How would you decide?

At a networking event recently I asked a group of small business owners 'How do you make a decision about getting marketing support and how do you find the right person/company?'.
The answers are below and are in the order that responses were given.
1) If we had a new product or service
2) I would only work with someone I like and trust
3) I would want figures on the anticipated ROI from the outset
4) I'd need a set of deliverables to make me commit
5) I'd need evidence of the effectiveness
6) I'd like to work with someone I know and with experience of my sector
7) I would like to know what percentage my sales would increase by
8) I would like to be offered an initial consultation before committing
9) I would only recruit help if I felt we couldn't do it in house
10) I would need to have a specific problem that needed solving
11) I would outside help if I'd built it into the initial budget - the agreement would have to include some form of commission rather than just a fee
12) Marketing doesn't feel like an exact science which makes me wary of it
13) I'd want to look for a results orientated campaign
14) Personality is key
15) I'd need to see that there were some shared objectives - so success is important to both
16) I'd like to see a 'step by step process' laid out so I know what I am going to get
17) I'd want to work with someone who puts more value on us than they do on themselves
18) I only work with people who are persistent
19) It works best for me if they ask to be given a chance initially on a small project.

So there you have it!

if you want to talk about your marketing - do get in touch info@frankontheweb.com