Have you ever had a difficult time selecting your marketing vendors? Even with years of experience in a particular area, it can be a time-consuming process. It’s even more difficult if you’re hiring a marketing vendor for a function you don’t know very well.

Selecting marketing vendors is an important part of the marketing process because few companies have the resources to complete every project in-house. For example, you may need a vendor’s expertise and resources to

• Write, design or produce sales literature, ads or other creative materials
• Design, write or develop your website or online campaigns
• Run a telemarketing campaign
• Develop your media plans and buy media
• Provide email or search marketing services
• Manage the print and fulfillment process for a mail campaign
• Handle publicity
• Write messages and slogans

There are many benefits to outsourcing to qualified marketing vendors; you can gain deep industry experience, access new technologies, or save money thanks to efficiencies a vendor can provide. But it’s important to carefully evaluate and manage your vendors to reap those rewards.

Do you see your company in any of these scenarios?

Marketing Vendors Key Concepts & Steps

Before you begin

Next time you need a marketing vendor for one of your projects, use this process to find, evaluate and select the best person or company for the job.

Define your needs and timeline

If possible, determine what you’re looking for before you start your search. You may want to set an initial budget, then develop a timeline for your search, especially if you have important dates to hit.

Identify and analyze marketing vendors

Use the web and ask for referrals to find a list of qualified marketing vendors. Develop a list of qualifying questions and narrow the field to a handful of companies.

Create your RFP

If you’re looking for very simple, straightforward services from marketing vendors, you can ask bidders to provide a proposal and quote. For more complex or intangible projects, it’s better to create a Request for Proposal (RFP) that asks bidders to respond to very specific questions in a consistent fashion. A standard RFP is especially helpful when

• The vendor is providing a comprehensive service
• The project is intangible or has many elements, such as a website
• You have very specific evaluation criteria and need to compare “apples to apples”
• You’re evaluating a large number of bidders (more than four)

Evaluate, negotiate and award the project

• Rate your bidders on the important criteria and narrow the field.
• Negotiate pricing and terms with your finalists, but remember the adage “You get what you pay for.” Don’t just choose the lowest bid – choose the vendor that best meets your criteria for success.

After Selecting Marketing Vendors

Continue to improve your vendor research, RFPs, and vendor management. Most companies use a variety of vendors over time, and good vendor selection and management will help you improve results.