How to find the right B2B marketing partner: What you need to know

“We’ve worked with lots of businesses just like yours. We know what we’re doing.”

"Don't worry. We have all the answers.” 

"That's enough detail. I already have a good understanding of your business." 

“I run these types of campaigns with clients all the time and they always deliver results”

Each of these phrases should be completely reassuring, right?

After all, hiring a marketing firm to help your business is a pretty big deal — it’s an investment in terms of both time and finances and you want to get it right. You want someone who can deliver results. You want someone who can help you meet the goals that matter to you and your organization.

So you check credentials, seek references, read online reviews, and everything looks great. It’s only when you start up a conversation with the agency or consultant that doubts creep in and you start to wonder whether the engagement is going to work out quite as you hoped.

And when a prospective firm tries to reassure you that they know exactly what they’re doing, alarm bells start ringing. And rightly so.

Because here’s the thing: there aren’t lots of businesses just like yours.

Sure there will be overlaps; you may offer similar products or services to other businesses in your industry but you do it in a different way, have a different ethos, or you’re completely unique in the way you deliver.

So, yes, you’re right to be wary when the agencies you interview start firing out platitudes or try to convince you that they have all of the answers.

Of course, a marketer’s job is to provide answers, particularly the answers you don’t have. After all, that’s why you’re searching for a partner in the first place. But the best consultants don’t claim to already have all of the answers — in fact, they know they don’t.

But they also know the best way to figure them out: by listening.

They know that taking the time to really listen to you, to your staff, and to your customers is critical to both understanding your business and company culture and to finding the answers you’re looking for. They know that the most productive, successful relationships happen when you are vulnerable enough to share internal theories and potential challenges so your marketing partner can begin to fully understand what your goals are and the best way to achieve them. 

And they’re not afraid to say, “I don’t know — let’s figure it out” because they know the best projects are truly collaborative.

Hiring a marketing firm can be the perfect solution when your business is short on resources, wants to tackle a special project, or needs external specialized expertise to address the complex marketing challenges you’re looking to overcome — but if you hear alarm bells when you meet with your chosen marketing partner, don’t be afraid to listen to your instincts.

The right firm for you is one that takes the time to understand what makes you unique, one that puts the cookie-cutter approach aside and focuses on the results that make sense to you and your individual business. The right firm is one that recognizes that working together, collaboratively, in a trusted partnership, is the best way to accomplish your goals.

Ultimately, the right firm is one that listens. Really listens.

Want to find out what it’s like to work with an actual marketing partner? Let’s start the conversation and find out. 

You might also enjoy this post: The importance of evaluating and analyzing your marketing efforts.