Until five weeks ago, I was an in-house corporate marketer tasked with maintaining brand consistency, writing multi-channel strategies, managing CRMs, administering websites, creating campaigns, designing collateral, managing budgets, monitoring industry trends and keeping up with social media. Whew! I was the go-to guy, constantly questing for the holy grail of all marketing efforts: measurable return of investment.

Having marketed for companies ranging in size from 14 to over 2,000 employees, it's safe to say I have learned a lot. One simple truth I learned along the way - that still holds true - is there's little fundamental difference between a one-marketer show, balancing everything like a circus performer spinning plates on broomsticks, and a large corporate marketing engine, coordinating efforts across marketing disciplines. At some point, both will need outside agency expertise to help with some part of the workload. I have personally participated in countless RFP processes and hired numerous agencies to assist with everything from graphic design and web development to PR consulting and CRM solutions.

Nowadays, I'm working as an agency-side strategist with Blind Acre Media, and my years of in-house marketing experience have given me an acute understanding of what's at stake when hiring an outside digital marketing agency. How well the agency performs is a direct reflection on you. At the very least, your credibility is on the line. Most Likely, your company's growth, your bonus and even your employment are also affected. Selecting a digital marketing agency can be nerve-wracking, especially considering you'll have just one or two conversations with agency representatives before they prepare the proposals you'll be basing your decisions on.

Here are the four criteria I have always used when selecting a digital marketing agency, and they haven't failed me yet:

1.) Goal Setting & Shared Vision- Is the agency paying attention to you and your goals? During your conversations and within their proposal, have they demonstrated to you that they genuinely understand your organization, its vision and the goals you need their services to achieve? If their proposed solution seems out of line with the business goals you presented, then they haven’t been listening to you, and they’re not going to start anytime soon.

2.) Agency Capabilities- This one's a no-brainer, right? Obviously an agency needs to demonstrate that they have the capabilities and resources necessary to achieve the marketing goals you have specified. But I would suggest also looking beyond the current project or engagement. Does this agency offer other services to support your future marketing efforts? Could they potentially serve as your “one phone call?”

3.) Transparency- Transparency is a criterion to which I am ultra-sensitive. Does the agency answer your tough questions directly? Have they clearly outlined their processes, pricing and deliverables? If they are promising you the world without balancing expectations and detailing what they will expect from you once the project starts, then you don’t have the whole story. Ambiguity and lack of clarity in any of these areas will always come back to haunt you once the engagement has started.

4.) Rapport- This is more an intangible, gut-feeling way of assessing agencies. Do you dig their feng shui? Has there been an easy and enjoyable exchange of ideas? Does your corporate culture mesh well with theirs? Are you on the same page creatively? Rapport is an x-factor that can turn good results into great results.

There is a lot to consider when choosing a digital marketing agency for any size engagement. However, if you take some time to break it down and consider the criteria listed above, it’ll take much of the anxiety away from the decision and drastically increase your chances of loving the results.

Above is my checklist, but I'm curious about yours. How do you go about selecting a digital marketing agency partner? Send me your thoughts at dringler@blindacre.com