Every company has its own process for evaluating potential agencies to work with. Some use objective rubrics, others use gut feelings. Still, others claim to have a “secret sauce” or hybrid evaluation process. While that secret sauce is helpful, developing one is no easy feat. Here’s how to create an agency hiring process that gives appropriate weight to both objective and subjective elements. Start with the facts. Make your process for hiring an agency as objective as possible at first. To narrow it down to your final three or four agencies, create a list of measurable, tangible must-haves. Any agency that makes it to the final few should have the following attributes: A deep knowledge of your industry, mixed with the ability to provide comprehensive solutions: The agency should have a depth of experience in your industry or with your key audience, but it should also be able to provide holistic counsel. Unfortunately, agencies that hit the sweet spot between niche expertise and integrated solutions are hard to come by. According to one study, 78 percent of clients said they are frustrated with the ways agencies handle holistic communications approaches. An impressive track record of driving leads and sales: The agency should be able to provide hard facts, figures, and insights that demonstrate how those results moved the needle for previous and current clients. No matter how good an agency’s pitch is, it should have measurable results to back up the claims. Pretty words won’t make you money. Solid shop stability: You don’t want to work with a team that will dissolve after only a few months. That’s why having the actual team involved in the new business process is critical. You can see how [...]