Macy is a marketing writer with over five years of experience creating content for dozens of industries including food and beverage, home services, and education. She also specializes in creating SEO and PPC content. Her work has been featured by Search Engine Journal, HubSpot, Entrepreneur, Clutch, and more. In her free time, Macy enjoys trying new crafts and reading comic books.
Finding the right marketing agency is much like Goldilocks — you may need to try a few out before you find the one that’s just right. If you’re currently wondering whether you should switch marketing agencies, we’ve got answers.
Below, we’ll cover multiple scenarios where it’s time to change marketing companies, including:
When you should switch marketing agencies: Issues with current marketing company
A common reason to switch marketing companies is that your current marketing company is falling short of what you need from your agency.
Expert insights from
Trevin ShireyVice President of Marketing
“Switching marketing companies is a big decision and one that can have a big overall impact on a business. Most companies underestimate the time investment needed to offboard your current partner, find a new firm that you trust, and ramp up your new marketing partner. That said, the gap between a mediocre partner and a partner who is truly the right fit for your business is massive.”
If you’re experiencing any of these scenarios, it’s time to change marketing companies:
1. Your current agency is non-responsive or lacks communication
Should you switch marketing agencies? If they lack communication, then yes.
Having a non-responsive agency creates a frustrating experience. After all, you’re investing your business’s money in their services — you should know how they’re spending that money!
Unfortunately, many marketing agencies are non-responsive or their communication is lackluster, presenting a challenge for your business.
On top of that, they often don’t give you a point of contact, so you’re left wasting your day playing phone tag to try and find someone who knows what’s going on with your marketing investment.
If you’re tired of sitting on hold and waiting to talk to someone about your marketing campaigns, it’s time to swap marketing agencies.
Opt for an agency like WebFX — we provide you with a dedicated account manager that you can contact directly whenever you have questions or need information. You don’t have to spend time waiting to talk to the right person.
So, if you’re feeling frustrated by your agency’s lack of communication, it’s time to switch marketing companies.
2. Your current agency doesn’t update you on the results of your campaigns
In addition to lacking communication, you may find that your marketing agency doesn’t keep you updated on the progress and results of your campaigns. When you invest in digital marketing services, you want to know that it’s working for your company and don’t want to get left in the dark.
If your current agency doesn’t communicate your results or doesn’t help you see how your investment benefits your business, it’s time to change your marketing company.
Look for an agency, like WebFX, that provides monthly, transparent reporting for clients. That way you get the full details of how your campaigns perform, what’s driving results, and where you need to pivot and make improvements.
You should know what’s happening with your marketing campaigns, so if you don’t, it’s time to switch marketing companies.
3. Your current agency uses questionable tactics
If your current marketing agency uses questionable marketing tactics, it’s time to ditch them — fast.
You only want to work with a marketing company that uses tactics that are above board and approved by you. Some questionable tactics include:
If you suspect your marketing agency is using any of these tactics, you need to switch marketing agencies.
4. Your current agency doesn’t offer any marketing tech
If you’re not sure when to switch marketing agencies, think about what your business needs or wants to keep growing in the future. For many businesses, that’s having access to marketing technology (martech).
Martech is a crucial component to the success of your marketing campaigns — these tools help make your marketing more efficient, process data faster, and gain better insights. If your current company doesn’t offer any martech, it may be time to switch to an Internet marketing company that’s taking advantage of these tools.
Better yet, consider switching to a digital marketing company that has their own marketing software.
WebFX, for example, offers MarketingCloudFX for its clients. Since it’s our software, we can make improvements to it to better serve clients, rather than being at the liberty of another software company.
So, if you want to have a competitive edge in your market, make sure you’re partnering with an agency that offers martech to accelerate your campaigns.
5. You’ve outgrown your current agency
When you first hire a digital marketing agency, you may only be looking to dive into one or two marketing strategies. But, as time goes on, you find that you want to expand into new strategies. The only problem is that your current agency doesn’t offer those services.
It’s not uncommon to switch marketing agencies because you’ve outgrown them.
