Marketing agency search

by Rebecca Bellairs

Selecting a marketing agency shouldn’t feel like a gamble.

But too often, agency appointments are driven by:

  • who you already know
  • who presents best
  • who feels safest
  • or who promises the most

Instead of:

  • who can actually deliver what you need
  • how they’ll work with you and your team
  • and whether the partnership will produce the right outcomes

Marketing agency search is the process of defining what you need, finding and screening agencies, building a shortlist, and running a fair selection process - so your decision is clear, defensible, and worth the effort invested.

Related guides:

What is marketing agency search?

Marketing agency search is the structured process of finding and appointing the right agency partner.

A strong agency search helps you:

  • clarify your real needs
  • source agencies beyond your current network
  • avoid wasted pitch activity
  • compare agencies fairly
  • and make evidence based decisions

If the process isn’t clear, you risk appointing the wrong agency partner - resulting in far reaching costs, beyond the lost budget.

When you should run a marketing agency search

You should run agency search when:

  • you’re appointing a new agency partner
  • performance has stalled and you need fresh thinking
  • you’re changing strategy or entering new markets
  • you’re consolidating or restructuring suppliers
  • internal capability has changed
  • you need a specialist partner (media, creative, social, influencer, performance, content)

You might not need a full search if:

  • the scope is small and low risk
  • you need a one off specialist
  • you already have a proven partner and you’re just extending scope

Not every appointment needs a heavyweight selection process - but every appointment benefits from clear standards.

Common reasons agency searches fail

Most agency searches fail for the same reasons:

1) The brief isn’t clear

Agencies can’t respond properly if they don’t understand the actual problem.

2) The shortlist is built on familiarity

Referrals are useful - but they’re not representative of the whole market.

3) The process isn’t proportional

Too many agencies. Too much work. Too many rounds.

4) Criteria aren’t shared

So agencies guess what matters, and decisions feel subjective.

5) The pitch is treated as the work

Pitch work shouldn’t result in asset delivery.
It should validate capability and the operating model.

6) There’s no decision trail

Which leads to second guessing, misalignment, and challenges to sign off.

Marketing agency search - step by step

A good search needs to be clear.

Step 1) Define what you need

Get specific about:

  • outcomes
  • scope
  • constraints
  • stakeholders
  • what success looks like

Step 2) Decide your agency model

Do you need:

  • a full roster review
  • a lead agency
  • specialist delivery
  • project based support
  • additional team resource

Step 3) Build your shortlist

Source agencies through:

  • trusted network referrals
  • desk research and market analysis
  • independent recommendations (consultants, media rankings)
  • evidence from real work (credentials, databases, industry awards)

Step 4) Run a light screening stage

Before asking for pitch work:

  • validate fit
  • validate team
  • confirm capability
  • confirm any deal breaker commercial expectations

Step 5) Invite vetted list of agencies to pitch

There is no magic number but 3-5 is often the winning amount. Many factors will influence how many are included.

Less than three is only recommended if there are no other feasible solutions.

More than five can indicate you haven’t quite pinned down what you are looking for.

Step 6) Run a fair pitch process

Publish:

  • stages
  • timelines
  • evaluation criteria
  • decision process
  • expectations

Step 7) Evaluate with a scorecard

Score independently, capture evidence, then discuss.

Step 8) Appoint and set up for success

Set onboarding, success metrics, and operating rhythms early.

How to shortlist agencies properly (without wasting weeks)

Your shortlist should be:

  • small enough to manage
  • broad enough to compare
  • relevant enough to be worth pitching

As a rule:

  • 3–5 agencies is the sweet spot (exceptions apply)
  • every agency should be genuinely capable of winning
  • every agency should have the same information
  • and every agency should know how they’ll be evaluated

What to look for in a marketing agency (selection criteria)

These are the criteria that matter in most appointments:

1) Strategic thinking

Do they understand the problem, the audience, and the business context?

2) Capability and delivery

Can they actually deliver what you need, consistently?

3) Team quality

Who will run the delivery day to day?

4) Operating model

How do they work? How do they manage timelines, approvals, and iteration?

5) Measurement and effectiveness

Do they connect work to outcomes? Can they show learning?

6) Collaboration fit

How do they work with internal stakeholders?

7) Commercial model

Is pricing clear? Are incentives aligned?

8) Confidence

Do you trust them - with sound reasoning?

Template: Agency selection scorecard → /scorecard

Questions to ask agencies early during marketing agency search

These questions surface reality fast:

  • What does success look like to you for a client like us?
  • Who will be on the day to day team, and how is it resourced?
  • How do you handle feedback and iteration?
  • How do you measure effectiveness?
  • What does reporting look like?
  • What’s your approach to learning and improvement over time?
  • What are the most common challenges in your partnerships?
  • What would you need from us to do your best work?

How long should marketing agency search take?

A typical timeline:

A typical timeline does not exist. Many factors influence the length of an end to end pitch process, and understanding what these are upfront will help reduce wasted weeks.

You can support an efficient timeline, but only if:

  • scope is clear. Robust enough to minimise questions. Concise enough for impact
  • decision makers have signed off on the market approach
  • budget is ringfenced and spend governance prepared
  • stakeholders are available and willing to commit required resource
  • you keep pitch asks proportional and plan logistics like a pro
  • evaluation criteria is signed off and scorecards managed

What makes a pitch process fair?

Fair pitching means:

  • the process is clear
  • the workload is proportional
  • criteria are shared
  • timelines are published
  • feedback is given
  • agencies can opt in with confidence

Pitching should be worth the energy invested - for both sides.

Guide: Pitch process → /pitchprocess

FAQs - Marketing agency search

What is marketing agency search?

Marketing agency search is the process of defining what you need, screening agencies, building a shortlist, and running a structured process to appoint the right partner.

How many agencies should we shortlist?

Most effective processes shortlist three to five agencies. Though this depends on several factors, such as size of market, specialisation required, and complexity of scope.

How long does marketing agency search take?

There is no standard timeline, duration heavily depends on scope, complexity and stakeholder availability.

Should we run an RfP (Request for Proposal)?

Sometimes, but most standard RfP processes are not optimal for marketing agency selection. A structured screening + fair pitch process is usually more effective.

How do we avoid bias in the decision?

Define criteria early, score independently, capture evidence, and avoid decisions based only on confidence or familiarity.

Do we need to pay agencies for pitch work?

If you require substantial strategic or creative work, compensation is worth considering. At a minimum, keep pitch asks proportional.