So you’re ready to go find a new agency…? Really? Are you sure about that?  Because the reality is you will likely make any process almost impossible to complete without having a clear picture of what you’re searching for and how you’re going to find it.

So here are a dozen questions to think about before you start.  And if you think this is hard work – trust me – it’s way harder not answering them:

Why are we doing this?

Do you know why you’re looking for a new agency?  What’s changed in your requirements that’s causing you to contemplate a new agency, and why can’t your current agency fulfill your needs?  If those initial questions are even remotely difficult, you’re falling at the first fence and need to get your reasoning clear. Because without understanding why, you can’t begin to define the kind of agency your organization needs.

Have you done your homework on yourself?

The better equipped you are in understanding your own organization, the more likely you are to find the right agency partner. If your current agency relationship has run into difficulties, it’s essential to understand what role your team and organization played in navigating those difficulties.  By being honest with yourself, you’re able to identify internal challenges and roadblocks, and proactively deal with them before looking for a new agency and potentially duplicating those problems before you start.

Are you prepared for disruption?

No matter how well prepared you are, marketers should be aware that any search process is going to be disruptive. Marketers should consider what current initiatives are being worked on and whether to expedite or delay those initiatives, pending the appointment of a new agency. Even once appointed, expect delays resulting from handover from one agency to another and the inevitable learning curve that comes with any new agency.

Have you defined your scope of work?

This is often one of the hardest exercises for marketers to pull together – either because they’ve not defined their scope recently, or it’s such a moving target that committing pen to paper is difficult.  But when it comes to finding a new agency, it’s a challenge that has to be addressed before you start.  Why?  First, because you want to define the services you want your new agency to be able to deliver.  And second because eventually you’re going to want a cost against that scope of work.

What’s a realistic timetable given our internal calendars?

We often get called in to manage a pitch with the mandate that ‘we need to get this done as soon as possible…’ We propose a timetable and the client says ‘so and so is away, we have a conference that week and, and, and’. Add in logistics and preparation time for agencies, and the timetable moves out.  So before you start, create a realistic workback schedule and share big picture timing with your chosen agencies to ensure they can accommodate key dates.

Do you have a budget?

Eek! Even if you’re not asking for some sort of spec work that would need to be properly paid for, you’ll need to set aside a budget for travel (yours and your selected agencies) and legal work. If you’re asking for any spec work you need to budget more than a nominal feel.  As a general rule of thumb, that means the actual fair market cost for the work, less profit – shared equally between you and your prospective agencies. For more on best practices around spec work and appropriate payment, please ask.

Do you have the ok to proceed?

Many organizations have corporate governance and / or specific procurement requirements around sourcing services greater than a certain amount, so it’s worth checking to ensure you’re clear before you start.  Marketers should also be familiar with their incumbent agency contracts, notice and termination requirements – before initiating a search for a new agency.

Have you told your incumbent?

Allowing your incumbent agency to find out you’re searching for a new agency from someone other than you is a complete no-no.  Your incumbent agency should be the first agency you share the news that you’re going to market with, together with your anticipated timing and formalities around termination in accordance with the terms of your contract.   

Do you have a search process?

Today, there are many search processes from which to choose beyond the traditional RFI / RFP.  Whatever you decide, it’s essential to have a defined process to share with your chosen agencies so they can understand what they’re getting into.  In the event they see the process and choose not to participate, it’s better to know that sooner rather than later.

Who’s your search team?

Any marketer searching for a new agency needs to appoint a search team who can be available and will attend all agency meetings. Your chosen resources have to make a commitment to make time for all agency meetings and have the time to assess and discuss each agency during evaluation.  While your team can comprise diverse resources across the organization, it’s important that whoever you appoint are fully empowered to make the best decision for your organization

What are your evaluation criteria?

You and your search team need to define and align on your search criteria, together with your scoring mechanism, before beginning.  This is needed to align teams around specific evaluation methodologies and to provide guidance to agencies around how they’ll be evaluated and what’s critical to success.  For more on creating the perfect scorecard read this.

What are the politics?

Yes really. It’s important for marketers to be aware of the politics of their own organizations and be proactive about dealing with them. If, for example, there’s pressure or bias to see or favour a particular agency or eliminate a particular agency early on, then those issues have to be dealt with and all biases eliminated before you start. Simply put, if you don’t have a level playing field, you’re not ready for an agency search.

Pulling the trigger on an agency search isn’t something any marketer should take lightly. Careful preparation is essential to any search process and if any of this has made you sweat a little, perhaps we can help.

While agency searches may not be everyone’s favourite thing to have to deal with, they’re exercises that have to be carefully prepared and managed. 

As you map your search process there may be additional questions worth considering to help create a more robust search approach, leading to a more rewarding outcome and stronger agency partnership.  For example, you’ll need to consider:

Ultimately, the decision to call an agency search is yours – so you need to be sure it’s the right decision and that you have a clear understanding as to why your incumbent agency relationship isn’t working, as well as a clear vision for the kind of agency best suited to your needs moving forward.

Getting this groundwork wrong could not only land you in hot water, it could also potentially be something of a career limiting move.  Here’s why: 

Your brand is on the line

Generally speaking, marketers don’t change agencies that often.  Unless it’s a government or corporate governance requirement, it’s typically either an indication there’s been a material change in resources, scope or requirements and / or something’s not working with an incumbent agency.

Calling another agency search hot on the heels of the last one, won’t look good on your organization, the brands you represent – or you – because it’s an indication your internal challenges are overshadowing what agencies are bringing the table.

