Evaluating and selecting the right suppliers is critical to your success. If you’re on a tight (or no) budget, your options may be limited. Even so, it’s still important to get the right fit.

Before thinking about a supplier you need to decide what kind of marketing help you need. Advertising? Branding? PR? Research? Search engine marketing? All of them?

Yet again all roads lead back to the marketing plan. By putting your objectives in black and white you’ll know exactly where you need help. Even if your time is limited, try and meet at least two potential suppliers in order to compare what they offer and how much it costs.

Here are just some of the qualities you should be looking for from a supplier:

Quality

Do they have a track record of producing qreat work and delivering results? Ask to see a portfolio, customer references or case studies.

Relevance

What do they know about the third sector and your particular area of operation? Do they have any conflicts of interest with other clients?

Reliability

Are they solvent and likely to be around for the duration of the project? This is especially relevant in the midst of recession. The last thing you need is to lose a supplier halfway through a job.

Chemistry

Who are their key people? Who will you be working with day-to-day? Are you going to be able to work closely with this person sitting opposite you and will you respect their opinions?

Geography

It makes sense to use a local supplier, not just logistically, but because they are more likely to buy into local charitable causes.

Then of course there are the many intangibles. In the early days, a potential supplier should be listening to you as much as possible. After all, it’s all about you and your needs...