Mediaboss Marketing

Sarah Barnett05:10 AM, 3 Feb 20227 minute readSarah Barnett05:10 AM, 3 Feb 20227 minute read

Not all marketing agencies are created equal.Sarah Barnett provides six questions you can ask the agency before you agree to hire them.

I know a lot of brokers are looking to ramp up their social media presence in 2022, so Ive put together a list ofsix questions you can ask the agency before you agree to hire them.

How involved are you in the broking industry?

Your social media content should act as the bridge between what you know and what consumers want to know. This means your agency needs to keep up to date with whats happening in the industry by regularly speaking to aggregators, lenders, associations and, most importantly brokers. If your agency knows whos who and is regularly invited to speak at industry events and webinars, then thats a good sign theyll be able to impart your subject-matter expertise to your ideal clients and referral partners.

How much input will I need to provide?

Before you outsource to a marketing agency, find out how much effort will be required on your part. For instance, will they handle all the content ideation, creation, scheduling and publishing? Will they design an on-brand theme for you, or will you need to provide graphic design assets? Who handles the audience building and engagement tasks? If youre having to spoonfeed the agency content ideas, then they may not be able to free up as much time and headspace as youd like.

Are your copywriters based in Australia?

Your content should sound like you on your best day, which will give people confidence that youre a competent professional. Poor grammar can undermine your credibility in an instant, and if your agency doesnt use local copywriters they may struggle to craft copy that aligns with your brand. Plus, if the copywriters are overseas they may not understand the context of the Australian market theres nothing worse than a brokers social media content referencing 401(k) plans and realtors!

Whats your approach to marketing?

A good social media agency understands the difference between marketing a consumer good vs marketing a professional service. What works well for a 20-year-old influencer wont be the best strategy for your broking business. The wrong kind of marketing can bring you the wrong kind of client. For instance, focusing on cashbacks can attract price-sensitive clients wholl switch to the next shiny thing at the drop of a hat.

Can I see your reviews?

The agency you choose should have a collection of verified reviews to support any claims theyve made. Testimonials are fine, but youll never know if these are several years old, or have been selectively edited. By checking out their Google reviews, youll gain insight into what its like working with them and how consistent they are in providing a great service. Youll also be able to see whos used their services and check the standard of their work.

Do you walk the talk?

Well, this is actually something youll be able to gauge yourself by checking out their website and social media profiles. See if the quality and tone of the content resonate with what youre hoping to achieve for your brand. How the agency handles their own online presence will give you an indication of whether they know their stuff... or not.

A final note on outsourcing

I came across this brilliant reminder recently: If you deprive yourself of outsourcing and your competitors do not, youre putting yourself out of business.- Lee Kuan Yew (ex-PM of Singapore).

While engaging a social media marketing agency can feel daunting, the brokers who are active on social media are not doing everything themselves. Unless you have an in-house marketing resource, its smart to outsource a lot of the grunt work to free you up for the high pay-off activities.

6 questions to ask your social media marketing agency

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Sarah Barnett is the head of content and co-founder of marketing solution provider Social Broker, which targetsbusy finance and legal professionals who want to get noticed online.

Sarah previously headed up marketing and innovation for a leading behaviour change consultancy where she spearheaded data-driven solutions for big banks, insurers, telcos and energy retailers. She has deep insight into the sales behaviours that high-performers consistently demonstrate to win and retain business.

She has been a member of the Australian Market & Social Research Society since 2013 and stays on the cutting edge of voice-of-customer research.

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6 questions to ask your social media marketing agency - The Adviser - The Adviser