Seeking External Expertise: The When and Who

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Recognizing and embracing the fact that "there is no shame in asking for help" is a cornerstone of successful leadership and organizational growth. This principle is especially pertinent when the necessary expertise is not readily available within an organization. By engaging experts in specific areas, organizations can avoid costly mistakes and ensure that their products/services/campaigns meet the highest standards of safety, efficacy & relevance.

Many a times there is a hesitation in openly talking about “help” as some see it to be detrimental to their appraisal cycle. But here's a plot twist: chatting up your boss (yep, that's Mr. or Ms. N+1 for you) and the office chatterboxes can actually spotlight the undercover geniuses among you. And if your team's talent show doesn't have the act you need, don't go on a wild goose chase to become a ninja overnight in what you need done. Its excellent you want to learn something new but do yourself a favor and please get an agency ??

Now that you have agreed to onboard an agency, here are the three (okay, four, because I'm feeling generous) golden nuggets in my opinion #IMO #2cents:

1)???? Been there, done that: Evaluate, the relevant work, the agency has done in your industry. If you are a niche industry player, it’s all the more important for your agency to understand the ecosystem. Else, your campaigns/projects might fall flat on its face. Sure, cross-pollinating ideas from other industries is cool but application of the same comes with an astute understanding of peculiar nuances. The “one size fit for all” might not be the answer you are looking for

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2)???? Homework:? Whether you are a small player or a big player, the intent of an agency is most often directly proportional to the homework they do in understanding your business. But if you see that their zeal is proportional to the budget size then its challenging for small budget holders. If you are a small budget holder, don’t get fooled in thinking that you can’t demand a sneak peek of their genius for your penny jar's worth

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3)???? Laser Focus: If your problem statement is “A” stick to solving “A”, not another tangential problem. In other words, make sure the agency's pitch isn't trying to sell you a map to the moon when you're just trying to navigate the neighborhood. But as a client if you yourself digress or keep changing the problem statement then “Houston, we have a problem”!

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4)???? Master of everything: If you worked with a dream team, you will be tempted to go back. However, not all agencies specialize in all skills/projects so evaluate your plate now and see if their greatest hits album lines up with your current jam

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