Knowledge 💻

When you partner with an agency, you should be getting the professional and informed knowledge of a team of marketing professionals. Anyone can start an Instagram page and claim they’re an expert in social media, but they should have the credentials to back that up. Do they have a university degree or college diploma? Do they participate in ongoing education? Do they utilize tools to keep up with industry trends to ensure you’re getting the best results? Becoming a marketing expert does not happen overnight. 

Our team is made up of individuals with mixed backgrounds. Some team members have university degrees in Business Administration and Communications. Others have diplomas in Marketing, Advertising and Graphic Design. The team is always going through continuous education through platforms like Growclass, Later, Hubspot, Meta, Google, LinkedIn and Pinterest. This is how we stay on top of trends and changes in the industry. 

Experience 📄

Your digital marketing partner should be backed by extensive experience. This is not limited to experience in the marketing industry alone. Having work experience in different sectors helps marketing professionals understand that not all clients will require the same type of marketing strategy. When your agency team has experience working in different settings or with a variety of clients, they have a better understanding of how to approach niche markets and tailor content for unique audiences. What is appropriate for a plumbing business will not be the same for a clothing line. 

They should also be confident working across different social media platforms. Their hands-on experience should give them a good understanding of where your time and energy will be best-spent reaching your audience. If you’re an e-commerce business selling clothing to women in the 18-24 age group, your marketing partner should be able to help you determine the platforms that are the best fit for you (hint: it’s not LinkedIn). 

At The Small Social, we have a team that has worked in diverse settings, including marketing experience at some of Toronto’s top agencies, and many years of work experience at agencies in Kingston. Our team has also worked in various industries including e-commerce, retail, finance, operations, tourism, and hospitality. This exposure has given us a deeper understanding of how different industries connect with their clients and customers. 

Always ask about an agency’s experience and how it will help you see results. 

Results 📈🚀

Experience yields results. Someone fresh in the digital marketing landscape may claim to be an expert, but do they have statistics and stories to back that up? 

When you speak to an experienced marketing professional, they should be able to share case studies and success stories with you from other clients. Having this information on-hand and readily available is a way to assess whether an agency team can provide you with the services you need to achieve your goals online.

References 🖊️

For many digital marketing agencies, referrals are often through word-of-mouth. If clients are happy, they are typically willing to endorse their agency to potential new clients. Your marketing agency should have a list of past and current clients who will act as a reference for them and speak to their experience and results. 

If you ask for a list of references, they should feel confident providing 2-3 clients you can speak to.

Remember:

Do your own research, and don’t rush. Trusting someone to work on your digital marketing strategy and manage your social media platforms is a big decision. You want to make sure you’re choosing a partner that is a good fit for you, and whose goals align with your own. 

Your discovery call with an agency should be a two-way interview where they can answer any questions you have. If you leave your discovery session feeling unsure or lacking confidence, it’s not a good fit.

A Quick Guide for Your Discovery Call

• Ask about experience. Loving and being on social media personally doesn’t mean you’re an expert.
• Interview with multiple agencies/people. The agency/client fit should feel like a long term partnership, and you want to work with people whose values align with yours.
• Ask about results and case studies. This will prove their work works.
• Ask for references or to speak to current clients (we do this with almost every new onboarding)
• Question client retention rate (ours is 93% 😏).

When you choose a partner to manage your social media strategy, you have to remember that they play a big part in your business’ success. Take your time, do your research, and make sure that you’re choosing someone who is the right fit for you, not just someone who looks good online.