Client FAQ's

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Why use Haystack?
The number of agencies is constantly growing. There are over 4,000 agencies in the UK that can provide advertising, design, direct marketing, sales promotion, digital & web, CRM, PR, and brand development expertise. Finding an agency to suit your needs requires in-depth understanding of the constantly changing industry landscape and can be both time consuming and costly.

At Haystack we have the knowledge and expertise to help you find the perfect match, with speed and precision.

The Haystack Group can help you through every aspect of the pitch process, undertaking everything from developing the Marketing Plan; reviewing your current resources through to developing the long/short lists and negotiating the agency fee - let us run the process so that you and your team can focus on the result.

How can I create a long list of agencies that meet my requirements without being inundated with agencies and the press?
There are three ways to search for the right agency using Haystack's services:

1. Using the search function on this site.
This site has details for over 1500 marketing communications agencies on it. Simply identify the search criteria that you want to use and the database will bring up a list of appropriate agencies. The search is completely confidential and can be done in a matter of minutes. Or if you would like further support through the process, call us and we will help. Confidentiality is key to our business.

2. Use the Pitchfork service online to request a bespoke credentials disc.
We'll collate info on all the agencies you've selected and send you a disc together with guidelines on how best to run a pitch and how to anticipate and manage some of the hurdles along the way.

3. Contact Us
Contact us to talk through your needs with one of our specialist consultants and we will prepare a bespoke list of agencies that meet your specific needs or we can run the enitre pitch on your behalf if you would prefer. We will consider any relevant agencies and NOT only those in our database.

How do I search for an agency online?
Our unique search engine is simple but effective to use. It helps you to rapidly look at agencies that meet your requirements. By simply tapping in the criteria by which you want to search, the database will present relevant agencies and prioritise those that best match your requirements.

Can I keep a search?
The search criteria that you have used can be saved, so that the next time you want to do an agency search you can use the same criteria and find the most up-to-date data on the companies that match.

What information do you have on agencies?
Agencies that subscribe to the site provide us with all the facts on their company including a client list and examples of their creative work that you can view online. In addition they respond to a number of key questions that provide you with a more in-depth insight into the agency. A link to their website allows you to view more about the agency.

If the agency does not subscribe to the Haystack website, only a basic overview is provided including relevant contact details.

* We provide full details and web links for subscribed agencies only.

Can I contact the agencies?
Yes, each agency profile contains contact details. You can call or e-mail them directly or via The Haystack Group if you'd prefer for your company to remain anonymous at this stage.

How many agencies do you have on the site?
Including the non-subscribed agencies, there are over 1200 agencies listed on the site.

Can any agency be represented on the site?
Mostly yes. However, we take the integrity of the information we provide very seriously. If an agency consistently fails to update their site presence or leaks confidential information about our clients, we will remove them from both the website and our contact list.

Having completed my search I recognise I need help through the pitch process, can you help?
You may need extra help through the pitch process or require support in reviewing your existing relationships. We have a number of consultants who work on any aspect of the pitch process, this includes:

• Development of the Marketing Plan
• Agency requirement brief
• Bespoke long list/short list
• Pitch process design and support
• Fee negotiation

We are often asked to work with existing client/agency relationships. Our consultancy may include:

• Existing agency(s) audit
• Existing agency liaison/review
• Fee revision negotiation

My staff need training in effective marketing communications - can you help?
We offer bespoke brand communication workshops for client companies, together with, or without, your chosen agency resource. We focus on all aspects of marketing communication and make extensive use of sample materials, role reversal exercises and guest speakers. For further information about our Marketing Fluency Workshop format and how it might work for you, please contact us.

How does the Haystack consulting service work?
We provide you with detailed intelligent insight into agencies and how to get the best out of working with them. We are constantly reviewing agencies and understand their strengths and weaknesses. Timing is always tight which is why we get to know agencies prior to recommending them to you so that we can match your needs to their specialism.

Who pays?
This website allows clients FREE access to our agency database. We also offer clients that subscribe, access to certain tools which may help them select and manage agency resource more efficiently. If they require more specific consultancy support we will charge our normal consultancy rates. Once we have discussed requirements, we can give an idea of the fees involved. Agencies pay us to display their profile on our website. Those that do not subscribe may still be listed but will not have a complete profile. If you would like one of our consultants to contact you please click here.

What about confidentiality?
Confidentiality is extremely important to us. We will not tell the agencies who you are unless you allow us to. However, we also know from experience that when we are conducting an agency search - or any form of relationship, the more information we can provide about your business, the better the response from the agency. We ensure agencies sign confidentiality agreements and we will not work with agencies that cannot abide by these rules.

