Lighting the Path: How NTWRK’s Values Build an Agency like No Other

These days, digital marketing agencies sprout like daisies around every corner. Everyone has a vision for the future of your business; everyone has what it takes to make your dreams a reality. That isn’t to say that these marketing agencies can’t or don’t practice what they preach. It’s more of a matter of why they practice their craft. Marketing is everyone’s responsibility, it’s important that marketing agencies keep that at the top of their minds. When it comes to getting things done, cutting corners is out of the question. In this modern age of marketing, it’s important to focus their sights on driving the missing link between the values and goals of a digital marketing agency.

Here are some key things to look for in an innovative and revolutionary digital marketing agency.

One More Thing

If it’s one thing that digital marketing agencies should do, it’s go the extra mile. Taking that extra bit of time to see your projects through to the very end, focusing on clients in entirety. It’s not just about revenue. It should be about delivering quality content and services that their business and clients can both be proud of.

Kimpton Hotels’ “Guppy Love” programme is a fine example of how a business shows that they care. A programme started in 2001, their hotel chains began delivering goldfishes to their guests’ rooms, meeting rooms, or banquet halls at their requests. The upkeep and care of the goldfish were handled entirely by staff at the hotels. All their guests had to do was enjoy the relaxing companionship of their goldfish buddy. It doesn’t add value or revenue to the hotel chain, but it made staying at a Kimpton property an easy choice.

Show, Don’t Tell

Digital marketing agencies of today work best when they advocate strong diagonal thinking. It’s all well and good to have people who are experts in their own fields, but they need to look for people who go the extra mile. Put together a team of forward-thinkers and proactive problem-solvers who aren’t afraid of putting themselves in other people’s shoes. The most effective agencies are all about understanding the motivations behind a person’s actions, whether it’s at work or in their personal lives. They take the time to show people that they understand, not just tell you that they do.

Take Pizza Hut, for example. When a regular customer failed to make the usual order in two weeks, their customer service team made an outreach to inquire about their wellbeing, and delivered a complimentary “welcome back” pizza to their door. By doing so, it’s not just about retaining a customer, it’s about showing people that your brand cares — and goes the extra mile.

Client, Not Competitor

Agencies run in the same circles and move in the same industries, that much goes without saying. But oftentimes, they fall prey to the domino effect of doing what their competitors do. In the effort of replicating results, they overlook the likelihood that those processes aren’t what their clients need. The best agencies put their clients first, no matter what the market says is working for everyone else. They prioritise the individual and unique needs of each client and take measures to ensure that they’re delivering something that works for their client. Meaning, they prioritise you.

Red Bull, the beverage company, does this perfectly. It launched an ad campaign called “The Mission to the Edge of Space” that took the brand – literally – to new heights. With the help of Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner, Red Bull put together a stunt that involved Baumgartner diving from almost 40 kilometres above the earth, breaking five world records and the sound barrier. Baumgartner has become the first human to ever do so without an engine. So what was the takeaway for Red Bull? 200 million views on their YouTube video and millions from earned media. The take out? It’s not about keeping up with the Jones’, it’s about knowing your brand.

Generosity

Everyone can use a little bit of generosity in their lives; everyone can use a little helping hand. It’s important to engage with an agency that believes in doing social good, because we’re all human and sometimes we just need a little more. The right agency recognises that they’re lucky to have what they have and be where they are. So they remember to give back. Some companies (like ours) match the charitable donations given to organisations by team members. A $500 charitable donation to Red Cross by a single employee becomes a $1,000 donation from that employee and their agency combined.

Independence + Flexibility

Independent thinking is the way of innovators, and innovation means encouraging people to think for themselves. A good digital marketing agency’s perspective of the world takes into account the experiences of their clients, competitors, and themselves, but ultimately, they do what they think is right. What might seem contradictory to that is a strong belief in flexibility. Good agencies aren’t about stringent rules and regulations. They understand that life gets in the way of things and invest in the business of learning how to balance work-life responsibilities. Flexibility usually entails a willingness to accommodate and negotiate the wants and needs of everyone involved. Whether it’s working from home or manoeuvring about tasks and responsibilities to be shared across the board, a flexible digital marketing agency takes pride in being able to pretzel and un-pretzel themselves at whim.

When it comes to delivering within a digital marketing capacity, hitting revenue targets is often the driving force behind delivering content. The right digital marketing agency’s promise should be that they always put their clients first, and to deliver results that align with the mutual values and culture codes that their organisation lives by.