Nothing Questioned. Nothing Learned.
Successful agency partnerships require a shared vision of the brand, the marketing strategy, corporate and agency values. Gaining a mutual understanding and agreement on these requirements is essential to the agency search process, which is why we collaborate closely with each client on the right search process to meet their unique business and cultural realities.
Our professional experience gives us the ability to listen intelligently to both agency and corporate perspectives, helping ensure that both sides are always in-synch on the search objectives, information needs, process steps and success requirements. At the end of the search process the challenge for our client’s marketing team should not be an agency elimination contest but the opportunity to select from the best of the best.
To learn more about some critical issues often shared by our clients and how we approach their resolution, click on an item of interest from the list below:
What’s the ideal list of agencies suitable for our interactive account?
Many clients either err on the side of inviting too many agencies to solicit their account or guess at the few agencies they believe may be qualified. Both approaches usually result in a bad match at the end of the search process. Weiss + Mowery helps clients avoid this problem through our familiarity with a wide spectrum of agencies –- both in size and capabilities, and regionally and nationally – so that we can effectively pre-screen candidate agencies for our clients. This knowledge results in a more efficient, focused choice of the ideal list of candidate agencies for a company’s marketing needs.
What’s the best compensation method to incent great agency performance?
Agencies can dedicate an inordinate amount of time, money and internal resources to winning a client’s account. Clients should be pleased with the competitiveness for their business. On the other hand, we’ve found that the best way to truly motivate agency competition is for the client to provide a budget for the agency’s work. It doesn’t have to be large and, in fact, no matter the amount, it’s unlikely to cover the agency’s costs. That said, it demonstrates to the agency that the client has some real skin the game and will motivate them to work harder on the client’s behalf.
How can we ensure that our interactive agency will effectively collaborate with our general advertising agency?
Tough question, especially since interactive agencies are assuming more of a brand leadership role with the increasing importance of the Internet to a client’s marketing mix. The final answer will vary by client organization. However, it’s imperative that clients do two things to ensure that creative efforts between two complementary agencies are optimized: 1. Lay down clear ground rules in advance and; 2. Ensure that there is accountable agency brand leadership and ongoing communication between the two firms –- and monitor regularly.
Is there a systematic way to compare one agency’s potential vs. another’s?
Yes, but it requires a stringent, thorough search process that begins by asking the right questions from the start –- and continues the questioning throughout the search. And, in the end, clear evaluation criteria should be in place to provide a side-by-side comparison of each agency’s qualifications –- capabilities, relevant success stories, brand insights, industry knowledge, creative innovation and team assignments.
How do we organize more effectively to optimize agency performance?
First, clients need to organize to effectively conduct an agency search. This means the active involvement of senior marketing management. Too often the search process is delegated to a junior member of the client team. Agency access to client decision-makers during the process is limited. As a result, issues of strategic importance to the client may be unclear, miscommunicated or overlooked by the agency. If an agency change is important then it’s just as important for the client to ensure that agencies have the knowledge and management access they need during the search process to provide their best recommendations to the client.
What’s the best way to coordinate a search for an interactive agency in conjunction with either a new or existing general agency relationship?
Start the process with honesty. If your existing agency is not being considered for the interactive assignment, professionally explain to them why. Ask for their input at the beginning of the process, so they’re not second-guessing your selection at the end. Once you’ve selected your interactive agency, set a time soon when you can host the two agencies to a business and/or social occasion. Lay down the ground rules for working together. Then, let the agencies relax and get to know each other. In the final analysis, much of a successful partnership will depend on chemistry, so mix in the right ingredients from the outset.
Should I look to one shop for all our interactive needs – Web design, email, search optimization, etc?
Busy clients will tell you that there is a virtue in consolidating the number of agencies they manage. Similarly, this approach puts greater accountability in fewer places. Other clients will forgo the convenience of managing fewer agencies in exchange for a “best of breed” approach. While this approach can be challenging from a coordination standpoint, it does allow more big agency hitters to get to the plate and increases the chances for a creative home run. Clients need to be in touch with their own organizational and cultural biases and choose the approach that works best for them.
How can we be sure that what we see in an agency’s pitch is what we get when we hire them?
There’s always a risk that that the agency’s first, best pitch is also their last best pitch. So, how do you ensure that the agency you choose continues to perform at a high level after they come onboard? First, ask that the agency team making the pitch is the agency team that stays with your account from day one. Don’t accept late inning pinch hitters. Thoroughly vet the agency team before, during and after the pitch. However, rather than only evaluating the agency, have the winning team professionally evaluate your own performance post-pitch. Good marriages last through open and honest communication. Learn from the agency what you can continue to do in your relationship to do get their best thinking. Define mutual roles and responsibilities. Agency teams love clients that make them an important part of the business –- good, bad or ugly.
