You have a unique product/service that you want to sell online. You know enough about marketing to know that you’ll need an expert to help you find the right audience, engage them, and eventually convert them into paying customers. What do you do now?

You could hire a marketing agency to take care of all the details for you. But that’s costly and, even then, you’ll have little to no control over the process. Or, you could hire an online marketing expert to help you craft the most effective strategies and offer expert guidance throughout the entire process. An expert like this will truly take the burden off your shoulders and allow you to focus on what’s most important — your business and customers.

Top Tips For Finding A Good Online Market

If you’re looking for an online marketing expert, here are a few tips for finding the best possible match:

• Set A Budget
• Hire A Reasonable Hourly Rate
• Look For Industry Experts
• Conduct A Little Research

Budget. Price. Availability. These are all important factors to consider when hiring an online marketing expert. You don’t want to pay too much and end up with a low-quality team. On the other hand, you don’t want to hire someone who asks for too little either. You want to find the sweet spot where you can enjoy the benefits of having an expert without breaking the bank.

Finding An Industry Expert

An expert in online marketing will have a background within the industry. They’ll have worked in digital marketing or sales for a Fortune 500 company, been recognized for their expertise by major publications, or received training through a reputable institution. They’ll also likely have experience working with various platforms, such as marketing automation software (like HubSpot), analytics tools, and more.

Deciding The Type Of Expert You Need

So, you’ve found an expert you like the sound of. But now, you have to make sure they’re the right fit for your needs. There are three main types of online marketing experts:

• Digital Marketing Strategists: These guys design marketing strategies and then get to work, implementing them. They may help you choose the right platform for your needs or offer advice on how to use your current platform more effectively.
• Online Marketers: These guys are responsible for generating website traffic through various channels (including SEO, content marketing, and social media). They measure the performance of each channel and then optimize it as much as possible.
• Sales Experts: These guys close the sales after you’ve driven traffic to your website. They’re responsible for converting that traffic into paying customers.

Each type of expert has specific areas of strength. But, no matter what specialty you have, you’ll need someone who is extremely knowledgeable in at least a few areas. For example, if you’re looking for a content strategist, they’ll need to be proficient in SEO, content creation, and marketing automation software, in addition to being a generalist.

Why Hiring An Expert Is A Good Idea

Let’s be honest, no one needs to explain why hiring an expert is a good idea. We all know the advantages of having an expert take care of our marketing. Here are just a few:

• Familiarity With The Latest Trends
• Skilled At Interpersonal Communication
• Knowledge Of Multiple Platforms
• Expertise In The Field
• An In-House Way Of Thinking

Familiarity With The Latest Trends: Unless you’re a marketing rock star, eventually, your strategies will become outdated. An expert can keep up with the latest trends and technologies to provide you with the best strategies for your business. This is particularly beneficial if you’re using an emerging platform like Chatbots or if you’re looking to grow your business into another country (international Marketing).

Skilled At Interpersonal Communication: Experts in online marketing know how to connect with their audience and engage them in productive conversations. They’re comfortable speaking publicly or one-on-one with key stakeholders, which makes them great at pitching ideas and interacting with customer support teams. They’re also skilled at using various digital tools, including social media, to communicate with their audience.

Knowledge Of Multiple Platforms: Experienced online marketers know how to work with various platforms, such as marketing automation software, content management systems, email marketing platforms, and more. This experience allows them to choose the right tool for the job and then effectively integrate and automate key processes across all platforms.

Expertise In The Field: No one should be an expert in every area of marketing. However, in most industries, there are a few specialties that are highly sought after. An expert in online marketing will have a deep understanding of online marketing, communications, and digital strategy. When you need to hire someone to take care of your marketing, you’re usually pretty certain of what you need, but sometimes, these specialties aren’t offered locally. In that case, it’s time to search for an expert somewhere else.

An In-House Way Of Thinking: Even if you have someone on your staff who is experienced and capable of taking care of your marketing, it’s still beneficial to have an expert review strategies and processes from time to time. An in-house expert will be familiar with your business, marketing goals, and resources. This familiarity ensures your strategies are more effective and efficient.

How To Find An Expert In Your Area

Now, you might be wondering how to find an expert in your area. While it would be wonderful if every single person you needed were located right next to you, this isn’t always the case. In fact, it’s quite common for businesses, especially ones in the middle of growing, to outsource some of their marketing responsibilities to experts located in other areas.

The key is to be strategic about where you look. You don’t want to simply head to the first local firm that happens to have an expert in your area. Instead, you want to find the best possible match based on your needs. This will typically mean researching smaller firms that are closest to you and then going with the one that seems to have the best price and quality. Or, if you’re looking for a highly specialized skill, like SEO, you might have to go online, search for the top agencies in your area, and then contact them, one at a time, to see which one will offer you the best price.

The Difference In Quality

Even though you might have found the best price, it doesn’t mean the agency you’re considering will offer the best quality. You need to make sure that the agency you choose has a proven track record and can deliver the results you’re looking for. Ask for references and read reviews from past clients to see how others weigh in on their services. Then, you can make a more informed decision about whether or not this is the right agency for your needs.

The Final Step

So, you’ve found the perfect agency. Or, at least, the best price. Now, it’s time to breathe a sigh of relief and get back to work. But, before you do, there’s one last thing you need to do.

Meet With The Expert Once Brand Awareness Is Established

You might be tempted to simply dive right into the strategy work. But, this is the wrong approach. Even though you’ve found an agency that you think is perfect, it’s still important to take some time to get to know the marketing expert, who will be working with you.

Meet With The Expert Once Brand Awareness Is Established: An expert in online marketing will have a deep understanding of your business, challenges, and goals. But, you don’t know them, yet. Before you meet with the expert, it’s important to get to know each other, a little bit, first. This can be done through email or over the phone. Once you’ve gotten to know each other, then, it’s time to have a face-to-face conversation. This is actually where you’ll be able to see how the expert interacts with clients and determine if this is someone you want to work with. Have a short, one-on-one conversation with the person and then have a longer, more in-depth discussion with either one of your managers or a colleague who is also interested in the project. During this conversation, ask as many questions as necessary to get a clear picture of what the expert can offer.