Whether you are an owner-led business, an up-and coming brand, or a multinational organisation, you are in a constant struggle to capture the attention of your various customers and stakeholders.
Communications plays a critical role, that goes beyond simple publicity, in supporting and sharing key information and content to your audiences.
Unfortunately, no person is an island, and it is challenging managing multiple audiences, countries, markets and products/services, to be able to manage all communications independently.
This is where the various agencies, consultants and contractors come in.
They are a lifeline and a support where the projects start to and become overwhelming – due to the number, nature, and nonsense that must be dealt with – to secure a positive outcome.
However, this is perhaps where the cookie crumbles.
It is easier to hold an ideal and over-optimistic expectation of an agency or consultant coming in to ‘save’ or ‘fix’ the situation, then they are realistically able to do so.
The inhouse communicator essentially does a different role to the agency or consultant.
Compounding this challenge in the partnership is the fact that both sides do not often understand each other’s role and scope in the relationship.
Communicators working within an organisation are expected to be specialists and must keep to as high a success rate as possible. There are stakeholder relationships and outcomes riding on them, if undelivered, will impact other functions and teams along the project timeline. While the inhouse team works on programmes and projects, these often overlap on delivery timeline, use of resources, and involve many of the same stakeholders. There is no ‘end’ to look forward to, as many of the projects are cyclical and long-term.
Consultants (or agency teams, or contractors) work with (and within) a mindset that places them in a project. The project – ideally – should be clear on what it is about, the outcomes required, be timebound, and have a clear off-ramp. Upon delivery of the project and outcomes, the consultant team will look for the next brief and start the project cycle again.
Given the differences in perspective, is it any wonder that the inhouse communicator and their agency/consultant are often frustrated when it comes to seeking to understand each other?
Why can’t we be friends?
It’s possible to have a harmonious relationship with your agency or consultancy team.
There are various benefits of working with agencies and consultants such as tapping on a knowledge base and capabilities previously inaccessible by the brand, gaining external and neutral perspectives on the brand’s assets, channels and messaging as well as additional talent to add on to programmes and campaigns and support with implementation or execution.
However, both parties must find a way, and grow the partnership together into a position of mutual benefit.
Deal with things that you can control; ignore the rest.
When you engage an agency or consultants, it’s often to address skill gaps, enhance competencies, or seek guidance for your leadership and management.
By bringing in specialised knowledge, fresh perspectives, and external insights, these professionals have the potential to drive significant improvements and propel your organisation forward.
While there are numerous external factors beyond your control – such as time constraints, existing relationships, or historical challenges – you hold the power to shape the environment for both your team and the hired agency/consultant.
By proactively setting up the conditions for success, you can initiate and continue the process on a positive note. The responsibility to set the stage for success falls in your hands as a communicator. By fostering a culture of collaboration, trust, and mutual respect, you can lay the foundation for effective teamwork and shared objectives.
This positive momentum will pave the way for a strong working relationship between your team and agency/consultant, providing you with a distinct advantage right from the outset.
Recognise that successful partnerships require time to mature and evolve. Investing in relationship-building can pay off significantly, as a harmonious working relationship enhances productivity, efficiency, and overall project outcomes.
Sidebar: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
This is a proverb that reflects the concept of forming alliances based on mutual opposition to a common adversary.
Its origins can be traced back to various ancient civilizations, including India, where it was part of the Arthashastra, an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft and military strategy, attributed to Chanakya.
The proverb has since been referenced and adapted in different contexts throughout history, serving as a guiding principle for diplomatic, political, and military decisions.
Essentially, it suggests that when two parties share a common enemy, they might join forces to overcome the mutual threat, despite potential differences or conflicts that exist between them.
In the world of communications and PR, our ’enemies’ are not our industry competitors but instead, the process of reaching out and capturing attention on a consistent basis.
By teaming up with an agency or consultant, inhouse communicators can guide and shape the outcomes they need to achieve success for their brand and organisation. This aligns with the purpose of many agencies and consultants, which is to provide the best solutions and outcomes for their clients.
