A Salesman's Tip for Choosing an Inbound Marketing Agency

Chances are you’re here because you are trying to pick between that shortlist of inbound marketing agencies and you’re stuck. You’ve gone through multiple conversations with multiple potentials and it’s getting close to decision time.

But... here’s the thing.  

Everyone seems great on paper. You’ve spoken to some sharp salespeople, and more than one agency sounds like the perfect fit.

Unfortunately, when it comes to finding the best marketing agency, there’s no simple or short answer to the question, “How do I choose?”

However, I see an interesting trend emerging: On several occasions prospects have told me that many agencies fail to practice what they preach.

Take a second to think about that.

Would you take swimming lessons from someone who doesn’t swim?

The importance of learning from others

Hands down, my favorite part of my job at IMPACT is helping people make sense of marketing even when talking to those who we may not be the best fit for.

While many salespeople are trying to minimize time spent with unqualified leads, we have adopted the “ABH” mentality, “Always Be Helping.” You would be amazed what you learn when you give everyone the time of day.

So, instead of me telling you,  let someone who has been in your shoes tell you.

The following quotes are from email conversations I had with two of IMPACT’s prospects.

A key consideration in our decision was that their site – and the sites of their reference accounts – tended to rank more highly than those of other finalists in our evaluation. In other words, we found them to “live what they professed”, and we believe that they are going to be able to do a great job for us as well.

- Robin Johnston, Captiveyes

I'm having a difficult time with so many business pozers. Do you guys use that word on the east coast? It means impersonators. They talk the talk, but can't walk the walk. Meaning their own websites and marketing don't do what they say they will do for other businesses...so it's highly unlikely that they will follow through with their marketing plans.

- Gloria Roma, San Diego Real Estate

Choosing a marketing agency that rocks

When it comes down to picking the inbound marketing agency that will knock it out of the park for you, pick someone whose work speaks louder than their sales process.

No inbound marketing program gets started overnight, but I advocate taking a clear look at the work your potential partner does for themselves. You’d be surprised how closely it represents their ability to help you succeed.

If you need help evaluating how well an agency is doing, IMPACT’s site is full of tools that will help you evaluate your marketing performance.

Happy Buying,

Kyle