If you want to expand your marketing, it’s better to change marketing companies than to have two marketing companies working on different strategies for your business.
Instead, opt for a full-service marketing agency like WebFX. A full-service marketing agency offers most marketing strategies, from expert services including SEO to PPC to web design. You won’t have to hire multiple agencies to get the services you need.
So if you find you’re wanting to expand your marketing and your current agency can’t do handle it, consider switching marketing companies.
6. Your current agency doesn’t understand your industry
For your marketing to see success, you must partner with a marketing company that understands your industry. The needs in the HVAC industry, for example, are much different than those in heavy equipment. Your agency needs to understand your market, industry, and business to generate the best results with your campaigns.
If you feel your current agency doesn’t seem to understand your industry, it’s time to change marketing companies.
An agency that has experience with multiple industries is more likely to have experience in your industry or be more willing to take the time to learn more about it.
7. Your currenct agency provides cookie-cutter marketing solutions
No two businesses are alike, even if they’re in the same industry. That’s why it’s important to partner with an agency that tailors your marketing to your business and market.
Many agencies will offer cookie-cutter solutions that they use for every client. They often don’t listen to what you want because they have a set formula they follow for doing marketing.
If you find yourself in this boat, it’s time to swap marketing companies.
Instead, opt to partner with an agency that offers custom plans, like WebFX. At WebFX, for example, we take time to understand your business, industry, and market and tailor your marketing campaigns based on that information and your goals.
When you should switch marketing agencies: Performance issues
Many companies switch marketing agencies because they’re unhappy with the results the agency drives. Here are a few performance-based reasons to consider swapping marketing companies:
8. Your current marketing agency promised results they aren’t delivering
A common reason businesses change marketing agencies is that their current agency isn’t delivering the results they promised.
Keep in mind that no marketing forecast is 100% accurate. There are always factors that will influence whether your company sees the results the marketing agency thought it could deliver. The bigger issue is if your agency is overpromising and underdelivering.
For example, if they said they could increase your traffic 70% by the end of the month, and it only increased 10%, they’re overpromising on what they can do for you.
Now, if they said they could increase traffic 15%, and it only increased 10%, that’s more accurate to what they said they could do.
Basically, if your agency is promising results that sound amazing, but not delivering on them, it’s time to switch marketing companies.
Instead, opt for a marketing agency that has a proven record of driving results that align with their projections. At WebFX, we have dozens of case studies to show the results we can drive for clients.
Looking for proof of results is key to switching to the right marketing agency.
9. Your online performance has declined over time
When you hire an Internet marketing agency, the goal is to help improve your marketing performance and drive better results for your business. But if you find your overall online performance has declined over time, it’s time to swap marketing agencies.
Keep in mind that your performance will naturally ebb and flow, and that seasonality can often impact your results. But if you see that over the months your performance keeps declining with no signs of improvement, you’ll want to change marketing companies.
10. You aren’t seeing the return on investment (ROI) you expected
When you work with marketing experts, you want every marketing dollar to be spent wisely to help you maximize your ROI. If your current agency falls short of driving the return you desire, you may need a new marketing agency.
It’s important, though, to have realistic expectations with your ROI. If the average ROI for PPC ads is $2 for every $1 spent, don’t expect to make $10 for every $1 spent.
Still, if your agency constantly falls short of meeting your expected ROI, it’s time to switch to a marketing agency that can help you hit those goals.
When you should switch marketing agencies: Internal changes
If your company is experiencing some internal changes, it may be a good time to change marketing agencies.
Here are some common scenarios that may warrant looking for a new marketing company:
11. Your current marketing contract is expiring
A great time to consider switching marketing agencies is when your contract with your current marketing company is expiring. When contract renewal time comes around, you’re often considering whether your current agency is a good fit still. You might be thinking about some things they did that you didn’t like, which could prompt a search for a new agency.
This is the perfect time to look into other marketing companies and see if someone offers more of what you need.
Maybe you want to add new services or you’re looking for a company that offers access to more martech.
So, if you’re nearing the end of your marketing agency’s contract, don’t be afraid to shop around and see if another agency offers something better for your business.
