What Does A Marketing Company Do All Day?
I’m not really sure how other agencies approach their work. There are so many different ways in which you can provide marketing services these days. Some companies specialize in providing one distinct service. Others offer a suite of entirely off-the-shelf products designed for quick implementation. Some focus solely on creative strategies.
So, what does a marketing company do? As is often the case: It depends.
Formada doesn’t really fit neatly into any of these categories. At times, I’ve struggled with articulating precisely what we are, just like any business owner would.
We’re not just building websites, or developing content strategies, or running paid media campaigns — these are all vehicles through which we’re showcasing our value, but they’re not what we do. Not exactly.
If I was forced to boil it down into a single idea — and I suppose I’m forcing myself to do that right now — I would say that what we’re doing all day is this: Building trust.
I hope that doesn’t sound grandiose or self-serious. That’s not at all my intent. The simple fact is, our clients are putting a great deal of trust in us to take their hard-earned dollars and multiply them when they invest in our services.
Every strategic choice we make, every report we produce, and every way in which we communicate is an opportunity to build on that trust.
These are the sorts of things that keep me up at night. Are we making good on our promises? Are we growing the perception of us as an agency so that more businesses hear of us, consider us, and decide to put their trust in us, too?
What Makes Formada A Unique Digital Marketing Agency?
Our team has a lot of discussions about our brand, not because we’re in the midst of any sort of identity crisis, but because it helps keep things in order. It still surprises me how often business leaders aren’t having these conversations with one another, and how easily the focus of the business starts to drift in opposite directions.
It’s funny, because when it comes to clearly defining who we are, it often seems easier to identify what we don’t want to be, first.
We’re decidedly not:
- An SEO agency
- A provider of off-the-shelf marketing services
- A one size fits all agency
- Willing to beg for business
- A provider of quick, cheap solutions
- A high-churn environment (our clients and our team members)
- A sales organization
SEO best practices lie at the heart of just about everything we offer. There are plenty of respectable agencies that offer off-the-shelf services. And there’s nothing inherently wrong with a sales organization. That’s just not who we are.
We’re less focused on “What does a marketing company do?” and more focused on “What should we do?”
Like I said earlier, we’re focused on building trust with our clients. Relationships — clear communication, mutual accountability-style relationships — are critical to the way in which we operate.
What we’ve learned in our careers is that really great, really effective marketing is deeper than using a particular tactic or overinvesting in the newest, trendiest basket. Those plays can work, but I think you can attribute them more to timing and luck than you can strategy.
Over the last 6.5 years, I’ve watched our team show up, step up, and develop an incredibly sophisticated approach to marketing. It’s not just a feeling that I have. It’s based on the incredible revenue growth that they’ve generated for our clients’ businesses and our own.
I think that validates our approach. And I believe that accurately reflects our value.
Why Trust In Your Marketing Agency Is Important
I’ll say it as plainly as I can: I want to grow your business. I want our team to meet yours. We want to learn everything we can about you. We want to take that information and develop a strategy that could only exist for your business.
Not everyone wants this sort of relationship out of their agency. That’s fine. That probably means we’re not the right fit for each other. No hard feelings.
Yes, we “do marketing,” but there are things that you discover when you’re creating a strategy or running a campaign that go beyond marketing.
We’re in the business of navigating clients through tough problems that might relate to operational processes that wouldn’t have otherwise been discovered were it not for the work we’re doing together.
I believe that Formada delivers effective marketing because we’re looking at the entire business, not just through the lens of our services.
In fact, I often bristle at the idea of us “offering services,” because rarely do we ever just plug a service into a client’s business. There’s always a larger strategy at play.
This means that, over time, once we’ve earned the trust of the business, we become relied upon for guidance on decisions that will impact the growth of those we support.
I want our team to feel like an extension of your business. We’re not a vendor. We’re partners.
Your Goals. Our Expertise. Let’s Grow.
What does a marketing company do? Who really knows. Every business wants to tell you why they’re different. We want to show you.
But I know that’s easier said than done. We’re a people-first digital marketing agency that’s committed to delivering:
- A deep understanding of your business
- Custom strategies, campaigns, and products that support your goals
- Thoughtful, actionable reporting
- A high return on your investment