Best Practice
10 tips to find the
right contractor
Trevor Punt, director TBG
Group, outlines the pitfalls
to avoid when appointing a
marketing contactor
W
ith the continuing advent of technology
and new marketing tactics it can be
almost impossible for organisers to stay on top of
the latest trends, which makes picking the right
contractor a decision not to be taken lightly.
Don’t ignore research
“Tell a contractor
the budget is £20k
and they’ll find a
way to make their
bid £20k.”
Before you start looking for a contractor carry out
thorough background research. A good marketer
should have a good understanding of their
industry, their customers, who the buyers are, the
best channels to reach them and what marketing
messages they’re likely to respond to.
Don’t think telepathy works
A phone call can convey expected capabilities,
iron out any issues, get to know the team and
discover any personality clashes which could be
detrimental to the success of your marketing.
Don’t be vague.
Send out a detailed ‘request for proposal’ (RFP).
An RFP will help determine the company that
best meets your criteria and budget. Detail will
make the search for the best marketing option so
much easier.
Don’t think big means best
Speed, quality, excellence, innovation and
reliability may be better from a smaller supplier
Don’t choose wacky over strategy
Creativity is important, but a strategy led solution
will deliver results such as leads generated,
website visitors and conversion.
Don’t expect them to know what they’re doing
Most marketers are probably well-versed in a
specific discipline or two but probably not so well
versed in all of them.
Don’t expect a contractor to be working on
your project every day
Your project is a big deal to you, but for your
contractor it’s just another job. Contractors juggle
jobs, which means that they’re almost definitely
NOT going to be there every day.
Don’t tell a contractor your budget
Tell a contractor the budget is £20k and they’ll
find a way to make their bid £20k. Get proposals
from several contractors so you can compare
costs and services.
Don’t tell a contractor that you’re not in a
hurry
Communicate timelines, weekly expectations and
let the contractor know that they will lose money
if the job is not completed within a reasonable
timeframe.
Don’t Agree to a “Gentleman’s Agreement”
A contract signed by both parties will ensure
that everyone knows and agrees terms otherwise
your project may become one big profanity-laced
tirade.
These might seem like simple guidelines, but
they’re a lot more difficult to practice in real
life. Everyone tries to take shortcuts. Don’t take
shortcuts with contractors or you will regret it.
October — 49