There are so many different marketing technologies and vendors in the market, making a decision can be really daunting. The time it takes to evaluate each option can also be time-consuming.
Marketing technology or your marketing stack is important to ensure your marketing campaigns can execute effectively.
Start with these questions to evaluate a potential vendor for your marketing initiatives:
What do you wish to achieve with this new marketing solution?
It is critical to identify a problem before it can be solved. Knowing your specific problem will help you narrow your search for a marketing vendor. Select the vendor with core capabilities that can address the problem you’d like to solve.
What is the timeframe for the setup?
Time is money. It is important that you’re fully aware of how much time will be spent during the onboarding process. Determine the timeframe for training, kick-off calls, discovery calls and all campaign development.
Who will be involved during the onboarding process?
First, check the credentials of who will be guiding you through the crucial onboarding period of the partnership. Second, have your new partner specify the number of people they need from your organization and the skills these people need to have. Identify point persons from the vendor and your internal team so that you know who to speak with for updates.
How is support handled?
It is essential that you get a guarantee of quick and complete support and resources even after the initial training process is done. Getting used to the new system is still part of the onboarding process.
Will there be someone to help you get on boarded properly? Is there effective support and resources to answer your questions quickly?
What do the case studies say?
Take some time to learn about specific use cases. Online marketing services are still relatively new. Experience or the number of years that a company has been in business should not be the only consideration.
How much are the initial fees?
Make sure all the vendor’s fees are stipulated in your contract and the included services specified. It is not unheard of for companies to suddenly spring fees after the initial payment has been discussed. Be meticulous at this point.
If you are looking into larger packages or subscriptions, these setup fees can often times be negotiated.
How is pricing structured?
Ask about pricing structures, payment schedules and how payment should be submitted. Negotiate according to these aspects and according to your budget.
Is there a trial period?
A vendor that offers a trial period or monthly plans is confident in their services. During this time, review and play around with the technology to find out if it is user-friendly and efficient.
How will you evaluate the success of the new vendor?
Finally, make sure you identify beforehand the criteria to determine if the new marketing vendor is what you need to step up your business. These are unique components that only you can determine. It would be best that these factors be time-bound and be based on other tangible factors. This will make the results easy to interpret.
To learn more about what Tempesta Media’s content marketing solution can provide, schedule a call with our team.
