If you’re a business owner there is a good chance at some point in time you’ll be hiring a marketing agency. It’s a process that some liken to choosing a doctor, or a contractor. Not an easy task, and it is often time-consuming.
But it can be easier if you keep in mind three things when hiring a marketing agency.
Does the agency have experience in your industry?
Simply put, you would hire a contractor to build a pool if their main focus is roofing, or building in-ground pools. The same philosophy applies to marketing agencies.
What are their “verticals,” the industries where they have client experience? If you’re a technology company someone who specializes in the food industry most likely isn’t going to be the best fit.
But why? Because you need a marketing agency that “gets” you and your vision. That understands your customers and potential customers. The latter may even be more important than the former. Understanding your customers translates into understanding how to communicate with them, and yes, sell to them.
KEY QUESTION: What experience do you have in my industry, and do you have examples to back it up?
Are the people you’re talking to during the hiring process the ones you will be working with on a regular basis?
In my 30-plus years of working with agencies, either as a staff member or a client, one thing is true 90% of the time – the people who pitch you are probably not going to be the ones that work for you.
A great proposal and subsequent strategy that’s developed can be derailed or hindered when the original team that pitched your business hands off the work to someone else.
Many take pride in being strategic thinkers, but are they also capable and engaged enough to also do the tactical work?
Have you ever signed off on a marketing plan only to find when it came to execution it missed the mark? The vision/strategies laid out were not what was executed. It can happen more often than not. You may see the principals again, but usually when it’s time to renew the contract or pitch an additional project.
KEY QUESTION: Who is on my team as your client, and when do I meet them?
What are their fee structures (and which one is right for you)?
Throughout my career as an agency executive and as a consultant, the area that has caused the most confusion and consternation is the fee structure.
Do you recommend a retain, a per-project fee, or just an hourly fee applied to various projects?
Agency fee structures are complicated, but they don’t need to be. There are plusses and minus to both retainers and project fees.
Operate from the attitude that the marketing firm you hire is a partner in your success. You do well, and they prosper also.
When you have that mindset, then fees should be a part of your budget that is allocated to marketing. It’s important to keep that in mind when working with (notice I didn’t say “negotiating with”) the marketing agency you decide to bring on.
At our firm, we work on a retainer basis, but with one very important element included: deliverables that are tangible, achievable, and measurable.
So many agencies give you a retainer amount that you can’t track to programs and outcomes. Be sure to have deliverables for each month of the retainer you agree to at the outset.
The same holds true if you (and your agency partner) decide to work together on a project basis with a set number of hours. Be sure to have deliverables tied to outcomes, including a timeline for those deliverables.
KEY QUESTION: What are the deliverables we can expect each month and the timeline for their execution?
If you look at a marketing agency as a partner, and not a vendor, then these questions will be that much easier.
Believe it or not, most agencies who have a passion for business (including yours) go the extra mile to find ways to partner with you and help you succeed. Are they in the business of building a client base so they can be successful? Of course! But they should also be in the people business – including you, your clients, and your staff.
Working with a marketing firm that is passionate about your business and theirs can be rewarding for all parties involved, and make doing business together that much easier and enjoyable.
