Searching for a new agency is no easy business.  I read a stat recently that said there are over 70,000 agencies (of varying types and sizes) in the U.S.  While there were many that fell off the radar during the recent economic downturn, there were just as many new agencies springing up – particularly in the digital space.

If you decide to go at it alone, this post provides some good counsel on how to best organize a search and how to manage your way through one.

One thing they mention that is particularly important to keep focused on as you move through a search….

keep your emotions in check.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s important to establish a strong emotional connection with the agency you hire.  You want to feel great about them, their work, their smarts, and their ability to operate as a strong strategic partner that can assist your business long-term.

The emotions I’m talking about are the emotions that often surface when “the show” presented by the agency is so whiz bang and the principal is so PT Barnum like that you feel giddy with excitement and enthusiasm.

Easy to get lost in the “show” and lose sight of the real value that you are looking for.

So what to do?

Make a list of the qualifiers you’re looking for before you start your  search and consistently refer back to them and remind yourself over and over again that while a strong emotional connection is a good thing, there are many other more functional elements that you’re looking for as well.