The Inside Story on Outside Support |
When human and financial resources are limited, it becomes more imperative that those resources are leveraged to generate maximum return for the company.
An experienced marketing services company works with its clients to customize program complexity and each project's scope of services to help effectively address the challenges, as well as maximize market impact for available resources.
To find the right firm, begin by answering these questions:
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Would you most benefit from assistance with strategy development, or a firm that is a pro with execution? |
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Are you looking for a firm to execute what you want, or challenge your thinking? |
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Do you want a firm that has lived in your industry, or that can bring a fresh and objective perspective to your business? |
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Are you launching something new, transitioning an emerging brand to the market majority, or milking a cash cow? |
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Is geographic proximity important or a track record for successfully resolving the types of challenges you face? |
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Would you prefer working with the senior-level staff of a smaller agency or the mid- to lower-level staff of a larger firm? |
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Are you looking for a partner or a vendor? |
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| Finding the right agency relationship can be as difficult as finding the right personal relationship, and just as satisfying when you do. |
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Do you want the lowest cost provider or the agency that delivers the best value? |
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How are you defining marketing success and has/can the agency deliver on that metric? |
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What are you prepared to invest in the growth of your business or brand? |
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What are the agencies you are considering, doing to promote their own business? |
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If you have had a failed agency relationship, what didn't work and why? |
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Once you know what you are looking for, interview some agencies. Narrow your list down to no more than three. Tell them your most pressing challenge and ask them to tell you how they have resolved that issue for other client companies. Take a look at their case histories and see where you feel the chemistry with the agency team is the strongest. Great work requires a great relationship.
