My daughter uses Pinterest to create make-up boards, learn about dying her hair with Kool-Aid, and making rubbery eggs.

But of what value is Pinterest to Marketers?  And how can a Marketer use Pinterest as a guide to helping select a Marketing Agency.

First question, first.

As noted in a recent Fast Company article, Pinterest can be a great tool to bring value to a consumer’s life.  Kind of like Kool-Aid’s attempt at increasing consumption by attracting my 14 year old daughter into their world and applying Kool-Aid in a brand new way.

As the article states, consumers don’t care about your products they care about the value that you can bring them.  Can you entertain me, enhance my experience, make me smarter or better at what I do?  Brands shouldn’t try and use Pinterest as a platform to sell product or services, but rather a place to enhance, enlighten, and entertain.

So now…second question, second.

How and why would Pinterest be of value to you when you are looking for the best marketing firm?

With the market moving the way of the net and consumers becoming less and less engaged in traditional media, it’s critical that whatever Agency you select (whether it be a an internet marketing firm or a traditional marketing agency) is well versed in the tools of the trade of the day.  If they talk the talk about Pinterest and you go to their site and see little to no activity in the space, then what does that really tell you about the firm?  Does that give you the warm/fuzzy you need/deserve?

So regardless of whether you’re managing your search, or you’ve got someone like RSW/AgencySearch doing it for you, make sure that you roll over all the stones and determine just how progressive your prospective Agency list really is.  You owe it to yourself, your business, and in the end, your consumers who are demanding more Kool-Aid in the hair and less of the Kool-Aid man on the beach.