Outsourcing parts of your business has many benefits. It can allow you to work more efficiently and focus on your priorities without having to juggle too much at a time. It can also be cost-effective as you do not need to spend money training someone or continue to pay after the desired job is done. However, outsourcing can be risky. How do you know whether or not the company is trustworthy and who they say they are?
Unfortunately, no matter what industry you are in, it is likely you may have the misfortune of coming across scammers. They try to get away with doing as little as possible for as much budget as they can convince you into paying, with zero guilt for their selfish actions.
Scammers are smart. They know how to identify ignorant potential “clients” and pounce on businesses that seem vulnerable and in need of extra help. Here is our list of what to look out for when deciding whether to trust a company:
1 – Does it seem too good to be true?
Over 70% of people turn to Google to find their desired products. Therefore, every business wants to make it to the first search engine ranking page (SERP). Most marketing agencies promise you the sky, but it’s critical to understand that there is no shortcut to achieving results in the world of digital marketing. SEO takes time, and it is an ongoing process. You have to have the patience for it. Partner with digital marketing agencies that rely on white-hat strategies. Such practices avoid penalties and help you stay in Google’s good books.
2 – They are not transparent
The company should be comfortable enough, to be honest with you about what may work and what may not work. They shouldn’t say yes to everything. They should also be honest about what their strengths are. That way, you will be able to know whether this company aligns with your business goals. Additionally, they should also be open to discussing their strengths and weaknesses. If they are just showing you the ‘good’, do not trust them. Every legitimate marketing expert is aware that the honest fact is: that sometimes even the best strategies don’t work right away. And sometimes, they don’t work for a variety of reasons. Their job is to help you improve, but there’s no 100% promise they can land you the marketing of your dreams at #1 or #3 on a search results page!
3 – How much is their asking price?
Many internet marketing scammers put you in a position of guilt where you need to invest a ton of money with the promise of a higher return. If they try to persuade you into one of the highest campaigns they offer when you’re a small business starting, beware. You, as the business owner, have full rights to question and be part of the marketing navigation process. Anyone who sways you away from your marketing budget plan is already not interested in your needs, but their own. The goal is to HELP YOU, remember? Not to convince you to spend thousands of pounds you don’t need to.
4 – Long-Term Contracts
Not all, but many marketing agencies seem to offer outstanding services. However, when it’s time to sign up, they seek to lock you into 12-month contracts. The maximum time required to evaluate whether a firm is generating relevant leads for your business or not is 1-2 months. If you discover that there is no progression, switch to result-driven marketing firms. Streamlined PPC or even SEO takes no more than 2 months to start showing results. You can simply dodge this scam by avoiding such firms. Instead, choose those agencies that charge on a per-month basis. Such firms are likely to deliver what they promised initially.
5 – They seem untrustworthy
If you have never worked with or even heard of the company before and just found them on Google, give them the benefit of the doubt and schedule a call or meet up with them. It is easy to fake followers online, so schedule a meet-up and see the depth of their marketing knowledge. A reputable and reliable digital marketing agency will offer you various social media marketing strategies. Probably, these strategies will help you gain real and the right followers, which will turn into leads. Fundamentally, reliable agencies will target customers’ needs in your respective industry. Moreover, they will explain everything regarding their marketing strategy that will be implemented on your account.
The bottom line is, to make sure to do your research. Fully investigate the firm and what it offers. Take into consideration the bullet points above – by addressing these warnings, we hope to have educated you on what to look out for when deciding which company to trust.