What do I do now?
Sign up now and use our search facilities to help you find an agency. Alternatively call or email us for consultancy support. Either way, the Haystack Group will help you find the right agency partner.

Agency FAQ's

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What does an intermediary do?
We are employed by clients to assist them in managing and developing their agency roster.

We are called on to offer all kinds of advice to clients in terms of the structure of their roster, how to set up and manage it and how to assess their performance. We run the entire pitch process for clients seeking to refresh or augment their agency resources and we benchmark fees and refine contracts.

When clients are looking to select agencies, we provide them with a detailed insight into the most appropriate agencies for them. It is no longer possible to pigeonhole agencies into individual discipline types and so we spend a lot of time visiting agencies and getting to know what their strengths really are. We can then offer clients an honest perspective on an agency. By taking time to understand a client's culture and business requirements, we can make sure our clients meet the most appropriate agencies.

We also help clients get the best out of their agency relationships through training, auditing service levels and relationship issues and helping fix any communication or operational breakdowns that may happen from time to time. By only using very experienced consultants, we provide advice and solutions promptly and efficiently.

Which disciplines does Haystack represent?
Haystack specialises in the following:

• Advertising
• Brand Development
• Customer Relationship Management
• Design
• Digital Marketing (web based, mobile, search, interactive TV, kiosk, Intranet/Extranet E-commerce)
• Direct Marketing
• Integrated Marketing
• PR
• Sales Promotion
• Experietial Marketing
• Media
• Research
• Sponsorship

Who pays?
A client can search the Haystack web site for free. If a client wants more specific support we will charge our normal consultancy rates. Agencies just pay an annual subscription fee for their presence on this site, no further fees are charged.

Will you tell me who the client is?
We try, wherever possible to tell you who the client is, so that you are able to give us appropriate information. Even though everyone has to sign a confidentiality agreement, sometimes it is just not possible to tell you who the client is, but by knowing your agency we will help you to provide us with the most relevant information.

Will I get feedback?
There is nothing worse than spending hours putting together bespoke information for a client and then never hearing from them again. We will always tell you what is happening and we will, where possible, tell you what the client thought about your agency specifically. We can also help you analyse how to improve the next time or if you are successful, help you understand how to replicate that in the future.

Do we have to sign up to the site to be recommended by Haystack?
No, but we use the information on the website to keep up to date with what is going on in the market. More importantly we make every effort to get to know the agencies we represent on the site over time, so we can help agencies provide a better response to clients specific requirements.

Are we too small to be on the site?
We appreciate that some companies are just a few people, but no agency is too small. We offer a range of subscription options to suit all budgets and we are keen to encourage growing businesses. You lose nothing by contacting us, so if you have any concerns or queries, get in touch and we'll get back to you right away.

What is an Agency Profile?
Agency details are put into a number of sections providing information on agency culture, size, structure, insight and creative. In addition, an agency can provide us with their logo and a number of pieces of creative work or case studies - the exact number is dependant on which package you choose. Subscribing agencies are also given a direct link from this site to their own website.

How do clients search for an agency?
We have created a unique search engine that can quickly and simply help clients look for agencies that meet their requirements. The more criteria specified the more refined the search results.

Can we submit our details online?
Yes you can. Simply click here to subscribe.

A consultant from Haystack will then contact you to talk through your entry and get a feel for your agency. We will arrange a time to come and see you so that we can really get to understand how your company operates. You need to then send The Haystack Group a company cheque or funds transfer for the subscription fee. Once we have received this, and you have completed each section of your profile,  you will be able to see your entry live on the website.

Can we update information online?
You can update any of your agency information online if you have editing rights (usually this is the first person that signs up from the agency but we can alter this at any time). Simply log in and go to Edit Profile. We will also send an automatic message to your main contact if your profile has not been updated within a certain period.

Will you provide feedback on our site presence?
We are able to track how many people visit the site, where they go and for how long. We will ask clients to give us feedback on the site and the information provided on individual agencies. Clients can also review agencies online.

Can any agency be represented on the site?
Mostly yes. The only thing that we ask is to keep your site presence up-to-date and abide by our rules of confidentiality. In order to provide clients and agencies with the best possible service it is important that we can be as open as possible. If an agency consistently fails to update their site presence or leaks confidential information about our clients we will remove them from both the website and our consultancy list.

What do I do now?
Sign up online or call or e-mail us so that together we can help your business grow.