We’ve all been there. We see someone perform an amazing magic trick, and it boggles our minds. We’re caught up in the wonder of it all, and even though our analytical brains know that there must be a mundane explanation (how many of us actually believe that the guy in the top hat and cape can really command mystical forces to make playing cards appear?), we’re still filled with awe at the experience. Surely, the magician must be demonstrating skills that take a lifetime to master; for all intents and purposes, they’re doing something that is completely beyond us.

And then we find out how it’s done.

Total disillusionment. The mystery is gone. The awe turns to disdain. The wonder evaporates in a puff of theatrical smoke. Oh, it’s just a trick, we think dismissively. I could do that.

So, is that how we feel about digital marketing?

Marketing magic?

Most businesses know that they need to invest in digital marketing, but not all businesses know where to start.

Many businesses look at marketing agencies in the same way that an audience member looks at a magician — wide eyed and ready to be impressed. But after working with the agency for a while and learning the processes for themselves, they begin to wonder just how much of marketing is magic, and how much is mundane. Do they exclaim “I could do that” and send their agency packing, or do they recognize that even when you know the ‘tricks,’ there’s a certain amount of talent and experience involved in making them work?

Agency vs. In House

There are a number of clear advantages to building an internal marketing team. At least at early stages, your team will likely understand your product, service, and company values better than an outside agency, and will be able to focus exclusively on marketing for your organization.

However, much like the magician’s trick, just knowing the process isn’t nearly as important as understanding how to effectively execute it. After all, if reading a book about card tricks was all it took to turn someone into David Copperfield, then he probably wouldn’t be bringing in over $60 million annually. To do what he does, and to do it effectively, takes experience, innovation, and inspiration.

And interestingly enough, that’s also what you get with a superior digital marketing agency.

Agency Advantages

When you hire an effective digital marketing agency, you get more than just a how-to guide; you get a team of dedicated professionals who understand exactly what it takes to connect you with your clients. More specifically, you get the following:

  1. Experience, experience, and more experience
    Building a marketing department means finding and hiring a team of intelligent, qualified talent. But while individuals may bring with them some good marketing experience, it’s the team as a whole that will be driving your initiatives. That means that no matter who you start with, you’re going to be dealing with the dangers of inexperience. Alternatively, by hiring a reliable agency, you’ll have access to an experienced team that already understands the market and how to operate efficiently and effectively together. They’ll be able to hit the ground running, leading to quicker results, and more impressive results.

    And, because agencies work with clients across multiple industries, they tend to get exposed to issues that your newly minted marketing department may not know how to deal with. When the right response at the right time can make all the difference, experience is worth its weight in gold.

    97th Floor has the experience to back up the magic. From health and wellness juggernaut Dr. Axe, to B2B SaaS leaders such as Symantec, to the Utah Jazz themselves, 97th Floor has worked with the biggest names across a variety of industries, and helped them cement their places at the top.

  2. Innovative innovation that innovates

    An in-house marketing department has the responsibility to handle your organization’s marketing needs, but how innovative are they? Part of having a wealth of experience is knowing how and when to think outside the box.

    In order for marketing agencies to remain competitive, they need to always be pushing the envelope. Keeping up with new trends, learning and developing new tools, and constantly brainstorming new ideas is written right into the job description. So, when you come to your agency with a set of goals, they’re ready to put real innovation to work achieving them. In-house agencies may have a few textbook solutions on hand to solve problems, but the best agencies are busy writing their own chapters.

    When the problem is unique, then so is the solution, which is why 97th Floor focuses so intently on results. The entire 97th Floor culture is built around results, and that means that no matter what else might be happening, the job isn’t done until the goals are met. And when results are the top priority, effective innovation is the natural result.

  3. The right skills for the right (or any) job
    How large are you planning on making your new marketing department? Because unless you plan on bringing in a dozen or so people, there’s a good chance that you’re going to have to pick and choose the skills you think are most valuable. Unfortunately, there’s a lot that goes into effective marketing. Sure, your team knows how to manage projects, but how are they at creating content? You may have a graphic designer on your payroll, but do any of your people know web development?

    When you hire an agency, managing skill sets is no longer your problem. The agency will make sure that they have the right people to handle the right tasks — even when those tasks fall well outside the norm. 97th Floor takes things even further, with a unique team structures that incorporate organic marketers, paid-marketing specialists, writers, and designers, all under the direction of experienced campaign managers. So, unlike other options where account managers have to juggle specialists and request work from separate departments, every team at 97th Floor has the necessary talent built right in.

  4. Better flexibility for your budget
    When you bring a team of marketers onto your payroll, you’ve just adopted an ongoing expense that is going to remain relatively constant whether or not your business is growing. That means that when times become lean, you end up facing the possibility of layoffs. That hurts employee moral company wide (not just for those who get let go), and once things get better, you’re faced with having to rebuild from scratch. It sucks, and it’s not a great way to handle marketing.

    When you’re working with an agency, on the other hand, scaling your spend to meet your budget is simple. Every new contract is a chance to reevaluate how much you’re willing to spend and how much value you’re hoping to get. So, when you have a need for bigger marketing push (and the budget to cover it), you work with the agency to contract more services. When your need or your budget is running low, you scale it back. Easy peasy, right? In fact, major companies tend to prefer working with marketing agencies, because they usually cost less than bringing in new hires.

    With 97th Floor, flexibility is the name of the game. Need results yesterday? The 97th Floor on-boarding process is quick and efficient, and with every team fully built out to handle any project (instead of having to hire out specialists on a project-by-project basis), you can be sure the real work starts from day one, so you’re always getting the most bang for your buck.

  5. Access to reviews
    Build your marketing department and set them loose, and it’s anyone’s guess how effective they’ll be. Yeah, you may have hired some fairly impressive individuals, but your department as a single entity is an infant, and that means that when it comes to actually promoting your brand, you have no idea how well it’s going to perform. If only there were reviews and testimonials that could give you some insight into how effective your department will be before you commit to them…

    You probably see where we’re going with this. When selecting an agency, it’s not hard to figure out which ones have a reputation for capability. Just do some research, read some honest reviews, and if you’re inclined, talk to other businesses that have made use of their services. You’ll be able to quickly develop a picture of which agencies are most likely to help you achieve your goals. The same just can’t be said for your in-house marketing team.

    So, what do clients have to say about their experience working with 97th Floor? Take a look at 97th Floor’s Google Business reviews and see for yourself.

Trust the professionals

When it comes to effectively promoting your brand, you need more than just a few tricks up your sleeve; you need a team that fully understands the ins and outs of marketing across every industry, and is constantly expanding the boundaries of what that entails. Marketing isn’t a single card trick; it’s an ever evolving discipline that takes time and experience to master.

Don’t put your brand in the hands of the inexperienced. Check out 97th Floor today, and see what kind of magic the right digital marketing agency can make for you.