April 2023

Should I work with a digital marketing agency? Or hire a freelancer? … how do I choose?! Here some insights and tips working with a marketing agency or a freelancer.

Ever felt like, as a business owner or manager, you’re juggling 10 things at once while spinning a few plates on your head? There are so many things to take care of, that sometimes it seems as if there are not enough hours in the day.

Below in short: some insights and tips working with a marketing agency or hiring a freelancer:

Tips Working With a Marketing Agency

First: What is a marketing agency?

A digital marketing agency is a group of marketers usually composed of either full-time employees or independent contractors that carry out marketing activities for clients. Projects could include social media marketing, email marketing, content writing, graphic design, marketing and business consulting, and much more.

1. Expertise: Marketing agencies have a team of experts with different specialties, providing a wide range of services and a depth of knowledge that a single freelancer may not have.
2. Scalability: Marketing agencies can handle larger projects and campaigns and are equipped to handle multiple projects simultaneously. This means that you can scale your marketing efforts as your business grows.
3. Resources: Marketing agencies have access to the latest technologies and tools to help you achieve your marketing goals. They also have established relationships with vendors, which can save you time and money.

Or Tips to Hire A Freelancer

First – > what is a Freelancer?

A freelancer is an independent marketing consultant who will most likely have some experience working for a big company in the past but will provide their services on their own. They are solely responsible for getting clients, delivering client projects, and getting repeat freelance business. The role of a freelancer could include a virtual assistant, writer, marketing consultant,stra tegist, or email marketer.

1. Cost-effective: Freelancers are usually more affordable than marketing agencies. This is because they don’t have the overhead costs associated with running an agency.
2. Flexibility: Freelancers are typically more flexible with their time and can often accommodate last-minute requests or changes to your marketing plan.
3. Personalized attention: Working with a freelancer means you have one point of contact for all your marketing needs. This can lead to a closer working relationship and a deeper understanding of your business.

Let’s ask some extra questions and tips in working with marketing agencies or hiring freelancers. Let’s dive into them.

What stage is your company in?

There are important questions you should ask yourself to better understand the stage your company is in, and consequently, the level of support you need:

• Do you have a clear value proposition?
• Do you have an idea of who your target consumers will be?
• Do you have a distinguishable brand identity, or are you looking for help creating that?
• Do you have the marketing assets, or the skills to create them, to drive your brand forward?

You answered YES to the majority of these questions? Then hiring freelancers could be a good choice. With this option, you can reserve highly specialized support for one-off projects, and you have the ability to choose individuals whose skill sets are aligned with exactly the type of help you are looking for.

However, if you answered NO to the questions above, an agency could be the right choice, whether it’s a full-service agency, an agency of brand specialists, an SEO agency, a web agency or another kind of agency. Agencies have the ability to facilitate growth and strategy development for your company at every stage, which can take the pressure off your internal team. Ps, Jelloow is a great place to find your marketing agency.Ultimately, the decision between working with a marketing agency or hiring a freelancer depends on your specific needs and budget. If you’re looking for a comprehensive marketing solution and have the budget to support it, a marketing agency may be the way to go. However, if you’re looking for a more cost-effective solution, a freelancer may be the better choice. Just be sure to thoroughly vet any freelancer you’re considering to ensure they have the skills and experience needed to deliver the results you’re looking for.Need support, let Jelloow.com find your best fitted marketing agency

April 2023

Finding the right marketing agency can be a challenge and time consuming, but it’s important to ensure you find a partner that understands your business and can help you reach your marketing goals. Save time, and read the tips to help you choose the right marketing agency:

We have listed a few key tips that will help you choose the right marketing agency

#1 Define your goals and objectives

Before you start your search, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your marketing goals. This will help you evaluate agencies and ensure they have the expertise and experience to meet your needs.

#2 Do your research

You can use Google and other search engines, as well as industry publications and websites, to research potential agencies. Look at their portfolio, client testimonials, and awards to get a sense of their work and reputation.

Tip: Use Jelloow and save time to find your marketing partner. We have  5000+ global marketing agencies in our network.

#3 Make sure your selected agency understands your company values and products

Make sure the agencies you’re considering have experience in your industry and with the specific marketing tactics you need. If you need help with digital marketing, for example, look for an agency with experience in that area. Use Jelloow to find your likeminded match, this based on your industry, budget, required services, etc.

As Agencies will specialise in different areas of marketing, so think about what it is you need to achieve. For example, is your website you main priority, or are you looking to generate leads for your sales team, or do you need an agency that can manage your entire marketing function? Do you need an agency that specialises in specific technologies, such as marketing automation? And whether you operate in the B2B or B2C market will have an impact, as marketing strategies do vary between the two.

