Marketing Agency Not Scaling New Heights? Here's Why

Suppose you have a new product all ready to hit the market. Your sales cycle has come to a halt and you cannot figure out the heads or tails of it. Your business is losing customers to competitors, and you are trying to figure out where it all went wrong. In such a scenario, you would want a marketing agency to be your knight in shining armour and set it right.

However, it might seem like something as basic as selling your products and services should be a task that you can do on your own. Spending big bucks on marketing firms without assured ROI can feel like skating on thin ice.

A melting pot of persuasion and communication. Nothing captures the essence of marketing better than this.  

Everything from generating sales leads to executing a full-fledged email campaign has its own methods and techniques.  

Endless tips and tricks you bump into online hardly come in handy when you use them to improve your conversion rates, right?

Getting Down To The Roots Of Digital Marketing Agency

Planning. Design. Execution. Sounds like what you would need to streamline your marketing efforts and get your books of accounts up and running.

And this is when you decide to knock on the door of a digital marketing agency and nudge it to take on the task.

Let’s face it. If the word digital is as alien to your business as a pencil is to stone, you are certainly setting yourself up for shutting up shop.

The premise of marketing is as simple as it can get: You go where people go. The internet hosts millions of people every day.

So what better space than the world wide web, or even better, social media to be the ultimate breeding ground for upscaling your revenue? For a quick rundown on getting your Twitter strategy right, read this- twitter growth  

While digital marketing is out there kissing new horizons every day, marketing agencies have taken a head-on approach to make the most out of it.

But . . . as we all know, success is not guaranteed merely by being part of an industry touching grand-new feats every passing second. Marketing agencies are no exception. There are times when client turnover rates are surging and acquiring new ones becomes a thing of a distant dreamland.

Here are a few ways marketing agencies can place roadblocks in the way of capitalizing from the booming field that it has and is turning out to become.

Table Of Contents

1. Inbound Marketing Taking The Backseat
2. R&D And Digital Marketing Agencies Parting Their Ways
3. Marketing Firms-Project Done Equals Mission Accomplished?
4. Features Vs Benefits- A Tug Of War For Marketing Agencies  
5. Marketing Error 101- Stuffing The Plate Beyond Appetite
6. Digital Marketing Agencies Fishing With The Bait Of Discounts
7. Marketing Agency Flirting With Bombastic Claims
8. Not Getting What They Want- The Recipe For Client Turnover
9. A Marketing Agency Brushing Away Technology And Change  
10. Conclusion

1.Inbound Marketing Taking The Backseat

Door-to-door sale no longer fits into the marketing landscape. This fact has already been embraced in the era of the internet and social media.

But here's the fact. Neither can you entirely rely on cold emailing, billboards, display ads, or the gazillions of outbound marketing strategies out there.

Prospective customers would do anything to steer clear of a nasty salesman or maybe even TV ads constantly harping about how great their product or service is and why they should loosen their purse strings to purchase it.

People want to be drawn in by themselves. They want to feel in control of their purchases and not just be a scapegoat for marketing gimmicks.

As per invespcro, 41 per cent of marketing agencies on a global scale affirm that inbound marketing produces measurable ROI. And inbound practices generate 54 per cent more leads as opposed to traditional outbound practices.

The demand for the adoption of inbound marketing strategies is all around.  Yet, marketing agencies go on exploiting the effectiveness of outbound marketing strategies to the last drip.

It's quite understandable why marketing agencies keep prodding outbound marketing. Given the tight deadlines and ever-increasing pressures to get sales figures soaring as quick as lightning, 'buy now' or 'grab the deal while limited supplies last' looks ideal.

Though 'fast' might seem like a tempting mantra to chant and live by, it does not fit into the current marketing climate. Long-lasting relationships need to be built.

'What is in it for me?' is something customers want to uncover for themselves. Sure, this can take marketing agencies months of strategic planning and effective communication channels.

'Slow and steady wins the race'. You must have stumbled upon this maxim time and again. And this is where inbound marketing strategies like content creation, search engine optimization (seo) , e-books, blogs, and social media campaigns come into the picture and save the day.  

Let's get straight to the point. A marketing agency turning a deaf ear to something that has time and again proven to transform visitors into leads is digging a trench for its downfall.

All you need to know about inbound marketing:

2. R&D And Digital Marketing Agencies Parting Their Ways

It surely is a bonus point when a client has mapped out its brand voice, the unique selling proposition of its products and services, and has optimal data-driven insights into its market position or the niche it specializes in.

But not all businesses make work easier for marketing agencies.

Sometimes, clients have zero clue about the target segment they need to focus on. Or they might not even be well-equipped to structure their advertising campaigns or social media strategy.

