Deciding to work with an inbound marketing agency is not an easy thing. You have to study very well the possibility, the budget and much more, before taking the step.
It is known that it represents a significant investment, but also that it will have results, such as better web positioning, more sales, more customers, etc. However, sometimes this does not happen.
For this reason, it is key that when executing an inbound strategy, you are clear about how you are going to measure the results and, if you do not reach what is established, change the inbound marketing agency.
There are several indicators that you should change your inbound marketing agency and I am just going to focus on them so that you stop wasting time, effort and, above all, money. Let’s go to them.
When to change your inbound marketing agency
The first thing you should take into account is what the main problem is, that is, why are you thinking that you have not chosen the right inbound marketing agency to work with.
Some of the main reasons are as follows:
1. What was agreed is not being done
Inbound marketing agencies can deliver in writing and sign what will be done with your investment, according to the needs of your company, but many times this only remains on paper.
Above all, it usually happens with agencies that are too large or that grow too fast, as they become saturated with clients and are not capable of delivering what was promised in a timely manner.
This is very easy to identify…
- Do you have to be chasing the agency to make progress on what fails?
- Has it not given you the promised deliverables from the beginning?
- Are you late on deliveries?
- Don’t make the necessary changes on time?
Believe it or not, it is common for all these scenarios to occur. You just have to be aware and honest, because many times, this happens because clients do not do what they should when the inbound agency requests it.
If you do your part as agreed, the problem is who you are working with, so you should look for other alternatives, in case you have tried to fix the problem and see no willingness from the agency.
2. What was planned is done, but it does not address your needs
Another common option is that the inbound agency does carry out what was agreed, but the expected or projected results are not being obtained or they may be arriving very slowly.
This is because agencies often take inbound as a learned formula that just needs to be replicated, and it definitely isn’t.
Each case must be taken in a particular way, according to the client and their needs. It is not a mold that must be replicated. This is a serious mistake and many companies, especially new or medium-sized ones, make it.
This inconvenience is somewhat complicated to fix because, in general, the team that makes up the agency that makes this mistake does not have the capacity to detect that it is not following a good path and, therefore, cannot correct it.
Under this scenario, it is essential to go back to the beginning, that is, to define the objectives and priorities in order to focus efforts on the main actions and obtain measurable results that can be optimized.
Additionally, it’s important to be clear about which inbound metrics are being monitored and why. Only then will you know if what you expect is achieved or not.
3. You do not have the ability to change strategy when your company grows
Much of the industries and sectors experience changes constantly, as updates or trends emerge that are important to consider in order to grow faster.
For this reason, your inbound marketing agency needs to be as flexible as your business in changing marketing priorities or strategies and adapting to those changes in order to keep scaling.
Sometimes, it happens that the inbound agency is not able to respond at the pace that a company needs and opportunities are lost and a state of stagnation is reached, in which the investment is no longer profitable.
If this happens, the first option is always to try to talk and reach agreements, but if you do not get anywhere, it is best to change the inbound marketing agency to have the opportunity to continue moving forward.
4. There begins to be a cultural misalignment
Another important reason to consider changing your inbound marketing agency is when cultural misalignment occurs.
This implies that there are very different points of view about success, the objectives and even the means or modes of communication that are established.
There may be problems like:
- Differences as to what success is . Sometimes they start aligned, but later it can happen that you and the agency see or measure success differently. This makes it difficult for them to match what works and what doesn’t.
- Problems between members of the agency and your team . It may seem weird, but it happens a lot. As much as the strategy is working, there may be differences and that causes you to no longer work at ease.
- Lack of transparency . One of the keys to a good inbound company-agency relationship is honesty about goals, challenges, and expectations. If this does not exist, your relationship and investment is not going anywhere positive.
5. The inbound agency has good strategies, but is unclear on priorities
Yes, it also often happens that everything is delivered on time and you have good strategies, but what do you think? Even so, the results do not arrive and that is because what should be prioritized is not being given.
This is because the inbound agency does not understand your industry. Fortunately, it is one of the most easily fixed problems. You just have to spend time explaining everything about your company and your customers.
No one knows your business better than you and the inbound agency that works with you must know it in depth to know how to reach your potential clients through the strategies proposed.
6. The inbound marketing agency does not align with your budget
The money factor is key when hiring an inbound marketing agency, since it is not an economical service for all that it entails.
Your company may not be able to continue investing in the services it receives, not because you are not getting results, but simply because you are looking to reduce costs and you cannot give yourself that permission at this time.
The best thing in these cases is to start a dialogue with the agency and see if there is a possibility that the price will be reduced by making adjustments in the services so that both continue to benefit.
Otherwise, you will have to look for other options that better align with your budget.
How to change inbound marketing agency?
If you have doubts about whether or not you should change your inbound marketing agency, the first thing you have to do is the following:
1. Find out why you want to change agencies
The first thing you should do is reflect and think about why you have doubts about the inbound marketing agency with which you currently work.
Is it about some reasons that I gave you in the previous point or is there something else?
Likewise, you must define what you will do when you end that relationship, that is, will you look for another option? Will you no longer use that service with anyone or what’s next for your company?
Try to set the right expectations for your next step or the next inbound agency that will accompany you. Only then can you make a good decision this time.
2. Be patient with change
Once you’ve decided to take the plunge and switch to another inbound marketing agency, you have to be patient.
Keep in mind that these are new experts, so it takes time for members to become familiar with your company, its products or services, and to establish a new way of working.
Only by having a good relationship will it be possible to achieve success this time. Always focus on each process having an order, based on your previous experience.
Remember that these changes do not happen overnight. That is, if you change agencies, you will not have results in a week or a month. This is a long-term job.
Making this change is never easy, but I am sure that taking into account all the elements raised, it will be a much more agile and strategic process.
Steps to change inbound marketing agency
If you are already determined to do it, I leave you some of the steps you must follow so that this process is fruitful. Take note!
- Be in control of your accounts and software
The first thing you have to verify is that you have control and access to everything that the inbound agency you are currently with has done.
If you have HubSpot , make sure you have control of all the portals. If it is other software, the same applies.
- Establish communication with the inbound agency
The next thing is to talk to your current agency and discuss the reasons for your decision. Always try to do it with respect so that the experience does not become more complex than it could be.
This will help you have a much smoother and more successful transition. Dialogue is always the best way to close a relationship, especially when it comes to work.
- Be clear about mistakes and look for options
When everything is settled with the inbound agency, it is time for you to take some time to analyze in depth what went wrong and why. With this in mind, you will be able to have more clarity and you will be able to look for other options.
Find two or three proven inbound marketing agency options to replace the one you’ve left, contact them, answer any questions you have, tell them your goals, and give them context about your change.
- Study the proposals of the possible agencies and choose one
Once you give them a chance to get to know you, identify your needs, and so on, give them time to present their possible solutions. So you can study them and make an informed decision.
Take the points you want to improve as a base to see if they fit what you are wanting to change, and choose the one that best aligns with it and with your budget.
Conclusion
Changing inbound marketing agencies may sound complicated, but the reality is that if you are not satisfied with the results, you have to do it, in case you have wanted to make changes and no agreements have been reached.
If you want to know how to boost your inbound strategy , schedule a meeting with us to talk about your objectives and propose proven strategies so that you can straighten the path and reach your goals.
