How To Select The Right Marketing Agency

Careful consideration should be given, when considering where and with whom to spend your precious and hard earned income. Using marketing and public relation agencies or suppliers (for outsourced work) is becoming increasingly common.

The marketing sector as vastly changed in recent years following a change in the business landscape, resulting in a wider-ranging choice of agencies. Varying from full-service agencies (those that supply everything from creative, design, media, planning and matters that constitutes marketing communications, ie direct marketing, sales promotion, advertising and public relations), to freelancers (that specialise in one particular discipline) as well as specialist agencies that only supply one of those areas related to market communications previously mentioned.

Key Points To Consider

Have a clear and written brief in mind when approaching agencies. A clear brief may include;

A business background

Objectives

Target audiences

What you require as an outcome

Timelines

Contacts and a budgetSome clients may see this as been unnecessary, but many agencies and suppliers will need some guidelines on what the client is prepared to spend.

Consider whether or not you need them to have industry experience - some specialist industries such as technology may benefit from this. Quite often agencies may have a policy of taking on non competing clients, so this may be an issue when searching for candidates.

Approach at least three agencies and invite them to a briefing meeting, or brief them over the telephone (not ideal, but sometimes necessary). At the meeting observe how interested they are in your organisation, what you want to achieve and very importantly, whether or not you would like to work with them! Chemistry is vital you must be able to form a long term relationship built on mutual respect and trust.

If you like suppliers that you can meet regularly face-to-face, then location is important. Otherwise you and the agency will incur additional expenses.

During the briefing meeting, if possible have two or four colleagues present, and beforehand discuss what you are looking for. Some companies use a scoring sheet with a number of elements being scored out of 10. The final scores can then be objectively discussed and a agreed logical decision made.

The elements you may want to include on an observation sheet might include;  Response to brief, Industry experience, Creativity innovation, Chemistry, Adherence to Budget.

Following the briefing meeting, inform the successful agency and agree a contract ensuring both parties agree to the terms and conditions.

Inform the other suppliers of your decision, telling them why they did not win the business. Not only is it courteous, but feedback is always useful and used as a point of reference.

The agency or freelancer must be seen as an extension of your marketing department. Liaise with them as much as possible, they are not mind readers. If you do this, you will build a long and fruitful relationship with them and your marketing communications campaigns will be a success. Work together to ensure the campaigns are measureable and that you get a good return on your investment.