Same for the industry. You will always be the expert in your industry, and the marketing agency you choose will always be the experts in marketing. A key skill set of an agency is their ability to adapt to different businesses and industries, so it’s not vital that the agency you choose has experience in your sector. However there is an advantage of choosing an agency that has a good understanding of your industry, your customers, who the likely buyers are, the best channels to reach them and what marketing messages they’re likely to respond to.

#4 Ask for their fields of specialization, portfolio, and references

If you do the research yourself, ask for references from each agency and take the time to talk to their previous clients. Find out what they liked and didn’t like about working with the agency and how well the agency met their marketing goals.

If you work with Jelloow, these past examples will be given when you have a ‘Meet & Greet with an agency.

#5 – Consider cost

Marketing agencies offer a range of services and pricing models, so be sure to get a detailed proposal from each agency you’re considering. Compare the cost, services, and timeline to make an informed decision.

A lot of brands are afraid that agencies overpromise and underdeliver. Be aware of that.

#6 Pick the right marketing agency for you

Choosing an agency will also depend on the type of agency you need. More details you can find HERE in one of our other blog posts. 

• Advertising Agency: responsible for creating product and service campaigns that leave a lasting impression on consumers. They are dedicated to conceptualizing, ideating, planning, and creating multi-level marketing campaigns for different channels — from television, print, radio, to the cyber depths of the world wide web.
• Creative Agency: Building a brand from the ground up through the power of design — a.k.a. that time you gave in and bought something because of its attractive packaging — and creativity, businesses normally turn to the design wizards and strategists at creative agencies to make their once abstract ideas into reality.
• Digital Marketing Agency/Performance Marketing Agency: provide companies the services — SEO content, Pay-per-click marketing and Social media ads — to scale and generate profit while letting business owners focus on what’s best: the growth of their brand.
• Media Agency: A wide range of media options, from programmatic buys, to social media, and for some, even on-ground experiential placements. But whatever the placement may be, a media agency helps businesses strategize on when and where to advertise, allowing them to reach their intended market in an optimal and timely manner.
• PR Agency: they focus on amplification of editorial coverage on earned media, some examples would include native placements on publisher websites, sponsored content with bloggers, or even Instagram posts from influencers.

By following these tips, you can find a marketing agency that will help you reach your marketing goals and provide the support you need to grow your business.

Or easier, let jelloow.com help you in finding your marketing partner.

March 2023

Searching for the suitable partner who develops powerful and effective publications, marketing and communication campaigns for you? Every marketing agency differs greatly from one another. Not only in what they do, but also in how they do it. Every company has its culture, and this also applies to marketing agencies. Look for the one that best meets your needs and aligns with your values.

While there are so many agencies to choose from, Jelloow is a tool that can help you narrow down your search. Making it easy and accessible to give you even more reason to search for the perfect agency. If you give a clear and correct answer to all the questions, the number of possible agencies will shrink visibly. Until there are only about five left.

But, first you have to find answers. The first question you ask yourself is:

Why a new marketing partner? Why look for a marketing agency?

Different reasons for finding your marketing agency:

– You have been working with the same agency for years and are gradually getting tired of the campaigns they present to you. The relationship is becoming worn out. It’s time for change

– When you started your business, you hired a marketing agency that happened to be nearby or aligned with your brand just at that moment. You have evolved in the meantime, but the marketing agency has not.

– Your company went through a serious upheaval. New services or products were added. You evolved from product to service provider. You grew from a local business to an international company. Your current agency cannot follow this evolution. Or it doesn’t have enough capacity to meet all your needs.

– You need a specialized partner. For example, you want to start an online store or you take your first steps in social media. Marketing is so diverse today that not all marketing agencies are suitable for any assignment

– You are mad. Angry because the effect of the advertising campaigns is not what you expect. The results fall far short of the predicted prognosis. Angry, because crucial mistakes were made. Reason to say goodbye?

– Your regular contact person at the marketing agency changes agency or position. You are suddenly presented with another account manager, with whom things do not go so well. Or the creative team goes on an adventure. Not a ridiculous thought.

– In your own company, the marketing agency leaves its post. His successor sees no benefit in a collaboration with the current agency. He wants to change the shoulder of the rifle.

This and perhaps other reasons make you look for a new marketing partner.With Jelloow, we help brands find their marketing partners. We can give multiple reasons why you need to find the right marketing agency. Get in touch with us and we can help you find your best fit.

March 2023

It can sometimes take years for two business partners to develop a relationship of trust. When it comes to your business relationship with the marketing agency, you don’t have the option of years to gain or give confidence.

Number of techniques to build trust faster.

