How to engage a consultant so you don't waste time or money

Bringing in support from a reputation consultant or agency can make a huge difference if you set them up for success. Here are 10 ways to make it count. 

1. Be clear on the problem you're solving

Explain what has prompted you to bring in an external partner and outline the level of support you need. Is it advice, execution, or a bit of both? The clearer you are on the challenge, the more targeted and effective a partner's response can be.

This step is straightforward when the problem is clear. When it’s not, and you're unsure where or how to begin, a good partner can help you find the way forward.  

2. Define success and how you'll measure it 

What tracking tools and systems do you already have and what else might you need to measure success? What does good even look like?

Set expectations early and be honest about what matters most. A strong partner won't promise the impossible or accept the too‑easy. They will help you land on goals that are ambitious and achievable.

3. Share the context

Give your partner the background they need to understand the landscape: internal dynamics, external pressures, past efforts, and any sensitivities. 

Providing context will lead to better-informed advice. If you don’t trust your partner enough to be fully transparent (e.g. to tell them the truth), it’s worth reconsidering the engagement. They can only deliver great work when they have the full picture.

4. Be up front about constraints

Timeframes, budgets, approvals, and internal politics all shape what’s possible.  Being transparent about organisational constraints helps external partners design solutions that are realistic (not idealistic).

5. Clarify roles and decision-making

Who is the key contact? Who signs off? What stakeholders need to be consulted or kept in the loop? Nothing derails a project faster than discovering that key stakeholders were missing, or the wrong people were contributing to or approving the work.

Reworking deliverables because of unclear stakeholder engagement is inefficient and avoidable. A clear governance structure removes bottlenecks and maintains the momentum. Getting the right people engaged and involved early will ensure the process runs smoothly and the work lands where it needs to.

6. Don't hold back materials

Share what you’ve got, even if it’s messy. Previous comms, brand guidelines, strategy documents, stakeholder feedback, media mentions, and specific language can help your partner deliver work that carefully navigates risk, feels right, and fits seamlessly far more quickly. 

Where possible and appropriate, building on what exists will help to maintain consistency, tone, and credibility. Reinvention rarely calls for total destruction.  

7. Stay engaged through the process

A working week can become extremely busy, but external support should never be a set‑and‑forget arrangement. Providing timely responses, being available for check-ins, and facilitating introductions to key stakeholders will all help to keep things moving. 

The best partners will work largely independently, but they still need a few essentials from their clients to ensure the relationship works well. When clients stay engaged, decisions will be faster, messaging will be sharper, and outcomes will be stronger.

8. Be open to consultant challenge

Beyond simply delivering work, external partners can contribute a valuable mix of cross‑industry experience and deep domain expertise. 

The best results will come when in-house teams are open to new perspectives and solutions, even if they may feel a little uncomfortable about them at times. 

9. If the brief changes, talk about it

It’s perfectly OK for a brief to evolve. But when the scope slowly shifts over time without discussion, it creates confusion, misaligned expectations, and deadline (and budget) blowouts. 

If the job grows, shrinks, or changes direction, it’s essential to take a pause and talk it through. A good partner will want to revisit the definition of success, clarify priorities, update milestones, and re-quote if needed. Being accountable will ensure everyone gets what they need.

10. Don't assume the last agency was the problem

It’s not uncommon for in-house teams to speak negatively about previous external partners, but it’s vital to reflect before assigning blame. Prior to engaging a new partner, objectively consider what didn’t work last time and be absolutely clear about the preferred approach moving forward. 

Great partnerships rely on strong foundations, and good work can be diluted when the process around it breaks down. Brief creep, ambiguity, information constraints, and delays can all strain the client–agency relationship.

When external partners miss the mark, open and practical conversations are crucial for swift course-correction. Tips 1–9 form a clear framework that organisations can rely on to help guide these important discussions.

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The more effort you invest up front, the more value you’ll get in return.

Bringing in an external partner requires a focused, realistic, and complete brief, along with a commitment to stay engaged and communicate openly and clearly. A good partner will be explicit about what they’ll deliver, aligned on what success (and risk) looks like, and will check in with purpose to stay on track.