Results miss

No matter how well prepared your search process might be, the reality is agency searches can be disruptive to projects, teams, long-term planning activities – and results.

If your team is focused on evaluating new agencies and then settling in a new one until the agency finds its natural rhythm for your business, chances are results are going to be that much more challenging to achieve.

Get the process or choice wrong, and the chances of a marketing or sales results miss are going to increase.

It’ll cost you. (A lot).

Whether or not you choose to ask (and pay) for spec work in your search process, key internal resources are going to have to be pulled from live projects into your search initiative. And when they’re not focused on active projects, that’s an inevitable distraction from doing what they were hired to do.

Should the search process go wrong or – God forbid – have to be repeated, that’s going to eat into valuable time and costs that could otherwise be deployed elsewhere.

Your personal reputation

Whether you realize it or not, an agency search is also an opportunity to for others to evaluate you.  Agencies are sizing you and your team up as a potential client.  Your executive team will be expecting great things from the new agency and looking to you to make the right decision.  And your own team will be looking to ensure they have the right agency in place to help them execute what needs to get done.

If the process or new agency falls short of expectations, all eyes are going to be on you and the choices you made along the way, and future decisions around significant marketing choices may be called into question.

The decision to undertake any agency review shouldn’t be under estimated. Well-chosen agencies can form the basis of a relationship that could last decades and will have a lasting impact on the development of marketing strategies, the growth and success of your business and the development of your brand.

Cutting corners, not planning properly and ultimately getting your search wrong, could not only cost you but also damage your reputation. Taking the time to get it right by planning each step will pay dividends in the long-run and reflect well on you, your team and your company.

How can we help ensure your next search is a success?









Image by DilokaStudio on Freepik.





We’re often asked by both marketers and agencies, what lessons we’ve learned from the scores of searches we’ve helped manage.





While a search process can seem daunting, it can be made easier, faster and stronger by avoiding some common pitfalls. These can transform a search from a slog into a speedy success story taking weeks – perhaps even months – off the process – all thanks to a little extra prep.





So, what have we learned and observed? And what are the most common pitfalls made by marketers when preparing for and conducting an agency search?





Here are five for marketers.  And five for agencies:





Lessons for marketers





Less is more





The faster you can get to a dialogue with your prospective agency(s) the better. And one of the biggest mistakes marketers and their procurement teams make is stuffing their RFP documents full of too many and superfluous questions. The result is you’re then left with pages of documentation to comb through and presentations that barely have enough time to cover what’s been asked – much less leave enough time for questions or a meaningful dialogue.





Different wish lists





Consider that not everyone on your team is going to have the same wish list. Aligning your team upfront is like setting the search compass together. It helps you and your search consultant define the must-have qualities in your ideal agency. Plus, by talking it out with stakeholders, you’ll uncover hidden gems of insight that might have been missed. It’s a win-win for a smoother, more successful search.





Beware shiny objects





“Shiny objects” – whether they come in the guise of theatrics, new technology, clever apps, or indeed anything else that takes away from your pre-agreed evaluation criteria – should never be allowed to overshadow your search process.  Please.  Beware shiny objects!





Find out how your organization needs to improve





As in all relationships, there are two sides to everything.  If you’re going to the trouble of conducting an agency search, you should (at the very least) do a debrief with you team to look at how your next relationship can – and needs to – perform better.  What processes need to be reviewed?  Does your current team structure accurately reflect your needs moving forward?  Resolving some of these issues now may help alleviate the pressure on defining some agency evaluation criteria and your final selection.





Define your evaluation criteria





Defining accurate and meaningful evaluation criteria helps define both the type of agency you should be looking for and also the attributes those agencies need to bring to the table.  If your criteria aren’t defined (and agreed) up front, at best you’ll have difficulty getting alignment but at worst the team could choose an agency that’s not right for your business.










If you’d like to know more, call us or ask the Association of Canadian Advertisers for their best practice guide on Searching For A Marketing Communications Agency Partner authored by us










Lessons for agencies





Heads-up, there’s a theme to the lessons we’ve come up with for agencies…





The potential client is too big, too small or just isn’t right for your team





If it doesn’t feel right, say thank you and pass on the opportunity. That’s likely easier said than done when you’re striving for growth in a challenging economy but the taking a client on that isn’t right can potentially do significantly more harm than good.  Consider your teams.  Consider your culture.  Consider your reputation.  And above all – consider your sanity.  If it isn’t a fit – don’t take it on.





The potential client is asking too much





Think of a pitch as a first date.  Whether asking too much, or asking for proposals in an unreasonable amount of time – guess what kind of a client they’re likely to be in the months and years ahead? If it’s going to turn your agency inside-out to deliver, say thank you and pass on the opportunity.





Warning signs in the ask





Warning signs come in many guises – but some to watch for: Unreasonable timelines. Extended payment terms. A “cattle call” with dozens of agencies in the same pitch. A client that’s cycled through multiple agencies in a short period of time. The list goes on. But if you see warning signs before you start, say thank you and pass on the opportunity.





There’s no chemistry





After meeting the potential new client, there’s no chemistry between the client team and your agency team. Real simple: Say, thank you and pass on the opportunity – because if it’s not working in the pitch – it’s almost certainly not going to work day-to-day.





Your team’s burned out





This is crucially important – particularly when teams are stretched already. If your team’s burned out – give them a break, focus on getting them un-burned out, say thank you and pass on the opportunity – at least for now.





Bottom line for agencies – learn to say no and feel good about saying it when you need to.