How to choose the right B2B tech marketing agency

Choosing the right B2B tech marketing agency can make or break your marketing efforts. You need a partner who understands the nuances of B2B technology marketing and can deliver results. Maybe you just need to look at it a different way.

Remember your childhood lemonade stand? That hand-drawn “Lemonade 50¢” sign (in crayon, of course) might have been adorable back then, but that approach doesn't work in B2B tech marketing.

When you’ve cornered the lemonade market in your neighborhood, you don't need to stand out. But when your innovative technology solution is hard to differentiate, you need expertise, precision, and a partner who can help you stand out in a crowded marketplace. 

What to look for in a B2B tech marketing agency

While nothing is guaranteed in the science of B2B tech marketing, you still face a lot of pressure to get everything right, from the message and imagery to the placement. This is why it’s essential to work with an agency with the right experience.

Seek the right skills

Before you even start comparing creative B2B tech marketing agencies, make sure you’re fishing in the right pond. Give priority to agencies who know your industry. While some marketing principles are universal, specialization is a big benefit.

When you sell mainly to businesses (partners and distributors), that requires a considerably different skill set than selling directly to consumers. You want a creative partner who understands and has years of experience navigating the multiple stakeholders and long sales cycles of B2B tech. 

Adaptability is crucial

B2B tech marketing moves quickly. Your agency should understand that sometimes things change on a dime. They need to be adaptable. The day will come when you'll need things done yesterday, be it a last-minute video promo for social media or a reminder email before a big event. And the agency needs to keep up.

Ask your colleagues for recommendations. Or look for your company's logo on the agency website. If they've worked with your company before, the agency will already know your corporate voice, tone, messaging, and branding well enough to turn out high-quality assets without a lot of hand-holding. 

Ideally, quality takes time—and that’s all well and good—but when you need something done now, you want a partner in your corner who can dive right in and bend over backwards to help you get stuff done.

Organization and clarity matter

Even creative environments need to have all their ducks in a row, with well-defined processes. But how can you know? Here's what you can expect from a well-organized B2B tech marketing agency.

• A dedicated account manager should be assigned to your projects so you have a single point of contact and never have to wonder who to email or call with needs and questions.
• Each project's kickoff meeting should include your primary contact as well as the creatives who will build the asset. For example, with an infographic, you’ll want the copywriter and the graphic designer there to ask questions so they strike the right balance between “info” and “graphic.” A video project would include the script writer and motion designer to nail down the message and determine the style.
• The account manager should be able to explain their entire process going forward. If they’re unable to do that in a timely way—or if you can't be sure of firmly scheduled deliverables—the company's processes may need work. This could ultimately affect their ability to meet your deadlines.

Quality assurance is non-negotiable

High-quality B2B tech marketing agencies have robust quality control processes. In a creative agency, quality control includes thorough proofreading and adherence to client style and brand guidelines.

Graphics are reviewed internally for size, resolution, and proper licensing. Videographers make sure all client input has been incorporated into final videos. Don't hesitate to ask about QA procedures.

How to evaluate a prospective B2B tech marketing agency

Spotting the right creative partner to work with can be complicated from the outside, but there are a few indicators to look for.

• Whether planning a single asset or a full campaign, the agency should have a barrage of questions for you, especially the first few times you work together. They’ll need to get into your branding, style sheets, customers, and competitors, and that’s before getting into project details.
• Good creative shops will have expertise across various disciplines, from customer service through creative facets, such as graphics, video, copy, web, social media, and so on. Look for them to give you the benefit of their expertise and suggest the best ways (for example, tools and technology) to accomplish your creative goals in the most efficient way.
• Look for an agency with relevant industry experience. For instance, you definitely want a firm that knows the jargon. A lack of familiarity with B2B tech terminology could be an indicator that they're not the best agency for your company.

Where's the proof?

Look for a B2B tech marketing case study or two that show how the agency has produced results along with how they did it and what happened. Referrals from colleagues are even better than case studies because you can discover the human side of the relationship along with business results.

Choose the right B2B tech marketing agency for you

It’s important to find the agency that meshes well with your company's working pace and expectations. Choosing the right one is about finding a partner that can operate as a seamless extension of your team. They should deliver ready-to-use marketing assets that drive results in the marketplace.

If you’re not getting that level of service from your current creative partner, you owe it to your entire company to seek one out that works better for you. We just happen to know a team that fits this description to a T.