Would Like to Meet……

In life it may be true that you have to kiss a few frogs before you meet a prince (or princess)….but in business, there’s no time to waste on frog kissing. Finding the right marketing partner first time so that you’re not wasting time, money and ideas on a relationship that just isn’t going to work is essential.  And actually, it’s easier than you might think if you follow these three golden rules:

1.    Get your timing right

Lots of companies make the mistake of looking for a marketing partner when they are not really ready, so beware of bringing a consultant on board too early because your business needs to be able to cope with any increase in enquiries generated the marketing activity.

Similarly, don’t wait until the last minute.  Ensure that your marketing partner has enough time to get to know your business, develop a strategy and deliver a tactical plan, if they are constantly playing catch up and rushing initiatives through, the relationship will flounder.

2.    Know What You’re Looking For

It may be your marketing partner’s job to help you achieve your business objectives – but it’s your job to know what they are. Be certain you can brief them clearly about who you want to communicate with and what you want the outcomes to be, otherwise the approach will be scattergun and ineffective

3.    Do your research

The days when finding a supplier was as scientific as sticking a pin in the yellow pages are – thankfully! – behind us. Spend time researching various marketing partners online. How do they market themselves? Who else do they work for? What services do they offer? What results have they achieved? By all means interview two or three before you appoint anyone but narrow down your search and increase your chances of a successful partnership by getting to know them before you brief them about you.