Selecting the right web design or marketing agency can make or break your business's success.
With so many agencies out there, it’s crucial to know what sets a great one apart. To ensure your marketing efforts are in the best hands, here are five essential skills every business should expect from their agency:
1. Ability to Meet Deadlines
Timing is everything. Whether it's launching a new product, promoting an event, or maintaining a regular content calendar, missed deadlines can lead to lost opportunities and, ultimately, lost revenue. A reliable agency understands this and has the infrastructure to consistently meet deadlines.
When choosing an agency, look for one that demonstrates strong project management skills. They should have a clear process in place for setting realistic timelines and tracking progress. The best agencies not only deliver on time but also maintain a high standard of quality, ensuring that your marketing campaigns are executed without delays and with precision.
Pro Tip: Ask for an example of a typical agenda, and inquire about the frequency of meetings. Also, ask how they’ve handled tight deadlines in the past and how they manage time-sensitive campaigns.
2. Strategic Thinking and Problem-Solving
Marketing and creative services aren't just about producing content or managing social media accounts. It's about crafting strategic plans that drive results and solving complex challenges along the way. Your agency should take the time to understand your business goals and create a roadmap to help you achieve them.
An agency with strong problem-solving skills is invaluable. Whether it’s dealing with an underperforming campaign or adjusting to market shifts, you need a partner who can pivot quickly and make data-driven decisions to keep your marketing efforts on track.
Pro Tip: During the vetting process, ask how they approach unexpected challenges and what strategies they use to optimize performance when results aren’t meeting expectations.
3. Transparency and Accountability
One of the most important qualities any agency should have is a commitment to transparency. You should always know how your campaigns are performing, where your budget is going, and what results you’re achieving. An agency that’s transparent will provide clear, understandable reports and openly discuss both successes and areas for improvement.
Accountability goes hand-in-hand with transparency. When mistakes happen or results fall short, your agency should take responsibility and present actionable solutions. Clients deserve a partner that communicates openly, owns up to issues, and continuously works to improve.
Pro Tip: Look for agencies that provide regular reports and are proactive in discussing performance. Ask for a sample report to get a feel for their level of detail and clarity.
4. Up-to-Date Knowledge and Continuous Learning
The marketing industry evolves at lightning speed, and an agency that rests on its laurels won’t be able to keep up. New tools, platforms, and strategies emerge all the time, and your agency should be committed to staying ahead of the curve. This doesn’t just mean being familiar with the latest trends—they should also know how to apply them to your specific business needs.
From search engine optimization (SEO) to social media algorithms, your agency should be on top of the latest updates to ensure your marketing remains effective. An agency dedicated to continuous learning will offer innovative solutions and adapt quickly to changes in the marketplace.
Pro Tip: Ask how the agency stays current with industry trends and how they integrate new techniques into their strategies. What accreditations do they have? What classes are they taking? Are they up-to-date on certificates?
5. Excellent Communication and Collaboration
Effective communication is at the heart of any successful client-agency relationship. Your agency should feel like an extension of your team—working collaboratively to achieve your goals. Clear, timely communication helps avoid misunderstandings, ensures you’re always in the loop, and keeps projects running smoothly.
We believe in open and frequent communication to ensure smooth project execution. We've developed a 60/30/10 account management structure and conduct weekly meetings with our clients during active projects. We’ve found that one of the top reasons businesses seek us out is due to poor communication with their previous agency, and we make it a priority to address that from the outset.
To further enhance collaboration, we invite clients to use our project management system, Teamwork. This platform allows clients to create tickets, monitor progress, and have virtual "face-to-face" interactions with our team, fostering transparency and efficient communication throughout the project.
Pro Tip: Test their communication early. How responsive are they during the initial stages of engagement? Strong communication at the start usually signals how they will perform over the long run.
Conclusion
Your marketing agency should be more than just a service provider—they should be a strategic partner in your business’s success. By demanding these five must-have skills—timely execution, strategic problem-solving, transparency, continuous learning, and excellent communication—you ensure that your marketing efforts are led by professionals who can deliver real, measurable results. Choose an agency with these qualities, and you’ll set your business up for long-term growth and success. At Werkbot, we strive everyday to be the best agency in Erie, PA for our clients.