It’s easy to be taken in by a smooth talking salesman, but when you’re searching for an Adwords management company, it’s important that you can sort quality agencies from the less reputable agencies that will take your money and run. Below, we’ve listed 5 hard truths that CEO’s need to know before hiring an Adwords management company. Even the best organizations can suffer if they use the wrong PPC management services, so here are some general guidelines to help you sort the good from the bad.
1. Only an Unscrupulous Adwords Management Company will Deny You Access to Your Adwords Account
When you hire a new company, the very first thing that you should do is ensure that you have full admin access to your Adwords account. Do not let agencies pressure you into letting them handle everything with their own “proprietary” programs or processes. At the end of the day, you are paying for that account, and you should own the work products associated with your Adwords account. It is a sign of an unscrupulous agency if they refuse to give you access to your own account.
While it may sound counterintuitive, a lot of businesses fall prey to exactly this tactic and are unable to retrieve the login details to their account when they cancel services with one of these agencies. Then, a new agency has to build a new campaign from scratch, which costs the business time and money.
2. Bad Companies Don’t Come with Warning Labels:
Just like in the above example, there are lots of ways that bad companies can take advantage of business owners. It’s important to do your research before, during, and even after you enter into a contract with an Adwords management company to ensure that they are following up on your account and that you are getting everything that you paid for when you signed on with them. Keep meticulous notes at your meetings with your vendor and ask lots of questions. Make sure to keep track of your progress by conducting a bi-weekly or monthly meeting with the company. Most great companies will insist on regular meetings so that they can stay in the loop with your business, and so that they can keep you apprised of your progress.
3. A Bad Contract Guarantees Failure:
This hard truth applies to all marketing services, but you need to make sure that your contract includes language that protects you as the consumer. Read your contract thoroughly and make suggested edits if necessary so that you can ensure that you are well protected in the event that your agency underperforms or doesn’t deliver as agreed upon at the outset of your campaign.
4. You go to Bed with the Salesperson but Wake Up with the Account Manager
Your salesperson may make some really exciting promises to you during the sales process, but remember that you won’t be dealing with the sales person after the sale in most cases. In the best case scenario, you will be able to meet the account manager that will take lead on your campaign before you close the deal. The account manager is the most important person that you’ll work with, and you need to make sure that this person has the experience, expertise, and skill to get you the results you expect.
5. Even Great Partners Need to be Managed
Once you’ve found a great Adwords management company and you’re ready to see what they can do to increase your sales and improve your business, make sure to stay up to date with all activity on your campaign. Even a great agency does better with an active and involved client. Meet with your agency at least once per month and stay as involved with your campaign as you can so that you can keep your agency accountable and make sure you get the most from your PPC management services.
Find out more hard truths that all CEO’s need to know before hiring another Adwords management company. Download our free ebook – the 30 Minute Guide to Hiring a Great Online Marketing Company – today!
-GrowTeam