A marketing agency might find itself incapable to conduct good old research, which by and large forms the foundation of any marketing activity. Then it wouldn't come as a surprise if clients show the doors to them.

A specialized team dedicated to market research is an indispensable organ of a marketing agency.

Going by a one-size-fits-all approach for every client is like divorcing from innovation that doubtlessly keeps the engines rolling for any marketing agency.

A thorough assessment of your target market segment. Analyzing current trends in the niche your client's business specializes in.

Have no idea how to get started with this? Read Research and development for getting down to the ABCs' of it.

If driving customers to make purchase action means understanding what they truly want, then research and development place itself as the key to making every dollar you invest in marketing count.

3. Marketing Firms-Project Done Equals Mission Accomplished?

Marketing strategies that agencies adopt can either be done and dusted in a jiffy or stretch along for a long period.

Marketing firms that consider their work finished after, say, optimizing a client's business website or pulling off a cost-per-click-campaign undoubtedly attract clients that close the deal and scuttle away as soon as a time-bound contract is completed.

Taking on a project-based policy is next to short-sightedness. This way, you seal the highway that can take you to uncharted destinations before even pressing the accelerator.

Don't let your clients squeeze all the value they can get out of you at one go. After all, you are in here for the long game, isn't it?

Embrace a dynamic approach to the marketing services you can offer. Make it a point to offer comprehensive insights into how a business can jumpstart and sustain its marketing channels following ever-evolving marketing trends and climate.

Clients need to notice the value you can bestow upon them in every phase of their business cycle. Make them want you forever.

Nurturing long-term relationships with your clients is the key.

And this can only happen when marketing agencies prove themselves to be an anchor during any sales lead generation problem a client might face.

Your solutions need to cast a wide net on a wide range of concerns and not merge into redundancy with time. For getting your dose of insights on this, read- digital marketing agency can help grow your business

4. Features Vs Benefits- A Tug Of War For Marketing Agencies  

We're all aware of the constant tussle between features and benefits.

Every possible crash course on copywriting and the entire gamut of marketing go banging on about the need to focus on benefits.

Why not? Any person, be it a customer or a marketing professional, only sees what they can get out of something.

While this sounds very obvious, marketing agencies assume that clients are not simply human beings who only want to know what good you can offer to them.

Going on and on about semrush, analytics, CPC, PPC, and every other possible technique that marketers are wholly familiar with fails to hit the right chord with clients.

Agreed, it is essential to provide information about the tools and technology that will be employed as part of your marketing efforts. But to make it as blunt as it can get, clients only care about what your expertise means to their business.

At the end of it all, a soaring sales figure on the balance sheet is what will be the parameter to decide your value and not the tools or technology you used.

When reaching out to prospective clients, converting visitors to customers, stimulating customer purchases, increasing sales volume and everything that has got to do with upscaling the client's business operations should be what you are pitching about your marketing agency.

5. Marketing Error 101- Stuffing The Plate Beyond Appetite

Let aside dissolving your unique driving point into thin air. Taking on a range of services that are too broad and generic is proving to be too problematic for marketing agencies online.

And why you might ask? Well, the answer to that is pretty basic.

It leaves you unable to set yourself apart from your key competitors.

The gamut of services available in marketing is endless.

By depriving your marketing agency of a specific niche, you are not giving out the impression to prospective clients about what you are exceptionally good at providing to them.  

More often than not, clients do not need the entire lengths and breadths of marketing activities to choose from.

Say, a business is losing out on website traffic and cannot figure out why. In this case, all the client would want is to make their website rank well in search engines. If you have identified yourself as a marketing agency exclusively specialized in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and content marketing, you would be hired by the client.

We all know how vast and endless the arena of marketing is. Taking on a people-pleasing approach can backfire on a marketing agency.

Zero in on the combination of services you can offer. Tailor your personnel and strategies as per the market segment you fit into. Here's how to get all of it right- manage client expectations

And clients will see you as nothing short of credibility and high-quality service. To cut the chase, to know what you can truly offer and why they should choose you.

6. Digital Marketing Agencies Fishing With The Bait Of Discounts

Sure, providing enticing offers and discounts seems like a safe bet to pitch yourself to people out there. Especially when the competitive space is way too crowded and you want to elbow your way out of it.

But going overboard with anything has its pitfalls. So is the case for discounts, offers, and every other kind of promotional activity that marketing agencies pin their hopes on.

Want to break free from your over-reliance on discounts? Here's what you got to take a peek into- downside of discounts

Are your discounts giving off the 'too good to be true' impression? You run the risk of looking like just another run-of-the-mill digital marketing agency out there to grab clients and make money.