If you find the following aspects in the people of your marketing agency, chances are that you can build a successful relationship of trust with them. A mix of personality traits, competencies and results

1. Personality Traits

– Integrity – Does your agency act selflessly and independently? They do what they say.

– Critical – Are the people challenging your idea in a positively critical way?

– Credible – Can the agency motivate why it makes certain proposals to you? Is it convincing?

– Flexible – Does it vary its approach according to its client? How does this happen?

– Empathetic – Does the agency empathize and understand your problems? Does it understand the context in which you work?

– Passionate – Are the employees passionate about their profession? Are they proud?

2. Competencies

– Talented – The knowledge and experience house you need? Does the agency train sufficiently?

– Sense of synthesis – Enough talent in house to discover trends and patterns?

– Judgment – Able to make in-depth assessments?

– Strategic – Strategic talent? Able to come up with new, creative ideas with reasoning behind them?

3. Consequences

– Result oriented – Are the results what you expect? Do they achieve the goals you set together?

– References – What do their current customers think of them?

Conclusive about the relationship with yourself

1. Be a reliable partner yourself

2. Communicate your expectations

3. Be alert during the relationship

4. Consider the service life

In order to earn trust with a marketing agency you must evaluate how you will work together beforehand. Take a look into the values of each, what matters to them, how they handle situations and problems, etc. This way you can get a grasp of how to speak with them and handle conversations. That is how you build trust with a brand or agency, by communicating and being open and heist with one another. When it is symbiotic and trust is respected both ways, that is when the businesses can really flourish.Jelloow is designed to help start this trusting relationship with agencies. You need to trust your partner in order to be successful in this industry. We want to see you thrive and that is hwy we are here for you every step of the way. From matching you to an numerous option of agencies to check ins on how they are holding up. Jelloow is there to strengthen that trust!

Febr 2023

The first step: What do you want in finding your marketing partner?

What do you want? A marketing partner that can serve you better. First and foremost, you need to have a good idea of ​​your own challenges. You also need to know how you want to solve those challenges. Then the search for a partner can really begin.

Organizing a first meeting is not always easy for you as a company, but also for the marketing partner. Both put a lot of time and energy into it.

The choice of a (new) marketing agency is an important strategic decision. You invest a lot of money in communication. As with any investment, you also want to achieve a more than decent ROI now.

Think carefully before you start pitching abut all the arguments that are soon to come and how you are going to handle them.

Then comes the ‘who’ question when you want to find your marketing partner.

If you decide to find a marketing partner, the next question is who? Which agency will replace your current position or which agency do you want to work with?

Questions :

– How to find out which other agency has a refreshing take on the marketing world competition?

– How do you know which of those many agencies can best fulfill its task and which will devise and develop the right publicity proposals for you?

You will find a lot when you start searching, but it is not enough.

That is why we want to help with Jelloow to find that right partner.

By taking the Jelloow quiz designed to find you the perfect agency, you will be given a number of options that best fit your needs. We want you to find the perfect marketing partner for you as easy as possible.

Then you move on to the pitching part of finding your marketing partner.

To pitch is to attempt to sell or win approval for one’s ideas by giving them away for free, usually within a competitive, buyer driven context.

Just be aware if you want to find your marketing agency,, you have them in all sizes

In terms of positioning, marketing agencies roughly fall into five different categories

1. The full-service agencies: They really are your one-stop-shop. You get a full service. From strategy over concept to realization. They are permanent fixtures in the marketing landscape and often belong to international networks

2. Creative Hot Shops: Or also referred to as Creative Boutiques. They are usually somewhat smaller, but in many cases also offer full service. Only they mainly focus on creative concepts. Such agencies often arise from the collaboration between creatives who learned the tricks of the trade in large agencies, but decided to start on their own account. Ideal if you’re looking for more daring and different campaigns.

3. Specialized Agencies: Agencies that focus exclusively on specific aspects or parts of marketing, such as brand activation.

4. Interactive desks: These agencies help you with web advertising, social media advertising, apps, community building and other new forms of digital and mobile marketing

5. In-house agencies: Some marketing agencies take care of all communication for their own company, markets and products. House rules and house style are strictly monitored.With Jelloow, you can narrow down which type of agency will best work for you and what you are looking for. Even if you start with an agency and it doesn’t go as planned, Jelloow is here to help you with any issues and find a new match when needed!

Febr 2023

A relationship between company and marketing agency always starts very nicely. Two partners are in love with each other. They see each other’s beautiful sides. But, even successful realities don’t always last forever. Often they hit the rocks due to lack of attention.

As a company, when you work with a marketing agency, remember that you cannot fly on autopilot. Trust and partnership are key concepts in a solid relationship between brand and marketing partner.

