How to Vet Your Email Marketing Agency

I’ve been through my fair share of marketing agency life…

Trust me - if you follow these steps, you’ll be in good shape. Don’t even worry if you’re new to email or don’t know where to begin with this stuff.

Finding the right email marketing agency is a big win. It can be the difference between email being your leading channel of profits, and having to migrate to another ESP because your domain reputation is destroyed.

Just keeping it real, y’all.

Here's a comprehensive guide on how to vet your email marketing agency for success:

1. Define Your Goals:

Before diving into the vetting process, it's essential to have a clear understanding of your marketing objectives. Get to know where your data is at now, and where you’d like it to be.

Define clear goals (ex: increase open rates, improve click-through rates, expand your subscriber base…and by how much.)

This clarity will guide you in selecting an agency that aligns with your specific needs, and how to measure the success of the partnership throughout. 

Spending 30 minutes to decide benchmarks to focus on beforehand will make your job a lot easier when you receive that monthly report.

2. How to Check Their Industry Expertise:

Evaluate the agency's experience in your industry. An email marketing agency with a track record in your niche is more likely to understand your target audience and craft campaigns that resonate with them. Ask for case studies or references from clients in a similar industry to gauge their expertise.

3. What to Look for in Their Portfolio:

Examine the agency's portfolio and assess the quality of their previous work. Look for creativity, attention to detail, and a consistent brand voice across different campaigns. 

Pay attention to the types of businesses they have worked with and the results they've achieved. Test designs on dark mode, mobile, and ask if they have experience maximizing all the features of the platform you’re using.

4. Get a Customized Campaign Strategy:

Discuss the agency's approach to email campaign strategy. A reputable agency will tailor their strategies to meet your specific goals and target audience. Inquire about segmentation, personalization, and automation techniques they employ to ensure your campaigns are both effective and efficient.

Pro tip: Ask your agency if they have ever worked with migrating accounts or warming lists (even if this doesn’t apply to your situation, it demonstrates depth of knowledge with domain reputation, segmentation, and deliverability).

5. Compliance and Data Security:

Email marketing involves handling sensitive customer data, so it's crucial to ensure that the agency adheres to data protection regulations. Confirm that they comply with GDPR, CAN-SPAM Act, or any other relevant laws. Additionally, inquire about their data security measures to safeguard your customer information.

6. Set Reporting and Analytics Expectations:

Effective email marketing requires continuous optimization based on data analysis. Ensure the agency provides detailed reports and analytics on the performance of your campaigns. This transparency will help you track the success of your email marketing efforts and make informed decisions for future strategies.

7. Communication and Collaboration:

Open and clear communication is key to a successful partnership. Evaluate the agency's communication style, response times, and willingness to collaborate. A good agency should act as an extension of your team, working closely with you to achieve your marketing objectives.

The more you know about email marketing, the more excited you’ll be about positive results and better of an agency you’ll be able to choose.

8. Budget Alignment:

Discuss your budget and ensure it aligns with the services offered by the agency. A transparent conversation about costs and expectations will help avoid any surprises down the road. Look for an agency that provides value for your investment rather than simply the lowest cost option.

Remember to consider the cost of the platform you’re using, plus credits for SMS. Keep this handy and ask your agency to add this into the calculation when they provide monthly ROI for your email channel.

In Conclusion…

Email can be a very high revenue-generating channel when used correctly, and there’s a lot of factors that go into maintaining the health, and strategizing success of it.

AND, there’s a lot of people that will get a contract going, and start aimlessly pumping out content with Chat GPT.

My goal with this blog was to help you protect yourself from that.

The right partner will elevate your email campaigns, boost engagement, and drive conversions. With so many options available, it's crucial to vet potential agencies thoroughly to make sure you're making a good choice for your brand.