Know your worth. In the long run, quality always conquers price. Clients will be willing to put their money into you if you can transform your claims into reality.

Have a unique selling proposition that gives justice to the prices you quote for your services. This way, you will not need to resort to the hamster wheel of discounts to acquire new clients. Or retain the ones that make up a sizeable revenue portion of your books of accounts.

7. Marketing Agency Flirting With Bombastic Claims

A lot goes into getting someone on board. With thousands of marketing firms sprouting in every lane and street, you might find yourself singling out every possible way to show you are the best.

While all of this helps digital marketing agencies land a client, all the effort it took will pivot at a complete U-turn if those promises turn out to be way out of proportion to the results you ultimately deliver.  

Be realistic and forthright about what is in store for the client if they avail of your services. This needs to be done when you are working out the deal. If e-mail outreach and content optimization are what you intend to offer, communicate the same.

Stacking your clients' platter with more than what you can do eventually sets the stage for them to pack their bags and leave.  

Remember, blowing the trumpet will only attract customers. But to foster beneficial long-term relationships with clients, promises and delivery have to be placed on the same plane.

If you feel there's way too much crammed in the closet of your marketing agency, this might make it simpler to deal with- offering too many services

And when all is said and done, this will help you win clients that are the right fit for your marketing agency.

8. Not Getting What They Want- The Recipe For Client Turnover  

To cement an optimal relationship with clients, the thumb rule is that expectations have to be met. A well-detailed plan for projects you undertake works well.

You want your marketing agency to be up and running in the long run. You wouldn't have it any other way.

It lies in fostering long-term relationships with your clients. You'll figure out the 'how' and 'what' of it here- successful agency client relationship

If increased website traffic is what a client wants at the end of the day, the marketing agency it has hired for this purpose has to get it done. As simple as that.

But there comes a time when a digital marketing agency misses the mark.

Marketing is no watertight compartment. A client's business, its niche, brand voice, market position, and the products or services it caters shape the mould for the market mix to be adopted.

In the frenzy towards delivering quick results within stipulated timeframes, marketing agencies abandon these basic parameters for formulating effective marketing models.

The 2018 Agency Growth Report says it all. Around 15 per cent of marketing agencies do not tailor their services according to client needs and prove unable to execute their claims on time.

9. A Marketing Agency Brushing Away Technology And Change

If one thing solely determines the success rate of any marketing activity, it is Returns On Investment (ROI).

Invaluable metrics like Unique Monthly Visitors, Return On Ad Spend, and Lead To Close Ratio have emerged to keep up with the evolving digital marketing landscape.

This goes beyond clicks, impressions, traffic, and reaches that some marketing agencies bank on.

Session-recording tools have become a crucial add-on to the toolkit of digital marketing agencies. Ones like Smartlook and Mouseflow give real-time insights into the readability and engagement factor of marketing material.

Programmatic ad buying is the new normal. Advertisements have a headstart at buying ad space and maximizing visibility on social media, online display banners, video, and mobile campaigns. Yet 19.8 per cent of firms worldwide pin their hopes on traditional advertising, as the cmosurvey states.

Digital marketing agencies no doubt need to be brimming with wordsmiths and witty creatives. Nonetheless, keeping up with leaps in technology is something failing marketing agencies often stash away.

Of course, outsourcing spells convenience, ease, and quickness.

Anyone in the digital marketing arena would be aware of how understanding the ins and outs of the brand underpins every marketing strategy.

And to put it straight, outsourcing agents haven't a cat in hell's chance to get that right. What's more? They end up burning a hole in the pocket of marketing agencies without guaranteed ROI- a double whammy.

Times have arrived when marketing has become about clicks, scrolls, views, tweets, posts, and search engine rankings. Algorithms that support it are as fluid and dynamic as they can get.

What if a marketing agency brushes aside algorithmic changes of Google, YouTube, Facebook, and every platform it leverages for its digital marketing strategies? It derails even the most impressive SEO boosts it might have made a client attain.

Is there something you need to know about Facebook algorithms? With datareportal putting the estimate of Facebook users globally at 2.936 billion, you would be missing out on a huge target segment if you didn't. Here's something that would give you a headstart- facebook algorithm change affects brands

10. Conclusion

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Influencers and content creators, we have got to agree that they have painted the digital media landscape with fresh and dynamic tints.

Sometimes handling various tools to perform different aspects of content creation saps time and energy, especially with time constraints looming close by. If you are keen on making your social media strategy productive and easy, here's something you've got to take a look at- design tools

Platforms like creatosaurus can be an optimal space for marketing agencies where graphics, templates, and everything else to bring your content alive and beaming is available in one place.