Times have changed, and so have marketing best practices.
This digital age has brought us the amazing capability to spread awareness online. So, it’s critical that B2B marketing efforts work in tandem with each other. Streamlining your work across platforms and target audiences is essential. Having the resources, talent, and skill set(s) you need is even more essential.
And that’s not all. B2B companies today need industry-specific marketing that gets your buyer’s attention.
A full-service, integrated marketing agency wraps all your needs up into one. Whether you’re seeking to upgrade your advertising, public relations, or digital marketing strategy — you’ll find it here.
Is It OK to Use Marketing Services Outside Your Company?
Absolutely. This may be your first internal hurdle but with a few steps you can get the resources you need.
There is nothing wrong with getting help where you need it. In fact, it means you’ve recognized an area for improvement. You’re already on your way to better marketing! To better communicate your needs understand what it is that you need. The conversation with your outsourced marketing partner will likely begin with a focus on your scope of work needs – strategy, positioning, website build, lead gen., social, ad creative, design help, PR, tradeshows, etc…
Onboarding a B2B marketing agency lightens your workload. That leaves you with more time to do what you do best, creating goods and services for the businesses that need you.
Having trouble generating leads or communicating your brand to your audience? A marketing agency can lay out a plan with you to help. Whatever your goals and objectives, an integrated marketing strategy and the resources to deliver on it are really just the foundation of your ability to succeed.
You’ve Settled on a Marketing Agency. What’s Next?
Like with all things, communication is key.
You’ve discovered the need for marketing help, taken initiative and settled on an agency. The next step is communicating the information you’ve gathered to your company.
Now, going to the CEO of your organization with the idea to hire a marketing agency is an important moment. So, make sure you’re prepared!
Regardless of how many people at your company have a background in marketing, be ready to answer a lot of questions about why you’re seeking marketing help.
Be Prepared: Q&A Prep with the Pros
Time to get ready for that big moment. And we are here to help!
Here’s a short list of example questions you might get asked during your presentation.
To help get you and your team thinking, we’ve also provided some sample answers directly from our 17 years of B2B marketing experience with over 300 clients.
Q1: Why Don’t We Hire Someone New Internally for Marketing?
A: Successful B2B marketing requires an integrated approach. If you need marketing support in multiple areas, hiring a marketing agency instantly gets you a full team with specialized talent for a fraction of the cost.
Hiring someone new for a single specific marketing need is often a short-term fix that ignores long-term needs. Your B2B marketing partner can serve many needs simultaneously with flexibility giving you multiple resources.
Communicate that your outsourced marketing partner has a diverse team that will provide support in areas where it simply wouldn’t be feasible for you or even your in-house marketing team to approach or accomplish.
Q2: Does the Agency Know our Industry?
A: Yes! Full-service and integrated marketing agencies have experts in various industry sectors. So you don’t have to worry about teaching all the ins and outs.
Whether it’s manufacturing, life sciences, IT, InsurTech, etc… your marketing partner will have you covered every step of the way. From web design to content creation to social to lead gen and more. Their expertise in your specific industry will be applied across multiple platforms.
Q3: Will We Need to Increase Our Ad Budget?
A: Not necessarily. It all depends on your desired goals. Often refocusing your spend is all it may take. If you do need to make an additional investment the efficiency and return will be very clear.
Every company’s strategy is different. Spending will largely depend on specific objectives and desired KPIs.
While budget may change over time, your outsourced marketing partner will work with you to stay within the desired range as best as possible. Your budget will be invested in the resources you need to deliver on your desired goals – smart, efficient, effective.
Q4: Can We Get Guaranteed Results?
A: Be cautious of “guaranteed “results. Working with an outsourced marketing partner removes risk from your marketing efforts and investment by providing benchmarks, specific KPIs, and help with every step of the strategic and implementation process.
Any marketing agency that guarantees you results is lying. Simple as that.
Results will vary based upon the industry, the budget and the objectives.
Your marketing partner will start with discovery and research along with setting up benchmarks to gauge progress throughout the marketing process. The right marketing partner will work closely with a client engagement team the whole way to ensure you’re satisfied with the support.
tl;dr: Communicating Marketing Needs at a B2B Company
Communicating the need for marketing help at your B2B company all boils down to preparation.
Be ready to share your research on why a marketing agency might be right for you and your company. To do so, try preparing answers to common questions.
We have provided some intel to get you ready to communicate your marketing needs with your boss. Altitude Marketing checks every box related to being a successful outsourced marketing partner. We hope this information was helpful but If you have more questions on how to get the B2B marketing support you need, or simply to discuss your own challenges and opportunities, please contact us.