Most common complaints from companies:

1. They don’t know anything about our business

2. They are way too expensive

3. They don’t follow our briefing

4. They have no structure

5. They are stubborn

6. They don’t listen or do what I ask

7. They are slow with their reactions

8. They fuss about adjustments and changes

9. They don’t make corrections or make them poorly

10. They don’t take enough initiative

Most common marketing agency complaints:

1. They don’t understand the communication business

2. They don’t want to pay for our service and creativity

3. Briefings are unclear and superficial

4. They are poorly organized

5. They are stubborn

6. They don’t listen to our advice

7. They never respond on time

8. They always want immediate help

9. They don’t provide enough insight into their business

10. They are difficult to reach

Know which phase your relationship is in to understand your relationship with your marketing agency better

1. Getting acquainted – you decide to work together. Now the honeymoon begins. There is still too little evidence and there is little routine.

2. Build-up phase – up or down. Does the marketing agency live up to expectations? The basic strategy has been approved. Processes are fine-tuned and improved.

3. Routine phase – when both parties are attuned to each other. Both are familiar with the problem and how to deal with each other. Communication is strong and emotional bonds are built.

4. Wind down phase – is always lurking. The relationship is getting worn out. The challenge is no longer there, other people etc.

5. Final phase – when the relationship between company and agency continues to sour until the cramp is unbearable. There are more frequent discussions about lack of productivity, too high invoices or too much carelessness.Jelloow is here to smooth out any wrinkles you may find with a marketing agency relationship. Say you find the perfect agency for you and there have not been any problems. That is great and we are happy to help! There is also the other side of things where you may find yourself in a toxic marketing agency relationship and need help finding a new one. We are also here for you during that time as well. Jelloow is always here to make sure you are satisfied.

Jan 2023

Successful companies have done one thing: they have strong brands. Brands are a powerful engine for business success. The strongest brands are the result of a long-term collaboration between company and marketing agency. Again and again it is the magical spark that strikes between both partners that makes the difference in a more than ever competitive market. Establishing successful relationships between companies and  agencies, how to start with that?

The question arises: establishing successful relationships between companies and marketing agencies, how to accomplish this?

The first thing that comes to mind in that connection is the word respect. When a company respects its marketing agency, it will also appreciate the marketing agency’s efforts to strengthen its brands and improve business results.

Gone are the days when a marketing agency came up with a completely customized solution in just a few weeks. The communication between company and marketing partner is much more open and transparent today. What you put in is also what you get out.

Bring in an agency the same way you recruit a senior executive. After all, many agencies will have the right profile, but not always the right fit for your organization.

Jelloow focuses on how companies and marketing agencies can improve the relationship. We want to bring companies and marketing agencies closer together and propel one another into success.

Choosing a marketing agency is not something you do lightly. Because a lot depends on it. Finding that successful relationship with your marketing agency is key

Why do you need a marketing agency?

Marketing is a profession. Not everyone is cut out for it, certainly for the creative part of marketing – coming up with concepts, slogans, and promotions – you need specialists.

The goal of marketing is, first and foremost, to get noticed. With the progression of advertising, that is becoming more difficult every day. A consumer sees and hears 100-1,00+ advertising messages per day in traditional media. That doesn’t even include digital marketing. As a company you want to stand out in that crowd, but above all you want to get your message across.

Communication is also not so easy anymore. As a company, you must use all communication channels that are best suitable for you if you want to get your message across to your target audience. In order to do this, you want to look for the most efficient, effective and creative way possible. Jelloow is here to help you find an agency that can do all of this and more.

What is the role of a marketing agency?

Marketing agencies adopt a certain positioning. Depending on the nature and mission of an agency, the importance of the different roles may be different. Understand the roles and responsibilities you’re looking for to build a successful relationship with a marketing agency.

• The strategic role. As a company, you may prefer to take on this role yourself. Nevertheless, it is also useful to call in a marketing agency for this. They will look at the strategy with a different, unbiased, and add useful advice and analysis. The communication approach stems from strategy. What is your vision? Your mission? What are your values? The benefits of your brand?
• The creative role. Leave this to your marketing partner. An agency that has been well briefed and has a clear picture of the values of your organization knows how to creatively translate that into effective advertising to fit you.
• The implement function. Ultimately, the marketing partner will also carry out the detailed and approved campaign. Thanks to the contacts with printers, photographers, producers, and other suppliers, they can best evaluate who you need.
• The role of ‘localiser’. Multinationals also develop international campaigns. These must then be adapted or ‘translated’ to the local markets.

Find today your marketing partner and build a successful relationship between your brand and a marketing agency with Jelloow. Use Jelloow’s functions to match you with who will work best!