Establishing an Agency Relationship What to consider

Establishing an Agency Relationship

What to consider when calling in outside professionals

by Kathy Wall

Perhaps your newly developed strategy calls for aggressive growth. Or, you’ve been humming along and sales are just okay. Or, your business is declining and you need help stat. It’s time to call in the pros. A creative communications agency can take your business to the next level and beyond. Whether you’ve never worked with an outside firm or you think you need to make a switch from a current relationship, here’s how to get started..

Determine Your Goals

Increasing reach and awareness into a much broader geographic area requires a different strategy than competing with a new company that’s moved in down the street. Public relations pros spend lifetimes nurturing relationships with editors and journalists. If PR is top of your wish list, choose to work with the “best rolodex” you can afford.

Or do you want to get where you are going faster and have a budget for paid advertising? If so, you’ll want to work with someone who offers media planning services in addition to PR.

Do you have staff but need consultations with experts that allow you to develop and execute programs in-house? Put an agency on retainer for consultation services only.

Find a True Partner

Many years ago, a big agency hired me to consult with them as they pitched prospective furnishings clients. They realized too late that they didn’t know a drapery rod from a café curtain rod. When I reviewed their failed presentation to the never-would-be client, I was horrified at the slide that said they’d use the initial months to “build relationships with media.” You don’t want to spend money helping tan agency learn to do their job so instead check the directories of industry organizations you belong to. Trade magazines also often offer lists of suppliers and vendors. A good old-fashioned Google search with industry-specific keywords will also net a nice list. And finally, never forgot word of mouth.

Be Specific—Including a Budget

Call the ones that appeal to you and then track how it plays out. Is a company exec available to talk or schedule a call? Or do you get bounced to a junior-level person that “screens” you first?

Ask about their experience and current client roster. Can they take on new business? (Silly question. They’ll always say, “Yes.”) Are they genuinely interested in your goals? Do they speak industry lingo? What’s their client onboarding process? Will they meet face to face via video conference or travel to meet with you?

When you are comfortable with one or two firms that have your best interest in the forefront, it’s easier to go to step three—the budget. In setting this, do your research; this isn’t a bunch of tasks you hand off to some faceless entity to implement. It’s a relationship and you want to find a team that knows your industry intimately but brings fresh thinking and creative expression garnered from a wider-scope perspective.

Just like utilities and salaries, a strong communications program is a necessary business investment. Have a range in mind and ask for proposals offering better/best scenarios. (Skip “good”; it won’t move the needle and you’ll get frustrated with spending money that nets minimal results.) From the agency side of the table, services can be scaled to fit your purse. But, they’ll need to know if you are carrying a tote or a mini-clutch. Potential agency partners will not want you overwhelmed by unrealistic numbers, or worse, underwhelmed when you are seeking “wow.”

Evaluate their proposals and ask for any adjustments if needed. This doesn’t mean getting the same services for less money; agencies are paid not only for their expertise but time just like you are. You can, however, choose to prioritize services, focusing on those that are most important.

Plan on a monthly retainer with a one-year contract. Successful communications programs (PR, advertising, social media) don’t happen overnight. You’ll need a full year to strategize, develop, implement, measure, adjust, and reap rewards. Working with the right agency can energize and help grow your business. It’s time to get started. Break out and soar in 2018. z

Kathy Wall is president and ringleader of The Media Matters, an agency in the Triad area of North Carolina offering marketing, advertising, and brand strategy to a roster of international clients. Kathy has shared her talents with the home furnishings industry for three decades before forming her own business 16 years ago. Her motto? “We don’t work with jerks.”

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