 Originally published on Act-On Software blog on October 26, 2015. Finally. The economy is improving. Businesses are beginning to invest in marketing again. And, while many of us were hunkering down and doing the best we could during the recession, the whole marketing world has turned upside down in the past seven years.
Consider the following:
And CEOs are pushing marketers hard. Just last week, Brad Jakeman, President of PepsiCo’s beverage group, boldly told the Association of National Advertising’s annual “Masters of Marketing” conference attendees, “There is no such thing as digital marketing. There is marketing — most of which happens to be digital.” He urged marketers to create digital cultures, not digital departments. Got a marketing predicament? An agency might be your answer There’s a lot of heavy lifting for CMOs to properly manage an effective, efficient, and results-driven marketing organization. Increasing your reliance on an agency – even in the short term – can be a smart way to bridge the skills / organizational / technology marketing gap.
How do I know which agency is MY agency? We’ve all lived through the agency pitch. The case studies are compelling. The positioning is smart, polished, and nicely presented. The people around the table seem competent. Isn’t there a “secret sauce” to tell them apart? In my years of hiring and firing agencies, I’ve developed a few basic – but important – rules to remember. I call them the (new) Four Ps… The Four Ps: Your Agency Selection Checklist 1. People Marketing is a people-centric business, in spite of all the technology at hand. So the first thing you have to consider is simple. Who is your day-to-day team? You have to like them and respect them. And be able to learn from them. In my opinion, nothing is more important than the promise that your team will truly get along with their counterparts on the agency side. Don’t hesitate to do a little people-matching as you look at potential agency partners. And don’t be afraid to play a little chess before you sign up for services to get the best people for your team on your team. If the agency wants your business, they’ll want the best match too. 2. Practices Your agency should be well versed in today’s modern marketing best practices. So dig in. Do they practice what they preach? Check them out thoroughly, especially online:
It’s important to understand whether your marketing agency leads by example. Simply put, if they’re not showcasing the best in modern marketing, I recommend you move along and find someone who does. Marketing moves too quickly to put your stock into an agency that doesn’t stay on the cutting edge – so you can stay on the leading edge. 3. Processes Point #1 notwithstanding, it’s important that any agency have well-documented processes. Compatible people are critical as you enter into trusted relationships. But proven processes make those compatible people highly effective – no matter the situation. And truly, results are what matter in any agency-client relationship. I have found that the best agencies have well-documented, tried and true processes for their primary activities. So go ahead and ask about the processes you’re about to embark upon together.
4. Partnerships Every marketing agency is a part of an ecosystem. And that ecosystem is an important indicator of the agency’s successful approach. Explore:
You can gain insights into the approach and success of an agency by the company it keeps. How an agency engages within the community can also expose their true thought leadership potential. Today, successful agency-client relationships are driven as much by shared experiences as by cultures and goals. So explore the agency ecosystem. Do you like who shows up with them? Are you comfortable with their place within their community? If so, you’re likely to form a strong partnership yourselves. Taken together, these are strong indicators of (yet another) P… Promise.
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