Miguel Angel Tolsa
A hard yet real lesson for any company to learn, and that is not always accepted easily, is that: Everyone does not "fit in" with everyone.
Hard but true. We have learned this lesson at DataBranding after working with a several number of clients. This is how we've come to accept that we can't be everyone's agency. So, based on our experience -working in an agency and with agencies, and being also the first ones to do Inbound Marketing in Spanish- I would like to share some of the knowledge that I consider important to have and from which lessons to share and ponder are learned.
We are very clear about our strengths and weaknesses. About who we are and with whom we "fit" better. So we know when we "fit well" with a customer or not.
Main reasons why an agency can't add value to a customer - regardless of who the client is.
We every day get contacted by companies of all kinds who show an interest in having us offer our digital marketing solutions and proposals to them. That excites us because we can recognize our growth snd evolution into many branches yet, to save everyone's time, we have made a list about the kind of organization that we think we can not add any value to:
- Your company's culture is "lazy" and won't cooperate with change or resists to it. They might the agency to do all the work.
- Your company is conceited and thinks it all going well, there is nothing to improve or change there.
- Your company want to invest little and yet, achieve great results
These reasons have enabled a way to create a kind of "ideal client" with which we feel comfortable working with and with which we can have a long-term work relationship.
Once we taken the first steps needed in order to work with someone else, we make sure they've understood, at least in a basic way, what Inbound Marketing is and how it can help their company or institution. In addition to understanding its reach and the results that they can expect.
Reasons why DataBranding might not be able to help some potential customers.
A constant complaint that we hear from companies that work with marketing agencies is: "They treat us like "one more", they make us work with interns who have no experience, they do not understand us anymore" ... among others. This is why we have made an effort to become an agency who stays close to its clients and that enjoys sharing what it does. We like to being in contact with our clients and working hand in hand with them. This has even led us to display a special page on our site in which we mention the reasons that will make it impossible for us to help:
1.- You are looking for someone who will do 100% of your marketing and/or sales work.
DataBranding wants to create a cultural change in your company and we can't make it without you. Our methods always include making a "team effort" between the consultant and the organization. We help your employees become a part of the project so that they create amazing internal changes in the way of seeing and using the digital world. We collaborate in helping them join the world of Inbound and therefore, to the creation of content that will convert visitors into customers.
2.- If you are looking for someone to manage your social networks or a Google Adwords campaign.
Yes, we help companies produce content which will work very well in different social networks, but we are not just community managers since our strengths are not found in the massive administration of Facebook, Twitter campaigns, LinkedIn, etc. We do more than that.
3.- Your organization is not willing to "think big" about content marketing.
Although Content Marketing is only a part of a complete Inbound strategy, it is the fuel with which the machinery works. Companies must commit to it, work hard, and be willing to think "outside the box" in order to create content that will help their clients solve their questions and problems. In one sentence: it should be willing to innovate.
4.- At least one leader of the company hasn't bought the idea.
We seek to become business partners of our clients since we have overcome the mere supplier stage by generating a real change in the culture of their organization. This change is also reflected in the way in which marketing and sales communicate and in the way sales had been done so far. This has a great positive impact on the increase in profits. Yet experience has shown us that if the general direction does join the Inbound change, we end up "stepping on calluses" and the project fails to work.
5.- You are looking for a cheap consultant.
Many consultants or agencies charge less than what DataBranding does and that works for them all right. Yet, if you are looking for an Inbound marketing and/or sales consultant just based on the price, we can now tell you we are not a match.
6.- They are not comfortable with positive feedback.
Our way of working is always 100% honest, frank and straightforward in the recommendations that we make on marketing and sales to our customers. Not everyone takes recommendations on improving their digital strategies or website well. We are not for the latter.
I hope this information helps you better understand the underlying aspects of this matter and define well with what kind of agency you want to work with and establish better KPIs.
