Selecting a Marketing Company – Do’s and Musts:

In a recent interview with B2B Magazine for the article “How to Select an agency,” I shared a few best practices and tips for hiring a marketing firm.

To find an agency you’ll love for the long-term, here’s a few Do's and Musts for fellow smarties:

-Money Matters. Establish a budget range and timing upfront, or you’ll prolong your search, spin your wheels and waste a ton of everyone’s time.

-Right-size. Clients should have an idea of the size, budget and scope of the agency’s average clients over the past 12-18 months.

-Recent Results. Is the top talent still active or laid-off and long gone? A colleague of mine is fond of saying, “A restaurant is only as good as last meal...”

-Industry experience. While industry knowledge can be valuable, breaking through the clutter counts and a fresh creative perspective can foster the Big Idea.

-Expertise. Look for a proven track record in the area with lots of examples and case studies to prove it.

-Manage Expectations. Develop a clear scope of work, deliverables and tie a fee schedule to milestones.

-Culture Counts. Their style, how they think, act, what they value and how they communicate should be  aligned with your team's culture.

Be careful of agencies that are hungry and hurting, as they may misrepresent themselves in an effort to land your business to stay afloat. Some firms (particularly larger ones) make temporary changes to take on smaller clients. Make sure you have an accurate picture of their typical engagements so there's a greater chance the relationship has the potential to grow over time.