Here are 5 ways to select working with the best agency, consultant or contractor for you and your team.
Selecting the right agency or consultant can be a critical decision that significantly impacts the success of your communications or PR programme or project.
The right external partner – working with your inhouse team – can provide valuable insights, innovative solutions, and a fresh perspective to propel your business forward.
Here are 5 ways to select working with the best partner from our playbook.
Understand your needs and objectives:
- Before beginning your search, take the time to clearly define your needs and objectives.
- Evaluate the specific challenges or opportunities your business is facing and identify the expertise required to address them effectively. A detailed understanding of your goals will help you narrow down the search and find a consultant who possesses the right skills and experience to meet your unique requirements.
- Whether you need short-term assistance for a specific project or an ongoing retainer to enhance your capabilities, aligning your needs with the consultant’s expertise is fundamental to a successful collaboration.
Seek recommendations and referrals:
- Reach out to your professional network, industry peers, and trusted colleagues to inquire about their experiences with consultants they have worked with in the past.
- Work with a broker, who has relationships with many agencies and consultants, to introduce or validate referrals and who can provide you with a broader or deeper perspective about potential partners.
Evaluate expertise and experience:
- When selecting a consultant, expertise and experience are paramount considerations.
- Review the consultant’s track record, case studies, and past projects to assess their proficiency and success in handling challenges from your industry or situation.
- Do not narrow your criteria to past performance alone though. Consider the consultant’s ability to adapt and innovate, and a flexible approach can make all the difference in achieving your goals.
Consider cultural fit and collaboration:
- Assess whether the consultant’s values, work style, and approach align with your company’s culture and values.
- A consultant who seamlessly integrates with your team and embraces your company’s culture is more likely to foster a collaborative and productive working relationship.
- Look for individuals who are open to feedback, adaptable to your organisational structure, and eager to collaborate with your internal team members.
Review proposals and pricing structure:
- When you have shortlisted a set of potential partners, review their proposals and pricing structures.
- Analyse the scope of work, deliverables, and timelines presented in each proposal to ensure they align with your needs and expectations. Seek clarity on any ambiguous terms or conditions and confirm that the proposal addresses your specific challenges and objectives comprehensively.
- Additionally, consider the consultant’s pricing structure and evaluate whether it matches your budget and financial constraints. While cost is a factor, remember that choosing the cheapest option may not always be the wisest decision, as it could compromise the quality of the services provided.
- Prioritise value for money and opt for a consultant who offers a well-rounded proposal that addresses your needs, aligns with your budget, and demonstrates a commitment to your business’s long-term success.
Selecting the right consultant requires careful consideration and an informed decision-making process.
Remember that the best consultant for your business may not be the most renowned or expensive one, but the one whose skills, experience, and values align seamlessly with your objectives.
I provide communications and PR solutions for organisations and communicators through counsel, consultancy, training and solutions. With over 20+ years in the industry, we have created frameworks, methods and content that enable you and your team to launch, grow, level up and earn revenue effectively and efficiently.
Here are 3 ways I can help communications, marketing and PR practitioners:
- Consultancy and enablement: My team can support brands, consultancies and agencies with a plug-and-play strategy and execution solution that delivers business outcomes relating to revenue, entry, scale, and expansion.
- Training and Workshops: We train communicators using a hybrid system of in-person training and a cloud-based learning management platform. Training is done on topics such as project management, stakeholder management and on PR skills such as writing, creating and measuring outcomes, campaign execution, media relations, issues management, and crisis communications. We focus on levelling up communicators’ skill sets, competencies, and personal development by taking their craft to the next level.
- Solutions:
- We match brands and agencies/consultants/contractors by acting as a middleman, helping clients find suitable products, services, or opportunities based on their specific needs relating to PR, communications and marketing services and outcomes.
- My team builds custom LMS solutions for your learners, providing an interactive platform and adapting your organisation’s specific methodologies into the learning content.
Set up a meeting with me with me if you are looking for to deliver growth outcomes for your organisation, brand/s and team/s:
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