Yes, it’s easier said than done. Ultimately, if you, the client, are not getting any value from your current agency, it\u2019s time to move on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So we\u2019re going to share nine signs you should switch your email marketing agency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our purpose is not exactly to enlighten you, but to reinforce what you may already feel to be true. You want to verify whether you\u2019re on the right track; well, if you\u2019ve been seeing these signs together of late, you are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Poor, strained collaboration
<\/strong><\/a><\/li>- Communication Breakdown<\/a><\/strong>
<\/strong><\/a><\/li>- Yet Another Subtle Wave-off
<\/strong><\/a><\/li>- Poor Grasp of Your Industry
<\/strong><\/a><\/li>- High Staff Turnover Rate<\/strong>
<\/a><\/li>- Lack of Honest Reporting<\/strong>
<\/a><\/li>- Mission Creep, Budget Bloat<\/strong>
<\/a><\/li>- Retarded Martech Adoption<\/strong>
<\/a><\/li>- Inadequate Business Success<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/email.uplers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Banner-CRO-Email-marketing-campaign.jpg\")
<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n1. <\/strong>Poor, Strained Collaboration<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Collaboration is the main health indicator of a business relationship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You may not always be on the same page about everything, but it\u2019s crucial that both parties agree on the fundamental plan of action, strategy, and vision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s one thing to be in disagreement, quite another to be in misalignment. The latter leads to goal confusion, unclear responsibilities, and unforeseen requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Hannah Woods writes<\/a>, \u201cPoor collaboration is like two people in the same boat rowing in opposite directions. Each person thinks they\u2019re doing something, but in reality, they are going absolutely nowhere.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/email.uplers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image2-9.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n2. <\/strong>Communication Breakdown<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Part of the collaboration bucket, lack of communication and frequent communication gaps indicate a souring relationship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Understand that lack of communication and communication gaps are different. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The former includes a lack of willingness to engage and silent assumptions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The latter includes unclear\/non-contextual\/untimely\/staggered communication, leading to misunderstandings. For instance, is your agency listening to your problems or simply selling their own ideas? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But here\u2019s what drives the final nail in the communication coffin: Engaging is increasingly becoming frustrating, so much so that one feels justified in not giving a damn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. <\/strong>Yet Another Subtle Wave-off<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Co-existing with a dinosaur might be easier than co-existing with a paleontologist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your agency is, all things being equal, an expert in email marketing. And YOU are not. While the difference is critical, it shouldn\u2019t be pushed to an extreme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So the question is: Does your agency pay attention to your inputs? Or do they subtly ignore your suggestions\/feedback completely all the time? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Equally, are you<\/em> sure you\u2019re not raising your hands too often?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. <\/strong>Poor Grasp of Your Industry<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Does your email marketing agency identify with your industry\/niche? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do they know your customers as well as you do, if not better?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t trust them if they say they do. Ask for proof in the form of customer and market analysis, competitor analysis, survey documentation, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If they don\u2019t seem to be speaking your language, if you find they\u2019re wholly unaware of the latest trends, if they\u2019re not consistently analyzing your CRM to offer market-aligned recommendations, then you know you\u2019ve got gum under your shoe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sign of signs? They could never tell you what your industry looked like in the past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read More: Why You Should Hire a White Label Email Agency<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. <\/strong>High Staff Turnover Rate<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Are you frequently having to meet new people at the agency, leading you re\u2013initiate the rapport-building process much too often? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If yes, it means the agency suffers from a high staff turnover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The turnover rate varies from industry to industry and from niche to niche. But usually, the government sector and marketing\/advertising agencies almost always occupy the polar ends of the employee attrition spectrum. In 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded a 47.2% annual employee turnover rate<\/a> in the marketing sector. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But that\u2019s generally speaking. If you see that you\u2019re having to meet and connect with new contacts too often, it\u2019s time to bring it to the agency\u2019s attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/email.uplers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image3-9.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n6. Lack of Honest Reporting<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If your agency doesn\u2019t reveal\/seems to hide\/is defensive about reporting, confront the relevant stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are they honoring your preferred reporting frequency? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do you know what your unsubscribe rate looks like? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are you aware of any delivery and deliverability issues? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are they giving you at least limited access to reporting dashboards? Better still, do you currently have a self-serve dashboard? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are they potentially abusing your lack of expertise in email marketing by reporting on surface metrics only? For instance, do they emphasize how good your open rates are but rarely talk about the conversion rate? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are they willing to remind or (re)explain what these metrics mean? If you\u2019re unfamiliar with the core email marketing metrics, look them up in our post on email marketing KPIs<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Mission Creep, Budget Bloat<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The phrase \u2018mission creep\u2019 comes from the military. It means a gradual shift in objectives in a military campaign, often resulting in unplanned long-term goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, here\u2019s the test: Does your agency constantly seem to push you to try the more advanced price tiers? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Usually, email marketing agencies are also digital marketing agencies. If you hired your agency for email only, and they try to push SEO, social media marketing, PPC advertising, etc., without any solid reason, it\u2019s a big red flag. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are they offering a sneak peek into \u201cultra-detailed\u201d data analytics to justify campaign underperformance? A see-it-for-yourself bait? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beware of upgrades offered without good, data-driven arguments to back them up. These require additional setup fees, ongoing subscriptions, consultant hours, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. Retarded Martech Adoption<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Martech is integral to modern email marketing. Even generally, there\u2019s been a 100% increase in martech adoption<\/a> from 2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Greater marketing efficiency, deeper analytics, actionable insights, faster data processing, cross-channel optimization \u2014 these are some of the benefits of integration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Email is no longer just a broadcast channel. With segmentation, hyper-personalization, automation, and real-time reporting part of the fabric of email, underutilizing the channel is not an option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your agency knows this. To be fair to them, martech adoption is complex, resource-intensive, and data privacy\/security is still a hot button. As posited by Scott Brinker, vice president of platform ecosystem at HubSpot, the so-called Martec\u2019s Law states<\/a>: Technology changes exponentially, but organizations change logarithmically.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brinker argues, \u201cChanges in behavior and culture take time. There are only so many changes in people, processes, and technology that an organization can productively absorb at once \u2014 at least without a major disruption.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/email.uplers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/image1-9.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nBut these challenges also belong in the matrix of knowledge and skill. If your agency harps on the challenges, they\u2019re signaling their incompetence as well as unwillingness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
9. Inadequate Business Success<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When you were considering how to choose an email marketing agency, your primary motivation was likely to address stalled business growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Obviously! But here\u2019s the thing: Poor email marketers tend to overestimate email marketing to the point of isolating it from its real objective, which is driving sales. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Communication Breakdown<\/a><\/strong>
![\"email](\"https:\/\/email.uplers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/4-1.png\")
<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n