How to Choose the Best Digital Agency: Are Recommendations Useful?
Do you run a charity or a non-profit? Here’s some good news: many people still remain altruistic.
Australia is even one of the top three most generous countries, according to GoFundMe. Overall, Aussies donated at least a million dollars for different causes.
If you’re struggling to attract attention and donation, perhaps it’s high time to hire a marketing agency.
You need experts who can bring your cause globally in different channels from videos to social media. This way, you can tell the world you exist and let your tribe find you.
Of the many digital marketing firms out there, though, which one is the best? A strategic way to pick is through recommendations.
Finding the right agency that helps you achieve your goals
In digital marketing, you will encounter a term called “social proof.” It refers to reviews, testimonials, and other types of feedback that can tell you whether a product or service is worth it.
Statistics show it works. For instance, 87% of consumers would research online before they decide to buy. A person may read around 10 reviews before they make a decision.
Why? It was Rober Cialdini, a psychology professor, who labeled social proof as one of the persuasion principles.
According to him, people pay attention to others’ actions whether consciously or unconsciously. In turn, you tend to mimic or follow what they are doing. It includes how they choose their marketing agency.
How to use recommendations and referrals from clients
You can use social proof to your advantage. With it, you can:
- Learn from other non-profits’ experiences
- Generate a list of criteria to narrow down your choices.
- Streamline the time spent looking for a digital agency that complements or shares your goals
The challenge is weeding out authentic from fake or exaggerated reviews or feedback. You can combat it with these ideas:
- List down your marketing needs. Are you looking for a content marketing agency or social media expert? Do you want help in search engine optimisation? Would you like to do paid marketing? Your list can already narrow down your options.
- Call up other non-profits or charity organisations. If you have a network, now is one of those times to use it.
- Check out websites of these agencies and then head to their portfolio or projects page. Make those with non-profit experience a priority.
- Proceed to their testimonials or review page. What are these people saying? Do they have contact information you can use? It comes in handy when you want to confirm their claims.
- Ask for social proof from the company themselves. They may have case studies and other white papers.
- Ask if you can get a free assessment and mock-strategy.
- Use the power of social media. Get recommendations from friends and family on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Note: Even better, you can use some of the strategies above to find potential partners like Food for Life Global.
The importance of transparency and communication in an agency that you choose
Now, you can come up with a long list of technical requirements. It could be their knowledge in analytics or their experience with content management systems.
One factor rises above all, and it’s not a hard skill: communication. It’s a key element in marketing, especially for non-profits, for the following reasons:
- Projects Can Happen at Anytime
Think about the recent Australian bushfires that affected humans and wildlife. Although these incidents are not uncommon in the country, the severity was beyond people’s imaginations.
It’s a good time to engage the public in increasing awareness and encourage them to donate to the cause. It’s also one of the critical times to ensure your marketing agency is getting the word out.
- Non-Profits Operate on a Tight Budget
Running a charity or a non-profit may give you tax incentives. At the end of the day, you’re not doing it for the money. Whatever you have maybe just enough for your expenses and projects.
You cannot afford to work with a marketing company that wastes your resources, including your time and money.
- You Can Resolve Problems Before They Get Out of Hand
Marketing is not an exact science. Throughout the years, you’ll find countless examples of strategies that worked for some and failed miserably for others.
Transparency and communication do not guarantee you won’t face marketing challenges, but they help you identify them before they get worse.
Non-profits may be superheroes, but even legends need help. Digital marketing companies are your best assistants when you need to tell the world who you are and what you do.
Are you a non-profit protecting the planet? There are agencies like In Touch Media out there for you. For more information on why and how to live a more sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle, try it out here.
