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While it might seem that hiring consultants and outside agencies to provide additional support is a quick and easy solution to a marketing challenge, finding, hiring and managing outside resources can be tricky. There's no one perfect solution for finding the right consultant, making a “good hire” and then effectively managing that resource, but there are a few guidelines that can, at least, set you on the right path.
Types of Consultants
For law firms, there are a number of general types of consultants or agencies to whom you might look outside your marketing department. Some of the more common ones include graphic designers, advertising agencies, public relations firms, general marketing/branding consultants, business development coaches, digital marketing experts (including CRM, e-mail marketing and websites), and social media consultants. The specifics of hiring varies by the type of consultant, but there are a few good rules of thumb that are helpful in selecting the right consultant for your particular situation
How to Find Them
The best way to find consultants is through referrals from colleagues. Ask your fellow marketers at other firms who they have used and to describe their experiences with them. You can also attend local LMA (Law Marketing Association) meetings ' where you'll often find as many law firm consultants as in-house marketing people. “Googling” and web searches can also reap a host of potential candidates, but narrowing down the candidate field is best done by asking trusted colleagues who they've worked with and their experiences with those consultants.
Once you narrow your candidate list down to a manageable two-three (but no more than four), the next thing you should do is to put together an RFP that outlines what you're looking for and what you expect the consultant to do.
Selecting the Right Firm
There are lots of criteria you need to consider in hiring a consultant. Some of the more important ones include:
Negotiating the Deal
After you've selected the consultant you want to hire, the next thing you do is negotiate the contract. Some things to keep in mind as you negotiate:
Managing the Consultant
Hiring the consultant is just the beginning. The hard part comes next: managing the consultant. Everyone has his or her own management style, but the most important keys to successfully managing a consultant are:
Measuring Success
Probably the most important way to measure the success of a consultant is for both parties to be clear going into the relationship what is expected of both. At the outset, you should sit down with your consultant or agency and map out some SMART (it's an old acronym. but helpful ' Specific, Measureable, Actionable, Realistic, and Trackable) goals and a timeline. As the client, it will be your responsibility to watch and chart the consultant's progress toward these goals ' but it's the consultant's responsibility to make sure the goals are achieved and that progress is regularly reported back to you.
John J. Buchanan, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, is the Director of Media & Public Relations at Perkins Coie LLP in San Francisco. He may be reached at 415-344-7122 or via e-mail at [email protected].
While it might seem that hiring consultants and outside agencies to provide additional support is a quick and easy solution to a marketing challenge, finding, hiring and managing outside resources can be tricky. There's no one perfect solution for finding the right consultant, making a “good hire” and then effectively managing that resource, but there are a few guidelines that can, at least, set you on the right path.
Types of Consultants
For law firms, there are a number of general types of consultants or agencies to whom you might look outside your marketing department. Some of the more common ones include graphic designers, advertising agencies, public relations firms, general marketing/branding consultants, business development coaches, digital marketing experts (including CRM, e-mail marketing and websites), and social media consultants. The specifics of hiring varies by the type of consultant, but there are a few good rules of thumb that are helpful in selecting the right consultant for your particular situation
How to Find Them
The best way to find consultants is through referrals from colleagues. Ask your fellow marketers at other firms who they have used and to describe their experiences with them. You can also attend local LMA (Law Marketing Association) meetings ' where you'll often find as many law firm consultants as in-house marketing people. “Googling” and web searches can also reap a host of potential candidates, but narrowing down the candidate field is best done by asking trusted colleagues who they've worked with and their experiences with those consultants.
Once you narrow your candidate list down to a manageable two-three (but no more than four), the next thing you should do is to put together an RFP that outlines what you're looking for and what you expect the consultant to do.
Selecting the Right Firm
There are lots of criteria you need to consider in hiring a consultant. Some of the more important ones include:
Negotiating the Deal
After you've selected the consultant you want to hire, the next thing you do is negotiate the contract. Some things to keep in mind as you negotiate:
Managing the Consultant
Hiring the consultant is just the beginning. The hard part comes next: managing the consultant. Everyone has his or her own management style, but the most important keys to successfully managing a consultant are:
Measuring Success
Probably the most important way to measure the success of a consultant is for both parties to be clear going into the relationship what is expected of both. At the outset, you should sit down with your consultant or agency and map out some SMART (it's an old acronym. but helpful ' Specific, Measureable, Actionable, Realistic, and Trackable) goals and a timeline. As the client, it will be your responsibility to watch and chart the consultant's progress toward these goals ' but it's the consultant's responsibility to make sure the goals are achieved and that progress is regularly reported back to you.
John J. Buchanan, a member of this newsletter's Board of Editors, is the Director of Media & Public Relations at
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