12. You have/are a new marketing manager at your company
Another common time to change marketing agencies is when there are changes in leadership, like getting a new marketing manager. Every marketing manager is different, which can result in a shake-up with what company’s doing your marketing.
If you’re hiring a new marketing manager, they may have worked with an agency at their previous job that they think would be a better fit for your company. They may have an established relationship with that agency and know the quality of the work, prompting them to switch your company to this new agency.
If you are the new marketing manager, you may find that the old processes with the current agency aren’t good or need to be improved.
You may feel it’s better to start over with a new agency than to try to repair things with the current marketing company.
So, overall, it’s not uncommon to switch marketing companies when leadership changes and your company is looking for a fresh start.
13. You’ve had a change in your marketing budget
Your marketing budget plays a big role in determining the marketing company you can hire. If you’ve had a recent change to your marketing budget, it might prompt you to look for a new agency.
Your budget decreases
When companies make budget cuts, the marketing budget is often at the top of the list of things to slash. If your marketing budget gets cut, you may not be able to afford to stay with your current agency.
That, or you may feel like your current company isn’t a good fit for your new budget.
If you weren’t entirely happy with the results they currently drive, you may feel like it won’t get any better with a reduced budget.
As a result, your smaller budget may prompt you to switch to a marketing agency that can maximize every dollar from your budget.
Your budget increases
If your leadership decides to increase your marketing budget, it may prompt you to switch agencies to partner with a better firm. Many businesses focus strongly on finding an agency that works with their budget that they often sacrifice some of the quality. An increased budget means an opportunity to seek out a better agency.
For example, let’s say your current marketing agency doesn’t offer any software for tracking marketing campaigns.
With your new budget increase, you may opt to switch to an agency like WebFX that has a client-exclusive marketing platform for tracking marketing campaigns.
An increase in budget means you can spend your marketing dollars on services and software valuable to your success, which could mean switching marketing agencies to get what you need.
How to leave your current marketing agency
If you decide you’re ready to switch marketing agencies, here are a few quick tips to help make the transition seamless:
Check your contract: Before terminating your current contract, make sure you review it to see if you have to give notice within a certain period or if you’re contractually obligated to stay for a certain amount of time.
Communicate your decision clearly: Don’t beat around the bush when telling your current agency you’re switching marketing companies. Be honest about why you’re leaving to provide them with the opportunity to grow and improve.
Prepare for last-ditch-pitches: Some agencies will try to pitch you to stay and make last-minute offers to prevent you from leaving. You can hear them out, but be cautious — always make the choice that’s best for your company, and its growth.
Make sure you have control over all your accounts: Whatever you gave your marketing company access to, make sure you have control over all those accounts. You can change passwords if you want to ensure they can’t log into your accounts anymore.
Transfer projects: Make sure you transfer any active projects to your new marketing agency. Keep in mind that some projects may need to be paused for a few weeks while you get your new agency up to speed.
Looking to switch Internet marketing companies?
If you’re ready to swap Internet marketing companies, look no further than WebFX.
Want a custom plan? You’ll get one from us.
Want to be in the loop about your marketing performance? You’ll get custom reports from our team.
Want to always know who to contact about your campaigns? You’ll get a dedicated account manager you can always contact.
Want to drive more leads and revenue? We’ve already driven 24 million leads and $10 billion in revenue for our clients.
Want to make the switch?Contact us online or call us today at 888-601-5359 to speak with a strategist about our digital marketing services!
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Craft a tailored online marketing strategy! Utilize our free Internet marketing calculator for a custom plan based on your location, reach, timeframe, and budget.
Craft a tailored online marketing strategy! Utilize our free Internet marketing calculator for a custom plan based on your location, reach, timeframe, and budget.
Macy is a marketing writer with over five years of experience creating content for dozens of industries including food and beverage, home services, and education. She also specializes in creating SEO and PPC content. Her work has been featured by Search Engine Journal, HubSpot, Entrepreneur, Clutch, and more. In her free time, Macy enjoys trying new crafts and reading comic books.
