Choosing an agency…

One of the things I was personally looking forward to when we secured funding (which we did, just in case you didn’t know) was selecting an agency to work with. Having previously sold into agencies and having a wife who worked very much within that world, I had been witness to the many exciting, intelligent and genuinely engaging people that work in that industry, an area I have always (I admit) wanted to work in.

What I didn’t expect was how difficult it would be initially to offer people business, or at least the chance to win it. I accept our budget was not massive, but it also wasn’t something to ignore either. So, off I went calling up agencies whose blogs I’d been reading, whose names I’d seen in Campaign, who had been mentioned to me as people to call.

I called 5 agencies 3 weeks ago. Left messages for 3 new business directors, spoke to one CEO who was in a cab, and spoke to one other agency direct that day. That one got back to me straight away sending through details and information on what they could offer – alas it wasn’t what we were looking for but spot on in terms of speed and feedback. The CEO asked me to email him and I did, and he never responded. The 3 messages I left, remain to this day just that, messages. Messages that are yet to be returned. Business passed.

Thankfully, someone (thank you) put me in contact with someone who knows all about this stuff, and he (thank you) called up 3 boutique agencies he knows, introducing me personally. As such we now have 3 conversations lined up, with 3 agencies that seem very suited to our needs. Perfect. Now we have to choose.

Very easy. But for those that don’t have those people they can ask, the contacts of contacts? Who wants the business?