Five Simple Rules For Picking The Right Marketing Agency

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Stacey Krizan

September 2, 2008

Finding the right marketing agency is enough to make a business owner crazy - especially for those who are not marketers themselves. Take my friend, who owns a local, rapidly growing software company. He called me late the other evening to vent, "I am going to fire my marketing agency tomorrow." Naturally I wanted to know what had led him that unfortunate conclusion. His reason seemed rational enough - they didn't deliver what they had promised.  He had done everything right, in theory - he had parameters, deadlines and objectives set in advance and written into a contract form - but the agency, while remarkably creative, never delivered a production schedule outlining when items would be coming through for review.

The biggest issue, however, was that the agency repeatedly delivered designs for approval on the day they were due to be finalized, without allowing time for review, as though they assumed they would be 100% perfect on the first iteration. There was no room for error, and my friend, like most clients, needed room. This left my friend with the unfortunate choice of proceeding forward with something that he was not satisfied with, or missing a deadline for connecting effectively with his potential customers.

Another friend and networking partner, also turned to me in desperation, after spending thousands of dollars with two Web design firms (and no Web site to show for it), only to find out that they were incapable of doing the particular type of creative development she needed. Her consulting business was already thriving, but knew she was missing out on business searching for her online. Her problem was that she did not have an agency to drive her brand, but instead was hoping a Web firm could build her brand through the Web site design. She had selected colors she likes, and fonts that appeal to her, but essentially she was functioning as her own creative director, which she did not feel qualified to do, nor did she feel that this was yielding the results she wanted.

The net result for both of my friends was essentially the same - they felt that every day that went by they were missing out on business because of ineffective marketing. Neither friend was blaming their agency for the poor execution. However, both individuals came to me saying, "I don't understand how to ask for what I need so I don't go through this again," and the big question, "How do I know what I don't know?" So for my good friends, and all the entrepreneurs out there fighting the same good fight, here are some important rules on picking a marketing agency that should keep them out of similar situations.

Take the time to articulate you brand and your market strategy before creating media.
This is a common challenge of smaller companies. Often they don't even think about their brand first, but rather about a specific need, like a tradeshow or presentation coming up in two weeks. Taking the time to work with an agency to build a brand means all deliverables created in the future will fall into place a lot easier, even allowing you to utilize other agencies for certain media, like a Web firm, without having to create everything from scratch. You'll be glad you did, and they will thank you too.

Be clear with your agency about your timetable, and keep them posted when it changes.
And be certain the agency is allowing time for review as well. Demand a production schedule as a part of your contract. Of course, deadlines will change, and most agencies will happily update the schedule. Keep in mind that the more people there are in the decision tree about marketing materials, the more time you will need for review.

Know how much time you can dedicate to marketing, and how much you can delegate.
Even with an agency driving your marketing, it is your message, and you will need to think about it, and be certain you are comfortable with the direction. Different people have different styles, but be realistic about how much time you will want to be involved and how much you are willing to relinquish control (and funds) to delegates.

Talk to at least two or three agencies before deciding if one is right for you.
Of course you will want to see examples of their work and understand their pricing structure. But you also will want to know their process, how much they like to consult, how they handle scope changes, their approach to your particular needs, and how well they listen. Ask for a proposal from each agency, and be certain you don't ask for more proposals than you are willing to spend time reviewing.

Ask for references from your agency.
Once you believe you have found your marketing partner, but before you let the other firms off the hook (and yes, you DO owe them a call to tell them "thank you but we went with another firm") ask for three current customers you could speak to about their experiences working with that agency. There is no substitute for talking to someone currently working with the agency you are considering.

None of these rules will solve every possible snafu, but they will help avoid some of the most common marketing challenges facing entrepreneurs trying to move their brands forward.

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