How To Enhance Communication With A Marketing Firm To Achieve Your Vision

When you first start working with a marketing firm, you might be skeptical of the amount of good they can do. After all, these people may not necessarily share the exact same vision you have for your company. What if they’re working for their own vision of what your company should look like?

Fortunately, marketing firms realize that working for the benefit of their customers is going to help them in the long run—which is why most good marketing firms will make the effort to adopt the mindset of the businesses they work with.

Even if you choose to work with a firm whose vision is different from yours, there’s actually no reason why these two visions can’t overlap with great success. It often means that you get the best of both worlds: a firm that will chip in with its unique expertise and personal knowledge of what strategies will work best to help you reach your goals and your achieve your vision.

Whether the firm shares your exact vision or not, there are three ways to enhance communication with a marketing firm and optimize your relationship.

AGREE UPON THE METHODS OF COMMUNICATION.

The secret to a good working relationship with a marketing firm is to let them know how you want them to communicate with you. Whether you want detailed monthly reports, shorter weekly reports, or a sit-down verbal report each month, the key is to communicate that to the firm clearly. Letting them know how you prefer to get your updates makes their jobs easier and makes sure they invest their time preparing the materials you’ll actually use.

Once you’ve had a chance to read the reports or hear the presentations, make sure that you communicate how you feel about the work that’s already been done. This way, your marketing firm will know what you’re happy with and what they can improve.

KNOW WHEN TO STAY AND WHEN TO PART WAYS.

It’s important to agree upon the type of accountability you want from your marketing firm from the beginning. And if things aren’t going according to expectation, try to be clearer about what you’re looking for. If it seems like you’ve done your best but you haven't been able to find common ground with this particular firm, then it might be time to bring your working relationship to an end and look for a different firm.

FIND A MARKETING FIRM THAT UNDERSTANDS YOUR GOALS, EVEN IF IT’S DIFFERENT FROM THEIRS.

Different people have different priorities—and it’s the same for marketing firms. One firm might come in with the notion that you just want to increase sales and you don’t care how it’s done. They’ll do their best to help you achieve this goal. But your vision might be different in some important ways: maybe you’re concerned with raising your bottom line, but it’s equally important that you foster a great online reputation, or make it on a list of the “100 Best Companies To Work For”—even if that means selling less product.

Finding a marketing firm that understands the nuances of your vision and can work to help you achieve that vision will make the process much more streamlined. Not only this, but hiring the right firm can free up your time and help you focus on the things that really matter to you. But in order for you to be satisfied with the work of your firm, the two of you will need to have overlapping visions. They have to be able to see your point of view and vice versa.

When shopping for a marketing firm, try to get an idea of what they are working towards. What do they consider a marker of success? What’s their current mindset? The way a person acts in the present determines whether or not they will be able to achieve their future goals, so it’s important to consider both when looking for the right marketing firm.