So, you’re ready to take things to the next level and outsource your digital marketing activities. The next step would be to hire an eCommerce marketing agency. But what goes into hiring the right one for you? How do you ensure that you’re both looking at the same goals? How do you know if they’ll work with your budget?

Like every partnership, the getting-to-know-you phase can feel treacherous and nerve-wracking, and there’s just so much at stake. A lot of things can only be revealed in time, and it does feel like this leaves a lot up to chance. But this process doesn’t have to cost the earth (or your sanity!).

1. Demystify your needs: Ask yourself some specific questions about your business – what do you need help with right now, how do you envision growth in the next 6 months and what’s needed to get you there? No one knows your business or the ethnographic of your industry better than you do. So first, analyse the kind of assistance you need, whether it’s a one-off or an ongoing need, the pace that suits your business growth, your forecasted budget, and narrow down your list from there.
2. Clarify your short-term and long-term goals: In a nutshell, you need to make sales to make money to invest this back into your business (it’s a whole chain!). Therefore, your ecommerce marketing agency’s approach should be geared toward sending customers a relevant message that’s designed to incite an action — to learn, subscribe, follow, or buy. If you have an idea of the big picture – great! But every little step counts. Your agency should take into account the very specific incremental actions that get you to the point you want. Like getting people to spend more time on the website, increasing average order value, building your email subscriber list, improving the customer retention cycle, etc.
3. Focus on metrics and desired outcomes: Getting on the right side of your priorities is key and having a clear idea of what success looks like to you gives agencies the idea of accountability. For example, things like increasing return on ad spend by 13 percent, boosting website traffic by 30 percent, increasing YOY sales by 40 percent, 2x product upsells, add 110K more subscribers in 18 months

The Benefits of Having An eCommerce Agency Partner

• having help saves you time so you can focus on the day-to-day
• allows you to manage other issues like staff management, logistics, etc.
• your agency partner will have industry insight you might not be privy to and keep you up to date
• acts as an extended arm of your business to help you profit on a different level

Hiring An Agency vs. Hiring An Employee

Would hiring someone in-house trump hiring an agency? Depends on your situation and requirements. Let’s have a quick look at the benefits of hiring an employee to work in-house:

• Your staff works exclusively for you, so (in theory) you should have their undivided attention.
• Budgeting is sometimes more straightforward.
• They’ll get an intimate understanding of your brand, values, and objectives.

However, when it comes to eCommerce stores, especially in the areas of SEO, design, web development, and marketing, agencies might provide more benefits. Plus, agencies offer a competitive edge due to their specialist skills and technical expertise, along with the following benefits:

• On-demand services are more cost-effective
• Helps to build custom experiences that makes you stand out against the competition
• Optimised performance
• Quality Assurance

Conclusion

Selecting the right eCommerce agency can be complicated. There are thousands of agencies everywhere. However, knowing the basics of what each does and how they work can help make the process easier. Experience is key. Your agency list should consist of companies who have a proven track record in marketing and growth. This helps you to find companies who are reliable and can deliver the results you’re after. Getting started with an eCommerce marketing agency can be intimidating but there are tips you can follow which can make the process easier.

To reach your desired goal, you need to seek out the right combination of skills, experience and resources. Although there is no set formula, it is essential to work closely with an agency partner who can help you accelerate your growth and proactively spot opportunities. At the same time, look for consistency in treatment, progression and an overall sense of confidence that the job will get done.

Finding these things in an eCommerce marketing agency isn’t easy; but worth the effort. Especially if it leads to not just an uptick in dollars, but increased self-awareness in a wider business sense, a more adaptive approach to failure (especially in these changing times) and challenged cognitive biases that lie outside of your periphery.

Looking for an eCommerce marketing agency that has your back? Find out how we can help boost your online business. Book a free strategy session here. Or, better yet, check out our agency secret to helping your business grow with less effort over time.