What is a Marketing Agency? What Do We Do?
As the name implies, a marketing agency is an agency that markets your small business. Essentially, a marketing agency works to develop effective marketing strategies using a consultative approach, while an advertising agency typically focuses on direct marketing and promotional advertising. Depending on the company you choose, a Kansas City marketing agency may also specialize in communication and provide you with guidance/recommendations regarding the tactics used to market your business. To put it in its most basic form, marketing agencies work to develop a plan that effectively communicates the solutions you provide to those who need those solutions so that you can generate leads that convert to buying customers.
Depending on your industry, a Kansas City marketing firm will help you devise a strategy that includes the most vital elements for your unique needs. Decades ago, print advertising such as newspaper or magazine ads and advertisements in the Yellow Pages were used to drive traffic. With the explosion of the digital world in recent years, there are countless methods used to put your product/service in front of your target audience, increase awareness, and grow your brand.
Some of the tactics used by marketing agencies in developing the most effective marketing strategy include:
- Developing a marketing strategy and marketing plan
- Implementing and executing a marketing plan
- Creating and installing a marketing system
- Development of content to be shared through various media channels, both online and off
- Email messaging and e-newsletters
- Thorough market research
- Mobile marketing
- Analysis of metrics and data
- PPC, or pay-per-click advertising
- Website design and development
- SEO or search engine optimization and keyword research
Social media - Development and production of collateral (brochures, business cards, company letterhead, signage, etc.)
Given the popularity and rapidly expanding use of the Internet worldwide to search for products/services, many marketing agencies today focus more on inbound marketing tactics. These are tactics that attract potential customers like a magnet, with no “pushing” or blatant advertising involved. A reputable marketing agency will help you, as a small business owner, understand the tactics that are effective for growing your business today, increasing visibility online, and building brand awareness. These tactics often include frequent creation and sharing of content through blogs, web page content, guest articles on relevant websites, social media, video marketing, and more. The goal is ultimately to engage and communicate with potential leads and customers who are in need of your product/service in a way that is appealing and builds trust.
What does a marketing agency actually do? While we’ve briefly gone over some of the areas of focus, marketing agencies essentially help small business owners better understand their customers, develop marketing strategies that attract the attention of a highly targeted audience rather than throwing out marketing messages to a general audience and hoping some of it “sticks,” and grow the company’s online or offline presence to a new level.
Truthfully, there aren’t many small businesses that have the resources and know-how to implement a highly successful marketing strategy. In fact, trends and techniques used to stand apart from your competition may change on a frequent basis, even daily in some cases. Is a marketing agency a good investment for your small business? While the cost may be substantial, the ROI is something you cannot ignore if you are searching for marketing agencies in Kansas City.
