Choosing an agency that’s right for you

How do I find an agency that’s right for my business?

It’s a question the team here at DenGro gets asked all the time – “can you recommend a good marketing agency to work with?” and “how do I choose the right website design team for my practice”. And it’s a tough one to answer because each practice, each team, and each business has its own needs and requirements.

To try and make it easier, we went straight to the source and asked all our agency and marketing friends what they think are the key things to look for when making that important decision of who suits your business best.

1. Choose an agency who will be your partner, a member of your team.

This was overwhelmingly the most common response that we received from all our affiliates – find an agency who you get on with, who understands your team and fits in with your values and ethos.

“Make sure you work with someone who you can develop a strong and trusting relationship with.” – Hillyard Macdonald

“Reading articles from the agency gives you an idea of how the agency thinks and works…This gives you an insight into how forward thinking the agency is and if they are right for you.” Digimax

2. Get an agency who is constantly moving, shaking, and innovating.

We see it every day, technology is constantly advancing and marketing is no different! Consumer choices, preferences, and requirements are always on the move and your business, website, and marketing needs to be able to keep up with those changes – and stay ahead of the game.

“The world has changed! It’s faster, it’s more mobile and more social. If you don’t change with the world, then you will not be found in the world” – Dental Focus

“You don’t want to be left in the dark ages, with a Naughties’ approach to business!” – Dominate Dental

3. The agency should understand the dental industry inside out.

There are thousands of agencies out there who can build you a website, improve your SEO, and market your business, but there’s real value in having an agency who understands the world of dentistry and the challenges in attracting different patients for different treatments.

“As the saying goes, ‘jack of all trades and master of none’…Understanding [the dental industry] is key to a long-term, healthy working relationship that is built on trust.” Ignite Growth

“Establish a track record of other successful work and projects…do your due diligence” Rose & Co

4. Find an agency that looks at the whole journey.

A key piece of feedback we received from our affiliates is the importance of understanding that an agency shouldn’t just be there to generate leads – what’s the point in generating leads if they can’t help you analyse and understand what to do with those leads to get them through to starting treatment. So, make sure you work with the agency to figure out what you need to do in practice, to make that marketing effort and spend worthwhile.

“Your practice is much more than just the treatments you provide…the 7P’s ensure that you don’t miss anything out on addressing Profile, People, Premises, Prices, Promises, Proof and Products.” – Dental Focus

“The reality is that when a practice first starts any form of outbound marketing the campaigns often fail because there is no solid ‘process’ in place to convert those leads into bookings, and booking to treatment” Ignite Growth

5. Find an agency that’s flexible and dynamic.

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut – you find one way that works alright and it’s easy to get complacent and stick with it. So having a marketing partner who’s dynamic, flexible and always looking a new way of doing things can make a world of difference when it comes to revenue and practice growth.

“Marketing is not a ‘one size fits all solution’ – it needs to be tailored to each practice’s objectives” Ignite Growth

“Your business is dynamic and responsive to patient needs and should the support service you use to help you develop your business” Hillyard MacDonald

6. Beware monthly costs.

Modern websites can generally be easily self-maintained with editing and updates simply made by members of your team. So consider whether that monthly ‘management’ or ‘maintenance’ fee is actually necessary.

“When you have paid a healthy sum for a website upfront, do you really need to be paying monthly for a ‘management’ fee?…Monthly fees add up to thousands of pounds over the years.” Digimax

“Talk through their plan of action for your guaranteed return on investment” Dominate Dental

“Be wary of onerous contracts that seem to tie you in and read any small print, it will otherwise bite you back” Rose & Co.

Bonus– Check the ownership.

It seems like a simple concept – you pay for a website to be created for your business, therefore you own that site. But not always! If an agency uses a website builder such as SquareSpace or Wix, you never really own the site and moving to another provider can prove difficult.

“What some agencies won’t tell you is that you don’t really own your website.” Digimax

Whichever partner you decide to work with, make sure you give the decision the time and consideration it demands – do you due diligence and make sure you’re happy with who you decide to go with.

You can find their contact details on their listing on our Affiliates page, or contact DenGro Practice Support and we’d be happy to introduce you.