Comments on: 5 Tips on Selecting a Marketing Agency

By: Why Not Use WordPress? | MarketingInProgress.com by Brett Duncan

Why Not Use WordPress? | MarketingInProgress.com by Brett Duncan — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:02:00 +0000

[...] asked this question many times when talking with “big” companies and “hot” agencies, and it often warrants a snicker and dumbfounded look from most people in the [...]

By: How to Fire Clients Like Don Draper | MarketingInProgress.com

How to Fire Clients Like Don Draper | MarketingInProgress.com — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:44:04 +0000

[...] many clients hire agencies or consultants to simply execute their ideas. They don’t go into it that way, but after they [...]

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:30:09 +0000

Well, I’ve seen a lot of examples of how not to manage it. Unclear direction, constantly switching gears, being indecisive, obsessing over about minutae.

So good practices would be do the opposite of all that.

Oh, and buy your agency a beer every so often. We love that.

By: Is your agency ripping you off? @ Build Communications

Is your agency ripping you off? @ Build Communications — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:33:55 +0000

[...] Duncan over at MarketingInProgress.com has a nice post about what to look for in a marketing agency. He has some good tips. Here is my favorite: Next time [...]

By: Brett

Brett — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:33:43 +0000

Chris – yeah, I think clients are often time more responsible for poor relationships than anything else. It’s easy to think this agency is just going to take something off of your plate completely, when in reality your management skills actually have to increase to make sure the agency’s work is being maximized within your own guidelines.

So are there any good practices you’ve seen in terms of how clients can effectively manage an agency relationship?

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:07:49 +0000

Nice post. You give some good information about finding/working with an agency. To often, I think clients manage their agency relationship poorly because they don’t trust them. You hired the agency, why would you not let them use the expertise and talents you hired them for?

That said, clients should also trust their instincts. Ask tough questions of your agency. If you’re not convinced that their recommendations are sound, they should be able to defend them. Sometimes agencies act primarily in their own interest. The best ones act in the best interest of their clients and their clients’ budgets.