Invoke Media

A friend of a friend, or someone from a previous role....maybe a recommendation made at a networking event.

None of that confirms whether an agency is actually right for your business.

Capability is one factor, but fit is another.

How often an agency is actually in contact, how they operate day to day and what they expect from you as a client in return. Two agencies can both be competent and still be entirely wrong for how a specific business needs to operate.

We'd rather a prospective client asked us these questions directly before signing anything, than discovered the answers six months into a contract.

Grab a coffee with us 👉 https://vist.ly/5kb93

📞 +44 1772 921 109
📧 [email protected]
🌐 https://vist.ly/5kb9b

"Get Things Done"

We use the term "accidental marketer" a lot, so it's worth defining properly.

It's not a job title, it's a situation...

Someone inside a business who's ended up responsible for marketing without ever training for it, without prior experience, and sometimes without particularly wanting the role in the first place.

Sometimes it's the person who was "good with the website." Sometimes it's the youngest person in the room, because it's assumed that being active on social media translates into being able to market on it. It doesn't, they're different skills entirely. Sometimes marketing was simply bundled in with reception, admin, or whatever else had space in the job description.

We see this setup consistently, particularly across some specific industries. It isn't a knowledge problem on the individual's part. It's a structural one, a function assigned to someone without the support to go with it.

That's not a criticism of the person, or of the business that put them there. It's simply the starting point, and it's one that can be improved without anyone losing face.

Grab a coffee with us 👉 https://vist.ly/5ipwt

📞 +44 1772 921 109
📧 [email protected]
🌐 https://vist.ly/5ipw2

"Get Things Done"

Carrying on from our post about not sharing our successes the other week... here's a pretty big one to miss!

Invoke Media is 13 years old! 🎉

1st August marked 13 years since we legally incorporated as a Limited Company.

We actually started as a one-man band in 2011 putting on our own events, and under the brand 'Rebel Marketing & Promotions', helping others market theirs.

Then came a move to Manchester, working with recruitment and financial services....where the word 'Rebel' perhaps doesn't resonate that well.

A rebrand later and we became Invoke Media, returning to Preston in 2018... thanks to the advice and support of a mentor and good friend, Robert Binns.

It's been a rollercoaster of ups and downs (let's not mention the Pandemic).

Considering most businesses go bust within the first few years...13 year + is a mega milestone and one to be proud of.

Thanks to all of the clients, team (and former team) & partners.

🚩 Campaigns set to broad match with no negative keywords.
🚩 No conversion tracking installed.
🚩 Ad spend going to irrelevant searches.
🚩 No A/B testing of ad copy.
🚩 Spending on brand terms with no competition — pure waste.

If you're running ads and haven't audited these things recently, book 30 minutes and do it today.

Grab a coffee with us 👉 https://vist.ly/53thj

📞 +44 1772 921 109
📧 [email protected]
🌐 https://vist.ly/53thk

"Get Things Done"

🚩 No clear call to action above the fold.
🚩 No SSL Cert, HTTPS or Secure Connection.
🚩 Pages that take more than 3 seconds to load.
🚩 Isn't responsive for mobile devices.
🚩 Contact forms that don't work.
🚩 No trust signals such as testimonials, case studies, accreditations.
🚩 Content written for search engines, not humans.
🚩 Looks like it was designed in Microsoft Paint.

Your website is your best salesperson and marketer. Don't let it lose the deal.

Grab a coffee with us 👉 https://vist.ly/4zw8u

📞 +44 1772 921 109
📧 [email protected]
🌐 https://vist.ly/4zw8w

"Get Things Done"

🚩

1. They can't explain what they actually do each month.
2. They want to lock you into a 12-month contract before proving anything.
3. They can't show you relevant results.
4. Every answer is vague. Lots of 'it depends' with no follow-up.
5. They're more interested in selling you a retainer before talking about your problem.

Walk away from any of these.

Grab a coffee with us 👉 https://vist.ly/4z5ih

📞 +44 1772 921 109
📧 [email protected]
🌐 https://vist.ly/4z5ii

"Get Things Done"

There's a persistent myth that if you want great marketing, you go to a London agency and pay London rates.

Some businesses even do it for the 'cool factor' of hiring a London agency.

We disagree. Some of the best commercial thinking and marketing ability in the UK is happening right here in the North West...and for a fraction of the cost.

Geography stopped mattering a long time ago.

Grab a coffee with us 👉 https://vist.ly/4y8z7

📞 +44 1772 921 109
📧 [email protected]
🌐 https://vist.ly/4y8z8

"Get Things Done"