Not every business has the resources to do their marketing internally. But even with the right resources, it’s often still worth bringing on an external team, especially one with combined decades of experience in your sector.

Collaborating with a marketing agency is often the fastest, and most effective way to get your business’s name out there, and make your all-important first impression stick.

In today’s blog, we’ll be breaking down 6 tips for working with an external marketing team.

Tip 1: Choose a team that you trust

If you want to make the most of your collaboration, you’ll need to openly communicate how your business operates, your strategic objectives, and your long-term goals. You don’t have to have to reveal all your secrets, obviously, but you’ll need to trust the team enough to let them look behind the curtain. In order to tailor their marketing strategies to your vision, and to effectively communicate the message of your brand, they’re going to need a comprehensive understanding of your company. So transparency is key.

Tip 2: Define your company’s internal stakeholders and collaborators

Now that you’ve covered the ‘what’ of your company, equally as important is the ‘who’. Clearly define the roles of your internal and external stakeholders, including the key members of your leadership team, business development (BD) professionals, and marketing & communications personnel. Ideally there should be seamless communication between all relevant stakeholders and the marketing team. You can’t expect to just lock the marketing team away in a room for a few days until they reemerge with the perfect marketing strategy (as ideal as that might sound!). Your own team needs to be fully aligned with your marketing objectives.

Tip 3: Set clear goals and sense check them regularly

Clear goals are fundamental to guiding your marketing initiatives. These goals should align with your overall business objectives, and progress should be evaluated on a regular basis. Consider whether your time scales are realistic, and if you’re actually on track to reach your goals. If not- what needs to change? For example, if one of your marketing objectives is to increase the number of leads you’re acquiring via pay-per-click (PPC), and you’re falling behind on your target- it may be that you need to adjust your target. But it may also be that the target is actually completely achievable, and it’s the PPC output itself that needs tweaking. Your marketing team should be able to help steer you on the right path, especially if they’ve had experience with similar campaigns.

Tip 4: Set expectations for reporting

No business wants to enlist the help of a marketing team only to be left in the dark- or vice versa. Tangible expectations are vital when you’re working with any external agency, so make sure you define the expected format and frequency of reporting, as well as key performance indicators (KPIs) that the team should be tracking. It’s often ideal to schedule a specific day of the week, and specific time, for catch-ups. This should allow both you and the marketing team to stay in the loop.

Tip 5: Communicate

Regular communication is crucial to maintaining a productive relationship with your marketing team, and ensuring your plans stay on track. The most effective collaborations are the ones that encourage a constant exchange of ideas, insights, and feedback.

Tip 6: Leverage data

Provide the team with sufficient access to your marketing data. They’ll be able to leverage that data to help you make smarter marketing decisions. Overwhelmed by Google Analytics? A marketing agency should be able to tell you which of those metrics actually matter, and how you can use them for more effective campaigns.

Creating a seamless collaboration: 6 tips for working with an external marketing team

The right collaboration with the right external marketing team can be a viable route to meaningful growth, and getting your brand’s name out there. More than anything, you should prioritise transparency, open communication, and clearly defined objectives.

Considering bringing in a B2B marketing agency? Let’s talk!