We recently stumbled across a list of 9 steps for effective marketing agency search and selection on the Marketing Profs website and as somewhat expert in the agency search and selection process ourselves, we thought we'd weight in and give our thoughts on their definitive guide.
- Demand transparency on who is working on your brief
MP state that a client should always seek transparency about who will be assigned to their account (and in what capacity) well before they sign on the dotted line.
WE AGREE. In our experience, senior team members are wheeled out in meetings to create project strategy while junior staff, or at least team members with less experience, end up managing the day to running of the process. We agree that knowing the people who will be doing the work is crucial - and that you get what you're promised.
- Find out what the marketing agency knows about you
Marketing Profs say if a marketing agency has done their homework, 'by the time they present to you they'll know how your organisation is structured, what you current marketing mix is, who is on your board of directors, what your brand voice is like, and how many visitors your website gets a month.'
WE DISAGREE. Of course, if you walk in a room and it's clear no prep has been done, they are not the marketing agency for you. An agency should of course understand what you're about and your objectives before they pitch, which in part is dependent on your brief, but we think knowing all the ins and outs of your business is a little excessive.
However, we do agree with them that, 'the very best should be able to tell you things about your organization that even you don't know'. But again, that depends on how much info you want to give them.
- Determine the billing structure
'As simple as this sounds, it's important to evaluate the potential agency's billing structure. Is it based on a pay-for-performance structure, a monthly invoicing system, or pay-up-front model? Ask for transparency into how you are charged and how the fees are determined. You don't want any hidden costs that come back and bite you later.'
WE AGREE. We couldn’t have put it better ourselves (so why try?). The trend emerging here is transparency. When dealing with a new marketing agency ask as much as possible up front so all parties know what they are getting into, and what to expect, from the outset. Get everything is writing, query anything that is unclear and, if you feel costs and negotiations aren't your strong suit, then find somebody to do it for you, like an agency search and selection firm.
- Seek insight into their internal culture and 'beerability'
For many clients, their agency partner can become like part of the family, working as an extension of their internal department. This means you can end up spending a lot of time together. It's important therefore that cultures are compatible; 'A straight-laced corporate machine looking to partner with a laid back, young, and hip agency, the partnership may not work out,' rightly infers Marketing Profs.
They also cite Gorilla 76's term of 'beerability', i.e., would you have a beer with them outside of work and enjoy it, as a healthy metric for an agency partnership.
WE AGREE (in part) We're big believers in chemistry checks; that marketing agencies and clients should fundamentally agree on what should be done and how and have compatible styles of working. You want to get on and be able to communicate effectively and healthily. Obviously, you want creative cohesion and if you can have a nice time doing it all the better, but we wouldn't put being bosom buddies with your agency partner at the top our list. Afterall, it's work, not a pub quiz...
To be continued...
