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Here are a few things to consider. WHAT ARE YOUR OBJECTIVES? It helps to look closely at the needs of your organization. Do you need an agency to save time managing your firm's marketing function? Are you looking to complement the skills of an internal marketing staff? Do you have a marketing strategy and plan in place, or are you looking for expertise to develop an effective strategic plan? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM YOUR AGENCY? Based on your objectives, what kind of relationship do you want from an agency? Will the agency be an extension of your business, will it function as your marketing department? Then the agency should be proficient at strategic thinking and planning, they should be aggressively pursuing opportunities for your company. Or, are you looking for an agency to execute specific creative or communications projects at your direction? Your needs will define your relationship with any agency. WHO SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION PROCESS. Some companies use committees to select agencies, others give the decision to one or more marketing or sales personnel. It's important that the people who work directly with the agency be involved in the process. This is where the "people chemistry" becomes important. There should be a written criteria and some consensus in the selection process, based on agency size, reputation, experience and cost of service.
AGENCY SIZE The size of an agency is relative to nothing more than the extent of service your company requires. The largest agency in the world is only as valuable as the two or three key people who will deliver the marketing communication services required by your firm. Generally speaking, the agency should be staffed with professionals in a variety of marketing disciplines which will complement and extend your marketing efforts. Look for expertise in areas like public relations, production management, media planning and negotiating, as well as creative product and some Internet capability. The most important reason to hire an agency is to have a number of experts working economically to accomplish your marketing goals. If your firm's budget places it toward the bottom of an agency client list, that's a realistic indication of the kind of service you can reasonably expect from that agency. REPUTATION Almost anybody can make any claim about the vagaries of marketing communications. So, reputation is what singles out the good agencies from the ordinary. Look for clients the agency has represented over long periods of time, and talk to the client advertising or marketing managers the agency reports to. Find out how the agency operates, how important the agency is to the client, how they spend the client's money, how they bill for their services and what the agency weaknesses are from the client's perspective.
While well trained, experienced marketing professionals can apply their skills to any field or industry, the more knowledgeable the agency is about your market or industry, the faster and more efficiently they will meet your goals. There is always a "learning curve" for both agency and client, but solid experience condenses the start-up time on your account. For a free copy of "HOW TO SELECT AN AGENCY, PART II", criteria for assessing advertising and marketing agencies, as well as a list of questions to ask each agency, just call me at (717) 975-2148, or email below. |
An
effective marketing partnership requires mutual respect,
complementary strengths as well as a certain people
chemistry, usually described as a "high comfort level".
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