Marketing agencies are in a unique position when it comes to advertising and promoting themselves. After all, they are the experts in the field, so they should know how to get the word out about their services. But how do marketing agencies advertise and promote themselves? We asked 14 experts from the Forbes Agency Council to share their best tips on how agencies can promote and advertise themselves. Here's what they had to say. I put my vote for case studies, since that is the “test in the pudding”.
Likewise, customer testimonials essentially go hand in hand with case studies, as they are important for credibility. Any agency worth hiring will have a strong history of providing top-notch services to their clients, and clients, in turn, will be happy to discuss it with the agency's prospective clients. Case studies with a connection to the real world are essential. A hybrid of case studies with dotted testimonies is the latest. Speaking+case studies+real world, everything in the same presentation is almost as good as it sounds.
This is a really comprehensive list and really is a gold mine for companies looking for a useful resource to look for a high-quality online marketing agency. While I agree that aspects such as case studies and customer testimonials are extremely important in evaluating the credibility of a marketing agency, it is very important not to overlook the less obvious signs of a good company. For example, it's important not to ignore even the quality and organization of the company's own website, which provides a clear indication of what would be expected from the services they offer. In addition, the blog of a company or CEO can also be very informative, and I would certainly recommend potential customers to look for this as an additional means of evaluating the suitability of a company. I was surprised to see blogs being quoted so high on the list by the press. Also, I'm curious to know who all these people from “Word on the Street” are.
I have yet to eavesdrop on a conversation of “who is your favorite marketing agency?”Make it a top priority to contribute intellectual leadership blog posts to another company's blog that has the same target audience you're trying to reach. This will position you as an expert in your industry and open your reach to a whole new customer segment, at no cost. It's easy to send emails to publishers or content marketers and come up with a story idea, because today everyone is looking for quality blog content. Another great strategy is to achieve content positioning on a top-tier marketing media site, such as Social Media Today, ProBlogger, or Moz. These sites have a high volume of traffic, and your post is likely to be shared a lot, which will return a good amount of traffic to your business through a placed link.
Don't forget that every time you write a guest blog, it's a quality backlink to your site that improves SEO. Despite being an old tactic, business cards still work in the digital world. You never know when you're going to meet someone who starts talking to you about their business and how they need good marketing advice. Whether it's at dinner or on vacation in the Caribbean, the ability to hand out a business card and give someone a reason to contact you later is never a bad idea. An entrepreneurial friend who owns his own video marketing business once gave me good advice on how to grow a business. Whether it's attending a networking event or reaching out to someone you haven't seen in a long time or never met, these are all great opportunities to talk about your business and how you can collaborate.
Chances are, the next time that person hears someone in need of marketing advice, they'll think about you and the connection you made with a double Sumatra mug. When someone finds out about your marketing agency, they'll likely look for you online and visit your website to research more about you. Because you're in the marketing world, the face of your brand is everything. Take the time to create a well-thought-out brand and a cohesive, professional website. You can find top-notch templates for SquareSpace and WordPress that will make your site look like you've spent thousands on developers. If your agency website shines online and presents your best client's work in a portfolio, it will be an easy option for potential new clients to sign on the dotted line. Like guest intellectual leadership blogs, speaking at conferences makes you stand out as a thought leader in marketing.
Thousands of people attend marketing conferences every year to gain knowledge. If you, or your agency employees, lead a talk at an important marketing conference, people will tweet about it, expanding the audience that turns to your agency for advice when they need it. This post offers 10 ways to advertise your advertising agency, as well as why you should do so - like yesterday! Every client in need of a new agency searches Google; if you're not on the first page of search results then buy yourself into that position. Do you need inspiration? Here's John St., who has had more than 2 million views on his presentations alone! If you're wondering if Instagram is only for USC honor students then keep in mind that Hubspot (with 167k followers), IBM, Intel and Zendesk use Instagram for B2B purposes - making it an underused advertising tool with exclusive benefits. In addition, Instagram is adding advertising tools which can help agencies reach more people with their message. Produce PowerPoint-like presentations and white papers (or long blog posts) then help them reach more people by putting them on LinkedIn SlideShare - using relevant keywords and phrases so that potential customers can find your content. Just one of my presentations - “The Agency Book: From Idea To Publication In 6 Months” - has more than 2 250 views! We asked 14 experts from Forbes Agency Council for their best tips on how agencies can promote themselves - here's what they said: Treat yourself like a customer! Schedule your marketing and promotions as if you were one; include this cost into your budget. John St., who has had more than 2 million views on his presentations alone! If you're wondering if Instagram is only for USC honor students then keep in mind that Hubspot (with 167k followers), IBM, Intel and Zendesk use Instagram for B2B purposes - making it an underused advertising tool with exclusive benefits. In addition, Instagram is adding advertising tools which can help agencies reach more people with their message. Produce PowerPoint-like presentations and white papers (or long blog posts) then help them reach more people by putting them on LinkedIn SlideShare - using relevant keywords and phrases so that potential customers can find your content. Just one of my presentations - “The Agency Book: From Idea To Publication In 6 Months” - has more than 2 250 views! We asked 14 experts from Forbes Agency Council for their best tips on how agencies can promote themselves - here's what they said: Treat yourself like a customer! Schedule your marketing and promotions as if you were one; include this cost into your budget.
Conclusion
Marketing agencies have many options when it comes to advertising and promoting themselves.From case studies and customer testimonials to guest blogging and speaking at conferences - there are many ways agencies can get their name out there. It's important not only to focus on traditional methods but also take advantage of digital tools such as SEO optimization or social media platforms like Instagram.
Takeaways
- Case studies and customer testimonials are essential when evaluating credibility
- Don't overlook less obvious signs such as website quality or CEO blog
- Guest blogging or speaking at conferences helps position yourself as an expert
- Take advantage of digital tools such as SEO optimization or social media platforms
