What is a Growth Partner?:
Growth partners are there to work alongside you to grow your business. Partners support each other, there is a give and take. Growth partners tend to make MUCH better connections for you and produce higher-quality work when they see themselves as part of the team vs just a marketing company when it comes to digital marketing. Companies who use this approach to doing business are actively involved in planning and strategy related to all aspects of your company, not just the advertisement.
A partner is invested in your success, as they know your success also means there’s too, a win-win! This article will point you in the right direction when it comes to building relationships with other companies, the best way to scale a brand, and will provide insight into why this method has been successful for us too!
The Difference In Mindset Between Growth Partners and Your Average Marketing Company:
When two company owners see each other as equals and a team it creates a much healthier relationship “I pay you for a service and you get it done.” The keyword here is “partner,” so each side needs to bring something to the table other than just exchanging money.
A growth partner is not going to accept just being a simple button-pusher or attending to menial tasks simply to save you time. A growth partner understands they are investing something into you, their time, and EXPERIENCE. This is also key. When someone runs an agency that is seasoned they understand that doing business this way leads to long-term sales for them and better output for the client.
Also, growth partners do not micromanage each other. Because they take time to build trust and real connections each side trusts the other to get the job done. If the client sees they are struggling in some way they have established trust with the growth partner to relay that information. If it’s purely transactional bringing a potential roadblock to the company’s attention doesn’t make as much sense and might not be something they can have the bandwidth to do.
The Hard Truth of not Having Growth Partners in your Corner:
The truth is there are literally THOUSANDS of marketing companies in your area. You have your pick of the litter! What is doing to separate them? What are you looking to do with your company? If you are looking for long-term success in your business a growth partner is the best route to go in the beginning. Too many entrepreneurs (especially those starting out) will make the mistake of hiring interns or freelancers who are brand new in the industry. Doing this oftentimes leaves your business at risk because essentially they are learning on your time and your dollar.
Growth partners vs interns, freelancers, or most small marketing companies are in most cases just looking to make it by and pay their bills. They are more often than not still building their own personal brand along the way. This takes time and typically it’s not until an agency has been in their industry for years and years do they even think about doing anything else, especially if their budgets ad time are limited.
Be Open to Change:
The reason many businesses are seeking a growth partner vs just your average company (or freelancer) to do their marketing is that they are seeing stagnation in their growth online. Maybe you were reaching thousands and thousands on social media and now you’re lucky to reach hundreds. Or (and this is very common) an algorithm change happens and now you are not getting nearly as many engagements on social media as you did before.
If a growth partner is working with you they can often diagnose a problem with your digital presence before it even negatively affects you. Growth partners are part of some of the best online and in-person networking groups and keep in the know when it comes to things in their industry. This is smart for them because it continues to build their brand as an authority and the knowledge in turn is passed down to you and you avoid a lot of the issues your competitors are experiencing.
Also, keep in mind that what got you here will not get you there forever. Marketing, especially social media, is all about trying new things from time to time and utilizing current trends. That means we have to at times adapt our style and strategy when it comes to content especially. A growth partner that has a high level of experience and technical skills will help you navigate your way past that plateau while mitigating risk in the process.
One thing we can never get back is time. When you leverage your growth partners’ experience you ensure that you reach your goals faster and more efficiently. This time you save will allow you to focus on different parts of your business that you enjoy doing. You have the benefit of not having to worry about your online marketing so you can devote more time to your clients and employees.
Studies indicate people care about company culture. When you can build comradery in your team consistently (which takes a lot of time and focus), you tend to have employees who stay for years and years. We personally credit this to very little hiring since 2020 by adopting this strategy. Having to hire new people can be a daunting task. When you have more time to be supportive of your employees vs worry about what to post today it’s beneficial and gratifying.
Building the RIGHT Growth Partnership Takes Time:
Many people think hiring a growth partner means that everything will always go smoothly every single time or that work will be done so quickly it will seem like magic. While everyone involved would more than likely love that scenario, that’s rarely what happens. When a growth partner is involved there is a lot of change.
Change can be not only unforgettable for some but also can create its own problems. These are more often than not issues the growth partner can fix based on their fields of study. Be prepared to go out of your comfort zone and trust the experts to do what they do best!
Without change, your company risks being left behind. There are advancements in technology every day, especially in the digital space. There are new tools and research being done that a growth partner will see as part of the job. They might even be a thought leader in new technology in the marketing space. A growth partner lowers your risk and will help you achieve greater results rather than someone “without skin in the game.”
Market Testing and Growth:
Testing the market is something growth partners understand and should prepare you for. They should be doing A/B Testing (also known as “split testing”) and using that to continually improve campaign performance. There should be a clear idea of what metrics w they are measuring to drive success and you should have a basic understanding at least of how it all works.
When you work with a growth partner you should never expect success right out of the gate. Marketing testing has no guarantee of success but adapting from the information it gives you is worth its weight in gold. Data is currency! Bumps in the road can be part of the process leading toward reaching your goals long-term. Win the war, not small battles!
Finding the RIGHT Growth Partner:
Every company operates differently. What works for one might not work as effectively for another. Their methodology should line up with yours. If your mindsets align, chances are that the way they work does as well. The best way to do this is by transparency.
Make your goals and expectations known. Are you looking to double your business in 6 months? A year? Knowing this will help your growth partner strategically create the perfect plan of action for you and will lead to a much smoother transition with them taking over your marketing campaigns.
Also, growth partners will help identify the skill sets you need on your team. This helps you to not waste time, energy, and money hiring the wrong personnel. Simply put, to a growth partner your success is their success! Your growth partner should complement you and your team and be an asset for potentially years to come!
Let’s Wrap This is a Neat Little Bow for You!:
A growth partner is going to work with your company’s marketing campaign with the mindset of helping you grow. They understand the importance of building long-term relationships through now how and experience. 
Growing your company can be hard without the right help. How do you measure growth or make decisions on your advertisement without the knowledge? Your agency (if they have a growth partner mindset) will be your rock and will walk with you every step of the way to your goals!
COSMarketing Agency is a growth partner that collectively has decades of experience. We understand how difficult being a business owner can be and we can help you mitigate risk and increase your chance of success.
Our team works with you one on one to help you stand out from your ever-growing competition. We give you a FREE assessment of your online presence, discuss your social media content, and build a plan of action for success. We believe in our team and yours, let’s make something beautiful that we can be proud of! Contact us to book an appointment at 407-334-9378 or email us at COSMarketingAgency@gmail.com. Talk soon!
