How to select the right agency for your business…
I mentioned the other day that I’m shopping for an interactive agency at work. A couple folks wrote asking how my group approached the effort. Here’s what works for us:
- You must understand what you’re looking for. Different agencies bring different skill sets and competencies – regardless of how diverse each might claim to be. Their skill sets need to match your goals.
- Reach out to a broad range of agencies. If you think you’re just looking for a search firm, talk to some integrated shops, too. And vice versa. Finding the right fit takes looking around.
- Make sure all stakeholders in the organization share the same goals. Nothing ensures a failed agency relationship like finding out later that your e-commerce and marketing teams have different expectations of the agency.
- Make the compensation package fit your goals, too. For interactive/search agencies, I prefer performance bonuses built into the contract based on the agency meeting given goals. If your candidate agencies are unwilling to accept that type of arrangement, keep looking.
- Finally, make sure the personalities between the teams mesh. You’ll work with these folks everyday going forward. It won’t work if you don’t get along.
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Tim,
This is a great list. If I could also add something that is many times overlooked is if the agency is proactive or reactive to the clients needs and every changing technology landscape. During the due diligence references should be checked and their proactive / reactive culture should be weighed.
– John
I couldn’t agree more, John. How the agency fits your culture has more to do with the success of the agency relationship than anything else. The best agency in the world will fail if they’re not the right one for you.
-Tim