Is Your Marketing Going to a Vendor Instead of an Expert Partner?

Why Marketing Services Shouldn’t be Treated Like Just Another Vendor

Looking for a vendor to “just take care of this?” You have a company that takes care of your coffee? Why not find a vendor to take care of your SEO or Social Media?

There are plenty of large sales organizations that are happy to be just that. They want to be a vendor delivering marketing services that you value as much as your coffee in the morning. You’re just happy it’s there. You’d be sad if it wasn’t there.

Your morning coffee and the marketing services you purchase from vendors have one major thing in common. They’re both operating like a commodity. There’s nothing about it that wouldn’t be better or worse if you have to find another vendor. Is that what you want for marketing services that should be helping your business reach new heights?

Are you in a vendor relationship instead of an expert marketing partner relationship?

 

Signs You Need to Drop Your Marketing Vendor

Service Gets Worse Instead of Better Over Time

Custodial, beverage and snack, internet and phone services . . . the hype and the relationship begin and ends at the initial transaction with these vendors typically. After that, you become one of many on their list to service, and they no long care about your changing needs unless you reach out to them first.

There’s No Person at the Company You Can Turn To

Big box digital marketing companies are typically set up like sales organizations with high turnover and outsourced production. The person you start with is often not the same person you speak with later. In fact, you never speak to the same person so there’s no continuity related to your service.

You Signed Up Because a Sales Person Cold Called You

Same story. Because the organization is driven by sales to new customers, there’s no need to build relationships. You’re a number on a list they called and likely, they do not care about retaining you after the contract ends. It’s a revolving door.

You Don’t Understand What You’re Paying For

Salespeople at marketing companies that want to be a vendor are not marketing experts. They do a terrible job of explaining what you’re actually paying for and why. You often feel like the work they’re doing makes no sense.

You Signed Up Because It’s All You Thought You Could Afford

Well, the price was right and other agencies seemed too expensive. It most cases like this, you get what you paid for. And, if you paid for a vendor and expected expert results, you’re likely frustrated and felt like the small budget you set aside for them was a waste.

You’re Coming Up with All the Ideas

No one at a vendor-type marketing company gets to know your business well enough to contribute to ideas on how to make the marketing better. You probably find yourself needing to do most of the strategic and creative work even though you supposedly found a company that was supposed to help you.

What You Get with an Expert Partner

Proactive Service Instead of Reactive Service

An expert marketing partner for your business is going to be an agency with people that are dedicated to your company throughout the year. Account management is a staple of expert partner businesses. With a team of the same people working on the same accounts, you get to benefit from the ideas and relationship that brings. We learn how you like to communicate, what’s important to you, how you need the work managed . . . imagine getting that from a vendor?

A Relationship with a Team that Understands Your Goals

Starting the path to growth for your business should begin with a clear understanding of the destination and the map to get there. Expert partners are able to help you navigate that path and even define the destination more clearly so you better understand it. With everyone on the same page, there’s more transparency and a clearer understanding of the work that’s being done. Best of all, we get to understand what you value out of the experience and work. Do you feel valued by your marketing vendor?

Advice You Can Trust

Without the relationship and the clear understanding of values and goals, how could you trust the advice from a marketing vendor? They have zero investment in the success of your business. Generic, best-practice marketing advice is best served during the sales process. Once you become a client, you should expect advice tailored to your business, industry and unique goals. If you’re not receiving that, then you’re not in an expert partnership.

Business growth starts with the people on your team. Don’t accept a vendor relationship for something as critical as marketing. Hire a team and partner with experts to take your business to the next level. Hot Dog Marketing would love to be a part of your team. Contact us today.

We have recently been recognized as a top Digital Marketing Company on DesignRush.