austin, Texas, as an example, we only work with that one firm in Austin, Texas. We don’t work with multiple firms in that area. So, our strategy, our approach, and our best practices, are being followed for on firm in your area and the competition is every other firm in Austin, Texas.
We don’t take on multiple firms in the same area as we feel it is a conflict of interest, as it would mean we are at competition with our own clients, and we won’t do that to our clients or ourselves.
We want to make sure that the content that we're creating is relevant and engaging for your clients and your target audience. What we end up doing is making sure that we create those articles, that social media content, that it fits all the firms.
There is some leeway, and some specific opportunities, like if there's a promotion or an event going on for a specific client, then we can create unique content around that. But, the vast majority of the content that's thought leadership based, we create on mass and share it with our clients on mass. This allows our clients to be able to be in a position where they're not having to pay a higher price tag to have that content created in-house or by a specialty individual.
The second approach that we take is doing organic original content. That’s part of our higher level package. We base this content off either a video series/blog (like what we do here with these articles!) or a podcast.
If you wanted to host a podcast, or video series, then we would help you facilitate and record that series, then we take that content and break it down. We create a blog, a video, and a podcast with that recording. Then we take that video and break it out into short form videos, quotes, etc. from it that we can share on social media platforms. This creates organic original content that is specific to your firm.
Those are the two ways that we go about it. Every marketing agency is a little bit different, but that's how we approach things, just to make sure that we can offer the best price and the best value to our accounting firm clients.
Question #10
Will the agency provide regular reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs) to track success and ROI?
For any successful business, it is important to track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in order to track progress and measure success. A good marketing agency should provide regular reporting of these KPIs to not just evaluate performance and ROI but also identify potential issues or challenges that need addressing.
At our agency, we conduct quarterly meetings with our clients to review their performance over the past quarter and set goals for the upcoming one. During this meeting, we discuss industry standards/benchmarks and any actions required to meet them. Additionally, if there are any questions or concerns throughout the quarter, we make sure to provide updates as needed so that our clients are always in the loop.
Having a reliable KPI report you can trust helps maintain transparency between both parties and is essential when measuring success within your business. A marketing agency should be able to give you an accurate picture of how well your campaigns are tracking against key metrics and indicators on a regular basis so that you can make informed decisions for the future.
Wrap Up
I hope this blog was able to answer a few of your frequently asked questions about what it would be like to hire a marketing agency for your accounting firm.
If you’re ready to get started or have more questions, book your FREE discovery meeting with us today, here, We can’t wait to chat with you about your new business venture!
Thanks for reading, I hope you found this blog helpful!
I'll see you next time!
About the Author
Bryton Udy is the Founder and CMO of atHeart Creative, and host of the Accountant Marketing Mentor YouTube Channel. Dedicated to helping accountants simplify their marketing and communications so they can grow their accounting, bookkeeping, and financial planning businesses, he is passionate about harnessing creative marketing to support the independent accountant.
