I just read Peter Shankman and Sarah Evan’s new post, “Is your social media expert really an expert?”.   Like most things Shankman – I loved it and you should read it too.  While I registered my comments on # 4 (about traditional marketing firms), overall the post is dead on and it made me feel empowered to speak out against all the “marketing experts” that clutter up the field for us true marketers. So here’s my top ten list on how to spot a FAKE MARKETER from all the graphic designers, web developers and yes, dare I say it, social media experts who fancy themselves marketing gurus!

1. If your agency doesn’t ask hard questions – it’s a sure sign they don’t understand marketing. This is usually the case with graphic design firms or web designers who are only focused on what the end result looks like, not whether it will achieve it’s goals.  A true marketing firm will want to know everything about the project, the audience, the objectives, the planned response and will even play devils advocate.

2. On this note, your agency should not only be executing your ideas, but they should be bringing plenty of ideas to the table as well.  A true marketer is constantly thinking of ways to expand your market share, continue a dialogue with your clients and just genuinely make your job easier.

3. Your “Marketing  Strategy” should not just consist of lists of communications materials that you need to develop. Many agencies hang their hat on good creative when in fact good creative is the price of admission. The value that an agency brings to the table is not how good they can make a website look – but instead, how they are going to bring people to that website. Not how kool your Twitter background is, but how you can use Twitter to increase relevant traffic to your site, your store or your service venues.

4. Bigger does not always mean better when it comes to marketing. In other words, you don’t always need the most expensive ad placement, the website with the most bells and whistles or the $5000 stock photo in order to reach your goals. Sometimes, the most effective strategies we recommend, are the cheapest and easiest to execute but only a real marketing company will be brave enough to share them with you.

5. ROI is a real thing but it’s not the only thing. This is a tricky one. Some agencies make their living off of slicing and dicing ROI numbers but at the end of the day, cannot tell you cost per lead vs cost per latte. While others will fleece you for thousands of creative dollars with not a single lead to show for it. Use common sense on this one. If you have an agency swinging the pendulum in either one of these directions, they probably don’t get that marketing should have some measurable returns.

6. Is your agency “full-service”? I personally love a company called “such and such” web design or “somebody’s name” design firm that claims to be a full service marketing firm. There is a difference between an agency and a design shop.  Look for their list of services then ask them to show you examples of it.

7. Is their portfolio a collection of  ”award-winning” designs with no explanation on why or how or who? For true marketing firms, there is a real story behind every piece and it’s not focused on the color palette or the photography. It’s focused on the who, the what, the why. Constantly check yourself as you review portfolios – it’s easy to be enamored by pretty pictures, just make sure there is a reason for them.

8. Does your agency make your life easier? Good agencies come to the table with copy, photo recommendations, agendas, outlines, status reports, spreadsheets – whatever it takes to make your life easier and keep the project moving.

9. No Account Management. While your creative team is important and they make your brand come to life, designers, developers and the like can only do a great job with great direction.  Your main contact should understand your brand inside and out, have strong and diplomatic leadership skills and be prepared to guide you and the company’s management team to make good decisions for your brand and your business.

10. Bad Marketing of their own company. This is a dead giveaway. Do they have a hard to navigate website circa 1980? As Peter Shankman pointed out – can you even find them on the web? Do they blog about the same old marketing 101 junk that you can find everywhere without an original thought or comment on current events? Do you want your company to look like that? Enough said.

I hope this wasn’t too objectionable. It’s been stirring for a while and perhaps is the reason it took me so long to start blogging about marketing – I really have not wanted to join the ranks of the millions of “Marketing Experts” that clutter up the airways.  So thanks to Peter Shankman for opening the floodgates for experts everywhere to reclaim their space!