Deciding to invest in marketing and PR through an agency partnership is a strategic business decision. Picking an agency is the critical next step and it should be done with careful consideration. The right partner can make a world of difference in how your brand is known and perceived by its various stakeholders (or if it’s perceived at all). This is especially true in today’s increasingly complex and hypercompetitive business environment. Let’s face it – the noise level on social platforms is arguably at an all-time high, buyers are bombarded and do their best to cocoon themselves from marketers, customer loyalty is fleeting, consolidation continues to impact earned media, and news cycles are protracting.

Unfortunately, getting it right is often easier said than done. The RFP process, though helpful, can muddy the waters for decision-makers outside of the marketing realm who may not know exactly what to look for in an agency partner. We spoke to several senior marketing leaders who are deeply familiar with identifying the “must-haves” that helped them successfully find new marketing agencies on multiple occasions. Their unfiltered insights identify the signs that a prospective agency is up to the task.

1. They simply get “it.”

“If the agency presents itself as an expert in my industry but their words, actions, and results suggest otherwise, that’s a problem.” – Carolyn Crandall, cybersecurity and tech industry CMO

Marketing agency teams don’t live and breathe inside the four walls of your organization each day, nor do they spend their entire week focused on your industry. Yet, they still have to operate as if they do, demonstrating nuanced knowledge of the client’s business: what it does, its differentiators, its value props, and its audience. So how will you know? How does the agency demonstrate their knowledge during the RFP process?

By asking the right questions, showcasing which storylines will resonate with your target media and speaking your language. Also, when evaluating your options, make sure the prospective firms not only have deep and current experience in your industry but have successfully delivered for those clients. That’s the difference between simply working in the sector and excelling in it.

2. They think two steps ahead.

“I don’t want to be leading my agency partner; I want them to lead me.” – Carolyn Crandall

You’re hiring an agency, so you don’t have to do the heavy lifting or creative thinking—at least the bulk of it and certainly not all on your own. During the search process, decision-makers often focus on whether they were presented with “THE BIG IDEA” and not necessarily if that idea is achievable and truly supports their business. Those are important considerations, but search committees should not let them get in the way of seeing the bigger picture. What’s more important is the type of thinking they’re demonstrating and whether they provide fresh thinking and ideas that you had not considered.

3. They don’t “bait and switch.”

“Don’t bring the “B” or “C” team after the contract is signed.” – Cyware CMO Alex Bender

Many agencies claim that senior leaders will work on your business. Those executive titles will lead the pitch process because they bring seniority and a strong sales acumen. While that might give the appearance that you will a direct line to agency leadership, ask the tough and direct questions about their true involvement. Better yet, ask three or four of their clients, perhaps even through a “back door reference.”

When evaluating agencies’ presentations, focus less on how “senior” the team is and more on their dynamics. Who is doing the talking? How do they interact with one another? That will give you a better sense of how things work internally and whether the VP is part of the team or a pinch hitter who has stepped in to help clinch the contract.

4. They’ve got all the tools in their tool belt.

“The effective use of advanced marketing technologies and tools is imperative. If your agency is not leveraging data analytics, marketing automation, and other cutting-edge tools, it indicates a lag in their approach. The absence of these elements can significantly impair your competitive advantage and hinder optimization efforts.”  – Alex Bender

“The tech stack is more important than ever. I want to be sure that my agencies are using the best collaboration and reporting tools available. And the same goes for communicating with influencers and journalists.”  – Carolyn Crandall

Marketing and PR move fast, and technology moves even faster. Plenty has been said about “the way things are done,” but the key is finding an agency that’s concerned with the way things should be done. Keep an eye out for mentions of advanced tech tools in presentations and be sure to test the team’s knowledge of AI, analytics, and automation platforms. Of course, it’s not all about tech. Agencies that continuously invest in new tools in the name of their clients’ success are also more likely to create and/or embrace models that improve client work and partnerships.

5. They value and prioritize measurement and reporting.

Board-level scrutiny of PR/marketing spend is constant and having an agency partner that will work closely with you to demonstrate the return on investment to your key stakeholders is essential. Ask them to provide you with examples of (anonymized) C-level reports for other clients. Analyze how they are meeting and exceeding KPIs, including media traction, message pull through, SEO traffic, social media followers, industry share of voice, etc. Understand their approach to ensuring continuous improvement.

“If your current agency’s initiatives fail to produce incremental improvements or adapt to the evolving market landscape, it suggests a stagnation in strategic innovation.” – Alex Bender

6. They over-communicate but with relevance

“Marketing teams are often pressured to show how the brand value is accretive to the overall company’s goals and how to prove that the spending is worth it—that the juice is worth the squeeze. I need my agencies to support this.” – Patrick McBride, tech CMO

Far too often, the level and quality of communication by a prospective marketing agency during the “courtship phase” inevitably dips once the work starts. And—unfortunately—there’s no way to know for sure whether an agency will be continuously proactive with communications and perhaps more important, strategic recommendations once the engagement kicks off.

However, some elements of the search process can shed light on their ability to listen, collaborate, and communicate. If they confidently articulate the marketing and communications strategy as part of the proposal, that’s a good sign that they mean what they say. You should also pay attention to how they listen. It can speak volumes about the team’s priorities and approach to partnership.

7. You have chemistry – you like them

Just as you carefully consider new hires for your marketing team, take the time to ask yourself about the agency team you are about to hire. You will interact with them often so natural collaboration and synergy is critical to a successful, long-term partnership. Trust your gut on this during the process. The most successful client/agency partnerships we have are those where we truly act as an extension of their team, there is mutual trust and respect and we genuinely like working together.

As we all know, PR can be stressful and intense. Choose a team that is not only smart, experienced and strategic, but a team you genuinely like and are confident will work hard for you.

There is no magic formula for establishing a great marketing agency partnership. What works for one business won’t always work for another. However, at Matter, we think we’ve gotten pretty close. If you’re interested in learning more about partnering with us—or an agency in general—we’d love to talk. Contact us today.