Being a local business and connecting with local customers has become much easier in recent times with a host of new measures on the internet to emphasis the location of a business. For some businesses, their location doesn’t play a big part in their strategy but for others it is key. However, when you are considering a marketing agency to work with, should location come into the decision?
Benefits of a local marketing agency
One of the biggest benefits of using a marketing agency local to where you live is the ability to sit down with them and discuss your needs. So when you live in London, a marketing agency in London allows you to have face to face discussions. While this might sound nice but not essential, this also means you can see real time what the company is working on, especially useful when it is print advertising or billboard material.
A local marketing agency will also have a specialist knowledge of the local area. They will have a track record about what works in the area for what type of business and will even have insider tips that can help increase success of a campaign. They may know where is best to advertise in the region and where gets the best returns for previous customers.
Don’t substitute quality for locality
That said, don’t substitute quality for locality when you are choosing a creative marketing agency. You want to be able to see that the company in question has a portfolio that resonates with what you aim to do for your business – experience in your industry is a bonus but the quality of their work is the most important point.
Talk to the agency staff and see what ideas they have for your business strategy – do they understand where you are going with your business and what part they will play in this? You want to establish a good relationship with the company and while choosing that marketing agency in London can be great, don’t let their location define your decision.
Define parameters
From the outset of the relationship with a marketing agency both you and they should lay out the work to be done, the timescales and the methods of communications. If you go for a local company, then regular meetings might be part of this while email or video conferencing can be ideal for companies based somewhere else in the UK.
Between you and the agency there should be a clear path for the project to follow. You will have aims, whether large or small and the agency should be able to give you ideas how to fulfil them. Some agencies can take your ideas and make them a reality while others work best through their own processes, guided by your plan for your business.
Conclusion
Working locally can be great when you partner with a top digital marketing agency – you get their insider knowledge of the area and the chance to meet people face to face. But the most important part of the choice of agency should always be that they are on the same page as you about the campaign or project and understand your business goals.
