The Marine Marketing Agency Review

It’s easy to find a marketing agency these days. They’re everywhere. It’s not even that hard to find one that’s good at what they do.

But if you’re looking for an agency that understands the marine industry, well… That’s a lot harder. And you might wonder why you would spend your time researching a company that specializes in marine marketing; the answer is really easy (and kind of obvious). A company that’s experienced in creating strategies for retailers and restaurants doesn’t necessarily have the expertise needed to do the same for a marine business.

This is a very specific industry, with a specific set of challenges, and a target audience that doesn’t respond to generic strategies you usually see. This has to do with the fact that marine buyers tend to spend weeks (even months) doing research before even making contact. What they do is compare brands, they evaluate reputation, they check for accuracy when it comes to technical information, etc. – all this before they’re ready to buy.

Compared to different industries, the buying process is quite specific, and the marketing approach must match that change.

So, not only is a marine marketing agency worth the time and money, it’s basically a necessity if you want to grow your business and tower over your competitors.

In this article, you’ll see a review of one of the best ones – The Marine Marketing Agency.

The Marine Marketing Agency – Who Are They?

We’re looking at a marine-focused digital marketing agency founded by Travis Bliffen, founder and CEO of the two-time Inc. 5000-recognized, U.S.-based agency Stellar SEO. They have an impressive track record working with high-end clients in the legal and finance sectors.

Thanks to 14+ years of SEO experience, the owner was able to pour all the knowledge and expertise into his passion, the marine and boating industry.

Their HQ is located in Fort Lauderdale, the Yachting Capital of the World, which places the agency at the center of one of the largest boating hubs in the United States. This naturally places them in close proximity to numerous businesses that operate in the marine/maritime industry (e.g., marinas, boat dealerships, yacht brokers, etc.).

The agency uses a strategy-first approach, which focuses on generating qualified/hot leads, long-term web authority, and brand positioning, all of which have one goal – business growth.

What The Marine Marketing Agency Offers

One thing they make crystal clear right off the bat is that they’re not for everyone, and that’s exactly what someone in this business wants to see.

There are plenty of marketing agencies that’ll work with a restaurant this week and then a dentist the next, and then a software company after that. But unlike a generalist marketing agency, a marine marketing agency will work only with clients in the marine/maritime sector. This is because they know exactly how to run a business in this sector, plus they know exactly which issues/roadblocks are common in this industry, and most importantly, how to resolve them.

As far as their services go, on paper, they might look somewhat similar to what’s offered by so many digital marketing agencies.

But there’s a key difference here.

The Marine Marketing Agency won’t place SEO, PPC, content creation, video marketing, social media marketing, and web design as separate services, but instead all of these are used in synergy as part of a long-term growth strategy. Regardless of whether you want more leads or are trying to strengthen and better position your brand on the market, this approach works extremely well in the marine sector. And this is something many agencies cannot afford, because they either don’t have the required manpower, or they lack the expertise to cover all these aspects simultaneously while maintaining top-notch efficiency.

They have quite a bit of information about their planning process.

They don’t ask their clients to sign up straight away, which is a good thing. Jumping straight into execution would be a mistake.

This is why this agency first thoroughly does their analysis on the brand they’re working on and the competitors the brand is pitted against; they do technical audits, revenue mapping and opportunities, as well as ROI forecasting to see where growth is realistic and where it isn’t. Their efforts go into the business’s strengths while slowly building areas where the business is currently lacking.

The way they start is by taking a look at where the client’s business is right now and researching their competitors. Of course, they’ll talk to the client about their short-term and long-term goals, and create a plan before they recommend anything else.

According to them, this helps their clients know what needs to be improved and why those changes need to be made.

Review

One of the biggest things The Marine Marketing Agency has working in their favor is the fact that they’re so specialized.

There are too many marketing agencies that proudly say they can work with ANYONE, but how true is that really? How can you be an expert at everything?

Even if you had a huge team, it’s still a long shot.

The Marine Marketing Agency went the other way and focused on one single industry. So, if you own a restaurant or a construction company, they’re not for you. If, however, your business has something to do with boats or marine services, that’s a different story.

That narrow focus is the biggest benefit here. Marketing is so much easier when you actually know the industry, and while this is painfully obvious, many agencies miss this and instead just focus on doing everything by the book from a generalist standpoint. But the issue here is that not every marketing approach works the same way in two different industries. The best way to know what works in the marine sector is to work with clients in that particular sector. You realize all the troubles that these businesses (big and small) run into, and you develop strategies that work in terms of resolving them.

The Marine Marketing Agency doesn’t have to learn about boat buyers’ demands, the sales/customer journey these types of buyers go through, their questions and concerns, or seasonal demand, etc. – they already know all the issues that plague marine businesses. And they also have the tools and strategies necessary to tackle these issues.

Another green flag here is that the Marine Marketing Agency doesn’t boast about their services being a magical solution to all your problems. Saying “No problem!” to any client concerned and then trying to figure out a way to deal with this particular challenge is not a reliable long-term strategy, and this agency avoids it. They tell you what works and what doesn’t, what you can expect and when. They seem to be realistic.

They also won’t compromise on skipping a service because their approach is already tried and tested multiple times, and they know it works. So why reinvent the wheel here?

The planning process also seems to be really well thought out. It doesn’t come off as salesy or pushy. They sell you what you need. They present a problem your business is (likely) facing. To you, the client, this problem sounds familiar, which grabs your attention. Then they present the solution to that problem.

They don’t push packages on you.

They research first and plan second, which means that what they recommend is something tailored to your business specifically.

To be clear, they’re not for everyone, but they don’t pretend like they are anyway.

They’re not a company that accepts clients left and right. But if you want a marketing partner with expertise in the marine business, look no further.

Verdict – Is the Marine Marketing Agency Worth It?

If you own a marine/maritime-related business, not only is it worth it, it’s recommended.

The idea on which this company was built is simple: marine businesses deserve marketing from people who understand this industry. That’s not to say that you can’t find an agency with a broader focus you’ll be happy with, but your chances of being successful if you take that road are kind of slim.

This is a specialized industry, and not everyone can do a good (or even a decent) job when it comes to marketing.

To read more content like this, explore The Brand Hopper

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