Strategic sourcing is deeply involved in the procurement of marketing and advertising services. What should I do to maintain a high level of participation in the process?

With the increasing involvement of procurement, we have identified several best practices relative to creating the most productive relationships:

1. Determine that the goals of both marketing and procurement are aligned in and the requisite knowledge for a successful outcome is present in both parties.

2. Clearly communicate the milestones and results that constitute a successful relationship with your agency. If your relationship is not meeting those criteria, do whatever is necessary to improve the relationship.

3. Make sure you have benchmarked agency costs and optimized the staff and demonstrate to Procurement that your agency costs and staffing are appropriate