7. Ask for references from companies in your industry
If you liked the consultation, ask the agency for references. Specify that you want to talk to companies in your industry that have already used the agency’s services. Talking to companies not related to your industry will not give a full picture of the agency’s competencies.
While you’re feeling the pressure to fill your pipeline this moment, many of the people overseas data you’ll speak with won’t be ready to make any immediate changes. But if you leave a positive impression as a thoughtful, intelligent person who may be able to help their business in the future, they’ll want to stay in touch. That gives you a lead for 3, 6 or 9 months from now.
8. Request an estimate and review the contract
Ask the agency for an estimate or a quotation. Be clear about how much work you want included to get an accurate estimate. Keep in mind that if you add new tasks later, the cost may change.
9. Keep looking if you’re not impressed
Take your time and don’t feel obligated to sign with the first agencies you meet. You need to be confident in your choice. If you’re not sure, keep looking. Look for agencies with experience in your industry, and don’t limit your search to your region. Remote work allows you to hire experts from different countries. The only thing you need to consider is their ability to work in your time zone.
If you have ideas about how a company could better control their IT costs, tell them. Some will be recommendations that directly connect to your offerings, but others should not. If, for example, during your discussion you for you and your believe that some basic training would help their office manager to administer better system back-ups, tell them. You can sell them a full-scale business recovery solution later.
10. Don’t be afraid to change agencies
If you’ve been working with a marketing agency for a long time and aren’t satisfied with the results, don’t be afraid to try something new. Don’t worry if the collaboration only lasted six months or a year. You should see a good return on investment (ROI) if you do your part, including setting up nurturing processes and sales funnels.
m re-examine their status quo.
By not pushing prospects into a change with your first call, you’re freeing contact lists them up to rethink their status quo. Your conversation of suggestions and possibilities allows them to take time out and think for a moment about what could be.