Finding the right tech marketing agency for you is key. You need a partner who’s prepared for your unique business challenges and has the strategies and expertise to deliver on your objectives. But how can you ensure you’re partnering with a tech marketing agency that is aligned with your values and goals?
It’s important to know the right questions to ask upfront. The last thing you want to do is to start running campaigns and realize too far down the line that the partnership isn’t working. Not only has time been wasted on both sides, but crucially, money.
First, let’s explore what a tech marketing agency does and why partnering with one can be a good move for your organization
Understanding the role of a tech marketing agency
A tech marketing agency is an extra pair of hands for your marketing function. The world of tech marketing is complex, and keeping up with everything can be a lot to handle. A tech marketing agency can become involved in the marketing process from end to end across strategy, benchmarking, content creation, implementation, and data collection.
What separates them from a general marketing agency is that they do this with specific tech industry expertise. Not only can a tech marketing agency use their knowledge about what’s currently working in B2B marketing generally, but they can deliver more tailored and specific insights into your industry.
Why choose a B2B tech marketing agency?
Some may think, “We already have a marketing department; why would we need an agency?”
Well, agencies can offer expanded expertise that’s harder to gain from your in-house team. The nature of agencies means they work across multiple clients, gaining a thorough and accurate picture of the current state of tech marketing. This includes what’s working well, what isn’t, and future trends to pay attention to. If you want to reach niche markets or industries, a tech marketing agency can provide the expertise needed to make that happen. They also have a deep understanding of complex tech products and buyer personas, which is invaluable when setting up a campaign.
Agencies are primed to take your marketing efforts to the next level, ensuring you’re at the forefront of your industry whilst delivering on key benchmarks.
So, what questions should you ask a tech marketing agency to ensure they can deliver for you?
Questions to ask when hiring a tech marketing agency
1. Do you have examples of previous work with tech companies?
By asking for case studies from previous clients, you can see the kind of work this agency creates and the tech industries in which they have experience. Case studies will showcase the quality of work and results, making it easy to see some of the amazing work an agency has completed and whether this aligns with the results you would like to see for your business.
2. Do you specialize in specific industries?
The tech industry encompasses a lot of sub-industries, and the label’ tech marketing agency’ doesn’t necessarily mean that they will have expertise in your specific industry or sphere. An agency doesn’t necessarily have to have worked with your exact competitors, but having experience with similar clients in a similar space shows they have the baseline knowledge of the nuances and complexities in order to take your organization’s marketing on.
3. What marketing services do you offer?
Not every agency offers every service. Some may focus on content, paid media, or strategy, whilst others may offer some combination of services. If you’re looking for a complete end-to-end partner, it’s vital to establish then what service you need to look for in an agency. Or, if you’re looking for help with a specific function, looking for an agency that specializes in that may be a better decision. There’s no right or wrong answer to the services an agency offers. It’s simply a matter of finding the agency that aligns best with the services you’re looking for.
4. How do you measure success?
It’s essential to understand how an agency likes to measure the success of a campaign and the specific KPIs they track, and why. This may not immediately align with your usual KPIs, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth exploring. An agency can showcase new ways of measuring success that may be more useful to the goal you’re trying to achieve. If there is severe misalignment, then this can show clearly that your business goals aren’t going to align with a particular agency.
5. Who will be the team handling my account?
In having these questions, you’ll likely be talking to the most senior heads of the agency. But when it comes to the day-to-day client-agency relationship, you’ll very likely be dealing with different people. It’s a good idea to get a picture of what the team you’ll be interacting with looks like, including size, experience, and processes.
6. What does your pricing and billing look like?
When purchasing any service, one of the most important questions to ask is, “How much will this cost?” The costs associated with a tech marketing agency can vary greatly from the size of the campaign you’re seeking and the rates an agency offers. This is vital to establish upfront, as whilst costs are negotiable to an extent, there’s no need to go any further if something is drastically out of your budget.
Choosing the right tech marketing agency for you
Tech marketing agencies can help you achieve great success and meet your business goals. But not every tech marketing agency is the right one for you. Asking the right questions upfront ensures crucial time isn’t wasted, and you get the most from your marketing efforts. This list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a great place to start in trying to align you and your agency’s efforts.
Curious to know more about how a tech marketing agency could support you? Reach out today to learn how Isoline could deliver industry-leading content and strategy for your business: hello@isolinecomms.com
