Hiring a Marketing Agency – Style vs Substance?

When hiring a marketing professional or agency, do you prefer loud, high-energy, bullhorn style leaders who drive action through the force of their personality and personal marketing – or quiet, calculating communications pros who execute strategy and drive credit for success back to those who hired them? They both serve a function.

Agencies with a well-known, “influencer-style” CEO utilize their media profile to attract business via a constant drumbeat of media interviews and PR initiatives. The goal is to have their CEO in the spotlight 24/7; whereas, agencies with more traditional leadership have generally spent years in the marketing and advertising trenches. These agencies focus on the long game and are generally focused on shifting the credit for continuous improvement to the in-house marketing team.

It’s the difference between hiring Meryl Streep or the Kardashians for your promotion. Both have an audience and the choice may depend on the type of brand they are representing. Having vetted agencies during my corporate career, I can tell you that they both serve a purpose.

Having an “influencer-style” marketing agency lead represent you at an event, product kick-off or ad campaign may be the way to go to increase excitement over a short period of time. Whereas, if my goals are longer-term and require significant time and the experience of the CEO, I may opt for the more traditional agency.

Depending on whether your goals are short-term or long-germ may determine which type of agency you select. No business likes to spend money on marketing so make sure you have measurable results defined and agreed to by both parties prior to beginning a new engagement. Remember, when you hire an agency, you are hiring people, not some faceless bureaucracy, so understand as much as possible about the people you hire.

Contact mybffsocial.com today for a free consultation about your marketing initiative. Our goal is to make you more BFF’s “Business Friends Forever”.

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