How to select an agency – without spec creative.

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Pay them. That’s right.  Pay them.  I know you are likely scratching your head, but let me explain.  The idea of speculative creative has long been a hot topic for agencies and creative firms.  Frankly it’s the bane of our collective existence. What other professional service is expected to offer up free work in the hope of landing the business? Law firms don’t do it. Accountants don’t do it. Consultants don’t do it. Why creative service firms? Regardless of how we got here; let me explain why it’s not the best approach to selecting a firm. First and foremost the client enters the relationship underwater. You picked the best firm and now you’ll be paying for it. The company you select is entering a relationship with a huge mental debt. Tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars already spent, just to get the business. How do you think they’ll act once they can start invoicing? It’s conceivable that they may try to find anyway possible to get back the initial investment. And even if they don’t, they may hold a financial grudge against you, thereby reducing or eliminating any “favors” you might need along the way. Secondly, it devalues the work. If it’s free the first time, then how can it be possibly worth anything the second time? Lastly, it doesn’t give you a good idea of how they work.

We offer this approach instead. Go about your normal approach, judge firms based on whatever criteria you deem most important to get to a short list of finalists. Next meet them. Get a feel for how they are as a group. Call it a chemistry meeting.

Next take your top 3 and assign them an actual project with an actual budget. It doesn’t have to be a large budget, but it should be fair. Now the agency is motivated by the opportunity and a legitimate payday. Moreover, you get a chance to see how they operate. Are they organized? Communicative? Open to your ideas? Are they on time? And lastly, how good was their work?

By doing this with multiple firms, you will get a variety of perspectives as well as a good idea of what firms mesh best with your needs. Does this require more of your time? Yes. Is it free creative? No. But your marketing should be an investment – an investment that isn’t based on who answers the call for spec creative.