A great digital production partner will help you tell a compelling story, communicate in new ways and grow engagement.
They should be able to address current marketing problems and come up with innovative solutions.
Companies today shouldn’t cut corners on this important aspect of marketing. Video is one of the most effective ways to market your services—and that’s true no matter what your industry or product.
But with so many digital agencies out there today, how do you find the right match?
As an Agency Search Consultant, I’ve had plenty of experience sourcing and matching partner companies.
Read on to learn more about how I help clients find the ideal agency match.
Use a Qualifications Based Search (QBS)
I approach my client matching process with a qualification based search (QBS)
What does this mean?
Most search consultants lead clients through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process where capabilities are evaluated in the context of the lowest possible price.
I prefer QBS because it is perfect for professional services that are custom, complex, and costly.
Studies show that when compared to a typical price-based Request for Proposal (RFP) process, QBS…
- Provides a quicker and lower cost procurement process
- Delivers higher quality solutions with fewer schedule and budget overages
- Allows for greater innovation
- Supports long-term solutions instead of short-term thinking
- Results in lower long-term costs
The QBS process focuses on finding the most qualified provider of professional services, at a fair and negotiated price, instead of a provider at an artificially low price who may be the least qualified.
This is important for companies looking for a marketing agency or digital production partner because you want high-quality, effective results.
Do a 5-Step Search Process
Here’s the five-step process I typically use to help clients.
1. First, we do a search kick-off.
It’s a time where we come together and build a search team. The team comprises various members of an organization who are intimately involved with the marketing agency and whose voices and perspectives should be considered in the search. The search team and I will then discuss and establish the following:
- Your business goals, needs, and wants
- Your timetable
- Team roles and responsibilities
- A review of your agency history and lessons learned
- Preparing key messages for internal communication
2. Once I establish some key guidelines in the kick-off, next, we’ll move on to the search phase, where we’ll work on finding the ideal production partner or marketing agency.
Steps include:
- Research market for suitable agencies for long list including ownership structure and potential conflicts
- Prepare and issue an agency Request for Information questionnaire
- Prepare agency evaluation scorecard
- Evaluate questionnaire responses and rank order
3. Once we develop a list of suitable digital production partners, we’ll move into evaluating and comparing agencies.
Here’s how I typically move through step three:
- Evaluate questionnaire responses and meet with the agency to assess team chemistry
- Develop an agency shortlist before continuing in the search process
- Prepare and issue Request for Qualifications based on goals, needs and wants
- Prepare questionnaire scorecard
- Identify the most suitable agency
Finally, I’ll do further follow-up with appropriate agencies and continue to evaluate for best fit.
4. Next, we’ll work on optimizing value with negotiation.
In this phase, I lead negotiation with the agency on behalf of the client, leveraging proprietary benchmarks created over decades of experience with agency searches.
- Evaluate financial and resource plans against needs
- Assess fit to business goals and industry norms
- Compare fees to industry benchmarks
- Identify opportunities to add value: services, resources and reduced cost
5. Step five is all about launching the partnership.
A significant number of new Client Agency relationships fail within 24 months. The quality and thoroughness of the onboarding process for a new agency has proven time and again to be a key success factor in a productive long-term client-agency relationship.
As your Search Consultant, I will assist with:
- Communicate to the awarded agency and other participants
- Lead the turnover process, which includes:
- Transferring Assets
- Agency Onboarding
- Announcing the Decision
Get Help Finding the Best Digital Production Partner
Finding the ideal Digital Production Partner can be a complex process, which is why many companies hire professional consultants to help with their searches.
To summarize, here’s my philosophy and approach:
- I manage a qualifications-based search process
- I will evaluate and understand your company’s marketing service needs
- Use up-to-date research to find suitable agencies
- I use scorecards and other evaluation tools to find the right agency for you
- Develop all external communication to agencies
- Prepare internal summaries, executive reports on search progress
- Chairing and mediating client/agency meetings to evaluate and ensure fit and chemistry of the group
- Provide ongoing advice and counsel to the client search team
Are you ready to join forces?
I offer marketing agency search and performance management services to organizations looking to partner with the best agencies.
If you want to learn more about how I can help, please reach out!
Recent Comments