In a previous post, we explained why web design firms are failing. Unfortunately, they are not alone. In recent years, marketing firms (whether web design is one of their offerings or not) have been “failing” in many ways and in record numbers.
And while I (not surprisingly) feel that 30dps does a fantastic job for our clients (and they seem to agree), it’s only fair that I stand together with other marketing firms (hence “we” and “our” in this post) as we face some ugly truths about our industry.
Failing to Adopt New Technology
The first of those truths is that marketing firms are failing customers by not investigating, adopting, and mastering new technology fast enough. Marketing automation software is a frequent topic in our blog, and for good reason. When used properly, and to its fullest capabilities, it is an absolute game-changer both in terms of staff productivity and marketing results.
Shockingly, there are still marketing firms out there that are OK with their clients managing everything from marketing content to email campaigns to their prospect database primarily, or exclusively, manually. Still others seem to think that email marketing is the full extent of marketing automation.
Failing to Adopt New Techniques
Many agencies are doing things roughly the same way they did 20 or 30 years ago. Oh sure, maybe they've thrown in a little social media from their PR staff and even a brochure-website or two, but that's just doing the same old thing in a new way. Changing times require the adoption of new techniques that better serve clients whose customers' expectations have dramatically changed.
Be wary if an agency starts talking about doing focus groups to test your new website design, or suggests a lot of TV, radio, or print advertising before even discussing your buyer personas and where those personas get their information.
Failing to Adapt to New Motivations
Another place where we are failing our clients is in our static assumptions about human behavior—buyer behavior to be specific. What prompted John or Mary to make a purchase a decade ago is not necessarily the same thing causing Ryan or Chelsea to open their wallet today.
Psychologists and sociologists release new studies on buyer preferences and human motivation on a regular basis. And on a regular basis, marketing firms choose to stick with “what works” as defined by our past successes rather than taking the time and effort to reassess what we’re doing for our clients.
As just one example, ten years ago, physical items held a great deal of power as status symbols. “Dude, that watch is awesome!” Today, it’s more about the experience that a thing can deliver than the thing itself. “Nice iPod. Do you have killer playlists on there that can get this party going?” If your marketing strategy hasn’t moved in time with that cultural shift, you are likely losing ground to competitors whose strategy has.
Yes, There is Reason for Hope
While the first part of this post paints a rather gloomy picture, there is a silver lining.
- Renewal. The thinning of the marketing “herd” as many agencies close their doors means those remaining are strong and getting stronger.
- Accountability. Our new “age of transparency”, as powered by social media, means that firms who are trying to position outdated thinking as cutting-edge strategy will be quickly called out.
- Portability. The digitization of every aspect of your brand means it is highly portable, and easily moved to a new agency if your old one doesn’t show an interest in keeping up with the changing times.
So, even as many marketing firms are failing, you can still find those well-qualified to help you succeed. Just perform your due diligence and choose wisely.
