Firstly, you will see in the above a bunch of keywords. It's important that whichever marketing company you choose, knows the difference between good content, search engine optimised content and talking points.

It's a basic 101 that every marketing consultant knows, that is of course, if they are in fact experienced.

Questions that you should always ask a marketing company

1.  What do you do? So basic, but very important. If they can't answer what they do, how will they ever be able to explain what you do? If they explain what services they provide clearly and concisely in a way that resonates with you, that's a huge tick.

2.  Are they freelancers or a company? So many marketing companies are only that in name. Instead they have one or two people and the rest are freelancers. Depending on your requirements, you may be fine with that, however if you want consistent branding, fast turnaround times and a collaborative approach - then you really need a marketing consultant that is backed by an in-house team.

3.  What technologies do you use to help us achieve better results? If they are really across marketing, they know that technology helps them be better at their jobs, understand your business and competitors better and work harder/faster/smarter. If they can't rattle off 6 or more technologies, hang up fast! They are old school and won't be able to help you compete with your competitors on a level that is possible.

4.  What's important to the marketing consultant when it comes to client relationships?

As a client, you really want your agency to be responsible, nimble, caring and not afraid to challenge your opinions as long as they have facts and experiences that can back it up. As a company, you really want a marketing agency that isn't just a 'yes' company. You want a team that doesn't want to just do 'good marketing' but wants to do 'great marketing' that has an impact.

5.  Experience is king. When a marketing agency doesn't have experience in the area of marketing that you need, it's a case of 'hoping for the best' but right now, hoping isn't good enough. Use a team of people that have extensive experience in your industry that can produce the best possible marketing strategy to drive your company's marketing efforts.

A good relationship with your marketing company will ensure that every effort is put in place to achieve the goals that you have set out. If they align your business goals to your sales and marketing efforts, your chances of success are much greater.

Also, always ensure that the digital team including web developers are sharing an office with the graphic design, communications and marketing teams. If they combine their creative and brain power  - the sky is the limit.