Deciding to plunge into the world of experiential marketing is a big decision for any brand. It’d be unreasonable to hire the wrong agency at the wrong time for the wrong reason, wouldn’t it?

So how do you know that you’re hiring the right agency at the right time for the right reason? As with any big decision, there are certain things that you have to consider before starting a new project that will take some time, effort, and money.

To help you in the decision, here is a list of questions to ask before hiring an experiential marketing agency.

General Questions About Experiential Marketing

What’s the cost?

This question seems obvious, but it’s essential you know how much you’re going to spend before hiring an experiential marketing agency. Does it align with your budget? Will you have to take money from another type of marketing to make sure you’re investing enough in the experience? Will that be worth it? The answer to these will all depend on your target audience and your goals.

How do you measure ROI?

A question that’s more important than how much it will cost is will the cost be worth it? ROI can be tricky in the experiential marketing industry, where the return is often measured in impressions, social media presence, exposure, and other terms that can seem rather ambiguous if you’re unsure of what they mean. So before hiring an experiential marketing agency, sit down and write down what you think your ROI should be and how much each impression is worth.

Will the timing be right?

If you are planning to launch a new product, service, or feature, then it’s probably the right time. If you’re not – it may still be depending on your goals. Just make sure you’re aware of them and if the timing of your goals will line up with the event.

Agency Specific Questions:

How many years of experience does the agency have?

Read up on the agency’s history including how the agency started and their core services. It’s important to note that not all agencies have the same beginnings. Some experiential marketing agencies were founded by the likes of party planners, nightlife promoters, wedding planners, etc. while other experiential agencies started based on marketing fundamentals. Research the agency’s case studies and see if they deliver the results that they promise. How long have they been doing events? Where have they been carrying out events? All of these things come into play when deciding what agency to pick.

How does the agency recruit its brand ambassadors?

Seeing that the brand ambassadors at the event will be the face of your brand, it’s extremely important that they’re able to adequately adopt the brand values and portray them to consumers. It’s imperative to know where agencies get their brand ambassadors from in order to be sure that they will properly promote your brand. The truth of the matter is that the majority of experiential marketing agencies outsource their staff…but we don’t!

How does the agency train its brand ambassadors?

This is similar to the last question, but it’s a little different. This question drives at the idea that an experiential agency should be able to train its brand ambassadors to be among other things authentic, outgoing, and responsible. The training process that an agency has is important to your brand since its reputation may depend on the ambassadors.

Is the agency culture compatible with your company?

Working with an experiential agency toward a successful event will most likely require collaboration. This means that you’ll probably be at their office and they’ll be at your office, which means its important, although not necessary, that your work cultures align well. It’s a lot easier to work with an experiential agency that has a similar work culture because that means similar meeting times, similar efficiency expectations, and a similar understanding of the business relationship. Not to mention that it will not only make it professional, but also more enjoyable.

How is the agency integrating technology?

Technology can make this process a lot easier. Agencies that have online staff and event management platforms can plan and execute details online with ease. This means that the agency can collect numbers behind the scenes while it integrates technology into the event itself through mobile applications, social media platforms, or online surveys.