“But I want it NOW!”

Our world has started to deliver many things at lightning speed compared to a mere 10 years ago. Packages arrive on your doorstep within 2 days. The waiting time for medical test results has been drastically reduced. Google answers our questions with a quick type and search. And thanks to FastPass, your wait for the most popular attractions at Disney World is now a fraction of what it used to be.

Technological advances have played a huge part in this, and we as consumers have responded — we love having things faster! The demand for instant gratification is not going away. These technological advances have also played a large part in the evolution of the digital marketing strategies that are successful in today's commerce. Because everything is online, marketing has moved to the digital arena. At adWhite, we specialize in inbound marketing to help our clients draw their customers in. We work exclusively with HubSpot, the leader in inbound marketing software, to help us most effectively create content for our clients’ websites and social channels. We know that relevant content, combined with social media marketing and search engine optimization, will help our clients get the most qualified leads for their sales team to pursue.

Although marketing has shifted from the old-school style to match our current digital world, it doesn't mean that leads come overnight. Keywords, messaging and content are still critical to driving your target audience to your website, but those things require sufficient thought and research. Some evaluation is needed along the way to see what’s working and what’s not working. Your marketing firm needs a little bit of onboarding time in the beginning to get to know you as a client, to understand your differentiators and your objectives with your audience.

The way we conduct marketing has drastically changed, but the fact that it’s still a process has not. Patience is key. Results WILL come.

What can you do to help your marketing firm do its' best for you?

First of all, think of your relationship as a partnership — two parties working together for the same result — and then try to keep these things in mind:

Trust them. You hired them because they are professionals and have knowledge and expertise that you do not have in this area. Resist the urge to demand that only your ideas and methods be executed. Trust that they truly know what works best and, if you let them do what they know works, then you will be successful.

Collaborate with them. Help to educate them on your business so they can be more informed about what you offer and who you want to attract. Keep in mind that you work in your business all day, but your agency likely has clients across multiple industries. Your marketing partners need to hear from you regarding your business, but not about how to best market your business. In addition, give them answers to critical questions to keep your digital marketing moving.

Give them feedback. Let them know how you feel about how things are going along the way. Honest and open communication is the best way to have the most productive relationship and results. If you don't understand something or have questions about why things are being done, then get clarification so everyone feels good about the direction.

Have patience. Know that the best results from inbound marketing are produced through consistent effort over time.

When the hard work pays off and inbound leads come in, whether through a targeted ad or organically through content, search engines and social media, you'll have an integrated approach and system to nurture and manage the relationship with potential buyers. You can see where the lead came from, what they are interested in, what they have already viewed and deploy easier ways to follow up, track activity and nurture the relationship with potential buyers. Contact us to learn how we make this all work for you.