Information for clients

Choosing a supplier

You can be confident that all consultants in our Marketing Consultants Directory are members of The Institute. That means they’re either CIM qualified or have demonstrated a minimum level of marketing expertise – and have agreed to abide by our Code of Professional Standards contained in our Royal Charter bye-laws and general regulations. But choosing the right one is crucial.

What kind of marketing?

Bear in mind there’s crossover between disciplines: advertising/design/media; brand/corporate; business development and sales; direct mail/customer relationship marketing (CRM); digital/interactive; market research; planning and strategy; product channel and category management. If you’re unsure, search for a generalist.

Potential suppliers

An ideal shortlist is three or four. Considerations should be:

• Quality – track record, portfolio, references
• Relevance – experience of your industry, conflicts of interest with other clients in your industry
• Financial stability
• People who will be working on your project
• Geographical experience relevant to the project
• Listening skills
• Value for money

And when you come to choose, chemistry is very important. Can you work with them and will you respect their opinions?

What does it cost?

Fees depend on experience, location, discipline and industry. Most consultants charge a daily rate that can often be negotiated for longer projects. A rule of thumb is 1% of their most recent salaried role.

Be very clear about your budget upfront. Negotiate hard, check that basic expenses are included in the price and put a clause in the terms and conditions that holds the consultant to the original cost. Or you may like to consider a retainer rather than a fixed fee for the project.

Writing a brief

The creative brief is probably the single most important factor in shaping a successful relationship with your consultant. By agreeing mutual objectives, you avoid possible misunderstandings later. It also demonstrates that you have solid internal processes.

What should you include?

• Your details and those of the key people your consultant will be working with
• Your current situation
• Your objectives
• Your marketing strategy – if applicable
• Your audience
• How you will measure success
• Budget, time frames, contracts
• Sign off procedure

Keep it short but clear and be honest if there are elements you are unsure about.

If confidentiality is an issue, ask the consultant to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Organising a pitch

Send the brief to your shortlisted candidates and invite them to a face-to-face pitch. Although you need to see evidence the consultant can deliver, be careful not to expect too much work for nothing. For that reason, many employers now offer a set fee for the ideas presented at the pitch.

After the pitch, be clear about when the candidates will hear back from you, and remember – you may need some of the rejected ones in the future.

Agreeing terms

To get the relationship with your consultant off to the right start, it’s important to set out everything in black and white in the form of terms and conditions. See Related downloads for a checklist.

Making the relationship work

As the relationship develops, there are certain aspects to focus on to ensure it remains on track. Most relate directly or indirectly to communication.

Familiarisation

New relationships benefit from ‘getting to know you’ time. That means familiarity with both individuals and your company culture – so be available and keep talking. Social situations can also be a good opportunity to understand the personalities you are dealing with.

Roles

Make roles clear, for example if any of your colleagues are involved in decision making and the extent of their influence. A good consultant will see it as their role to challenge you from time to time. Encourage this, so long as their opinions are constructive and remain confidential.

Feedback

Feedback is a delicate issue. In particular, judging creative work can be very subjective. Try to be consistent about what you want and gentle and constructive in your criticism. The key question is have they followed the brief? When it’s not going well, you’ll need to tell them straight. And don’t forget to praise too – it will pay dividends.

Finance

Check that your consultant has professional indemnity insurance. This will protect both of you. Pay invoices on time – terms are usually 30 days.