Businesses looking for help with their marketing often don’t realize just how much of a difference there is between a specialized vendor and partner-style digital marketing agency.
To start, let me define how I think about the terms “vendors” and “partners”.
A “vendor” is more or less a plug-and-play service provider. You already have a marketing strategy. You’re familiar with what the various industry tools do. You just don’t have the bandwidth or the expertise in-house to execute it well. So you get an expert to manage specific tools or platforms for you
“Vendor” oriented companies generally have a business model that is more narrow, enabling them to hyper-specialize and scale their bandwidth for business growth. They can be among the best in the industry at a smaller handful of things. So if you already know exactly what you need (and what you don’t), this kind of agency can be very valuable.
A “partner” takes on a broader, more strategic role. They also bring expertise with tools and platforms, but they also provide a higher-level view to help integrate each tool into a cohesive, seamless marketing strategy.
This kind of agency (admittedly, my kind of agency) helps bring a more entrepreneurial approach to the expertise they provide. You are still getting industry experts that know the tools they use, but the approach to marketing takes into account every client-facing side of your business to maximize new business, retention, and referrals.
A “vendor” is more or less a plug-and-play service provider. You already have a marketing strategy. You’re familiar with what the various industry tools do. You just don’t have the bandwidth or the expertise in-house to execute it well. So you get an expert to manage specific tools or platforms for you
“Vendor” oriented companies generally have a business model that is more narrow, enabling them to hyper-specialize and scale their bandwidth for business growth. They can be among the best in the industry at a smaller handful of things. So if you already know exactly what you need (and what you don’t), this kind of agency can be very valuable.
A “partner” takes on a broader, more strategic role. They also bring expertise with tools and platforms, but they also provide a higher-level view to help integrate each tool into a cohesive, seamless marketing strategy.
This kind of agency (admittedly, my kind of agency) helps bring a more entrepreneurial approach to the expertise they provide. You are still getting industry experts that know the tools they use, but the approach to marketing takes into account every client-facing side of your business to maximize new business, retention, and referrals.
How it Makes a Difference
In my experience, businesses that are really just starting to move into the digital marketing space often start looking for vendors. They are looking for one-off services like Google search ads or social media.
This isn’t a bad thing! Especially since those companies often have marketing strategies that have to be more conservative with their budget.
The challenge is this: In the 10 or so meetings I have each month with prospects, ones who only want one service don’t usually realize what else they need to make their one service perform the way they hope. I’ll give you an example.
A few months ago, a non-profit approached me looking to run Google ads. While chatting with them, I brought up landing pages are part of the ads strategy. They had never heard of it but the concept made sense.
So we pulled up their website. They had no strong landing pages, and the site wasn’t optimized for mobile!
These are people that run an incredible program, they have decades of business experience, but their lack of knowledge regarding industry tools set them up for failure!
This organization didn’t just need someone that would agree to run Google ads. They needed someone that would sit down, review all possible aspects of their marketing, and help them create a strategy with the best tools for their goals and budget.
This isn’t a bad thing! Especially since those companies often have marketing strategies that have to be more conservative with their budget.
The challenge is this: In the 10 or so meetings I have each month with prospects, ones who only want one service don’t usually realize what else they need to make their one service perform the way they hope. I’ll give you an example.
A few months ago, a non-profit approached me looking to run Google ads. While chatting with them, I brought up landing pages are part of the ads strategy. They had never heard of it but the concept made sense.
So we pulled up their website. They had no strong landing pages, and the site wasn’t optimized for mobile!
These are people that run an incredible program, they have decades of business experience, but their lack of knowledge regarding industry tools set them up for failure!
This organization didn’t just need someone that would agree to run Google ads. They needed someone that would sit down, review all possible aspects of their marketing, and help them create a strategy with the best tools for their goals and budget.
Who Are Marketing Partners Best For?
Aside from people new to digital marketing all together like the example above, marketing partners provide a few key advantages to consider:
As a result, partner-oriented marketing agencies are best for businesses that don’t just need a tool, but want a guide that knows how to integrate all the best tools for your goals and budget.
If you have no in-house marketing coordinator, consider getting a partner-style agency to help. Even if you can only afford 1-2 services, someone with a broader vision can provide a great deal of value even just in your conversations.
If you have someone in-house that coordinates your marketing, consider working with an agency partner if you’re looking for more hands on deck (more cost efficient than another hire) or if you need help integrating the vast array of digital options available.
- You get people who spend all day every day in the digital marketing industry
- You often pay less than you would pay for an employee for the amount of work and expertise you’re getting
- You get people with more strategy experience driving the top line of your business
- You get people who think like entrepreneurs, not punch-in, punch-out employees
As a result, partner-oriented marketing agencies are best for businesses that don’t just need a tool, but want a guide that knows how to integrate all the best tools for your goals and budget.
If you have no in-house marketing coordinator, consider getting a partner-style agency to help. Even if you can only afford 1-2 services, someone with a broader vision can provide a great deal of value even just in your conversations.
If you have someone in-house that coordinates your marketing, consider working with an agency partner if you’re looking for more hands on deck (more cost efficient than another hire) or if you need help integrating the vast array of digital options available.
Who Are Marketing Vendors Best For?
Vendors generally follow a pattern - they start as partner-style agencies. Over time, they find that there are one, two, or maybe three services they REALLY excel in. So they trim the fat and streamline their services
What does this mean for you?
It means that if you have a good grasp on digital marketing, the tools available, and how to integrate them, you should look for a vendor-style agency to take your performance to the next level.
Vendors are best known for excelling in the results for their platforms they work with (assuming they’re worth their weight in green).
What does this mean for you?
It means that if you have a good grasp on digital marketing, the tools available, and how to integrate them, you should look for a vendor-style agency to take your performance to the next level.
Vendors are best known for excelling in the results for their platforms they work with (assuming they’re worth their weight in green).
The Takeaway
What’s the ultimate goal of marketing? Is it more website traffic? Is it a larger social media following? Is it more clicks on your ads?
All of those things are means to an end, not the end. The ultimate goal is growing your top line more than you grow your bottom line.
If you are already doing well with the tools you have in place but want to take your performance to next level, keep vendor-style providers on your radar. Just keep an eye on your top line - more clicks, likes, and shares don’t always mean more money.
If you want more than a plug-and-play service - if you want a trustworthy guide - you should start with partner-style agencies. Any marketing agency needs to prove it’s worth. There are bad partners and bad vendors. There are great partners and great vendors!
But be mindful of the approach the agency takes and how it meets your needs.
All of those things are means to an end, not the end. The ultimate goal is growing your top line more than you grow your bottom line.
If you are already doing well with the tools you have in place but want to take your performance to next level, keep vendor-style providers on your radar. Just keep an eye on your top line - more clicks, likes, and shares don’t always mean more money.
If you want more than a plug-and-play service - if you want a trustworthy guide - you should start with partner-style agencies. Any marketing agency needs to prove it’s worth. There are bad partners and bad vendors. There are great partners and great vendors!
But be mindful of the approach the agency takes and how it meets your needs.