Minimizing risks and maximizing efficiency. If you want to break down the essence of today’s marketing supply chain into its most basic—yet vital—components, Engelina Jaspers says you can start there.

With more than 30 years of experience working with Fortune global companies, and her time now as a branding and marketing consultant, Jaspers has sat on both sides of the table. Working with literally hundreds of agencies—from mega firms offering everything under one roof, to specialty boutiques and freelance consultants—the author, speaker, and brand and marketing advisor has a keen perspective into what makes marketing supply chains shine, or bomb.

Without good supply chain management (that process of minimizing risks and maximizing efficiency in creating, producing and distributing marketing materials), every link in the chain can become more cumbersome, risk-prone and costlier in terms of the time and resources it demands. That means you must have a chain of suppliers capable of providing print, promotional products and point of sale to market your products and services. This chain typically includes outside help such as brand managers, marketing services, agencies, direct sales teams, buyers, printers, fulfillment houses, and others.

From Jaspers’ perspective, solid marketing supply chain management requires teaming with a partner that can effectively handle the promotional, print and distribution sides. By offering a high-touch service model and extensive partner network in key markets, this group can streamline and reach the objective your brand wants.

“When you hire a marketing agency, you’re essentially hiring people: their expertise, experience and service,” says Jaspers, who also created the MARKETING FLEXOLOGY Management Framework™—a mindset and a toolset for future-proofing careers, teams and marketing platforms. “Like any good hiring decision, ensuring a strong cultural fit and alignment is crucial. If you view agency partners as an extension of yourself, as I do, you will take as much care in recruiting and managing agencies as you do your own internal staff.”

So, when does your situation get to that point? Jaspers says there are myriad signs: Your internal dynamics reach the point where your marketing staff is overworked; your revenue isn’t growing fast enough; you’re always running behind schedule; and/or everything related to your marketing strategy appears to be thrown together.

The challenge then becomes making sure you have the right external resources in place to manage a marketing avalanche. Simon Croom believes that marketing is an integral element of supply chain management, especially since the overall aim of any supply chain is to deliver market needs and meet demand.

Croom, Ph.D., is a Professor of Supply Chain Management at the Supply Chain Management Institute at the University of San Diego who frequently advises brands on strategic improvement and world-class supply chain operations. “When marketing and supply chain is integrated, marketing actions are designed to mediate the market demand with supply,” says Croom, a leading global thought leader on supply chain management whose insights stand as an increasing influence in the academic space. “Whenever I see marketing unconnected to the supply chain I encounter poor execution of promotions, disruptions to supply, and possible loss of market share.”

When it comes to marketing supply chain management, both Jaspers and Croom believe that when outsourcing your project it is best to not only find a partner that has your best interest at heart, but also is committed to doing what’s needed to streamline the process correctly. The two attributes, while intricately and strategically connected, sometimes slide off course in the decision-making process.

“People do business with people,” Croom says. “People do great business with people they like. Innovation, responsiveness, joint problem-solving and trustworthy actions are all critical to successful supply chain business, and that all depend on strong relational competencies.”

Jaspers says that selecting the right partner depends on the type of structure your organization operates under. The first type operates as a marketing service provider, serving as an in-house marketing agency for the company. The second functions as a marketing advisor to the CEO and executive team, primarily staying on brand and keeping in step with the brand’s reputation. The third marketing organization operates as a business partner and driver of new growth.

While all three are valid structures and important ways for marketing to contribute, what’s more critical is understanding the type of marketing structure you need at your state of business and/or stage of growth. “For example, a pre-IPO startup looking to build recognition and create buzz requires a different marketing structure (and leader) than a mature Fortune 50 company striving for global consistency and operational efficiency,” Jaspers says.

One of the main factors for choosing, and subsequently operating a finely tuned marketing supply chain is knowing when and if you made the right choice, as the warning signs of a sub-optimal marketing supply chain will scream out. For example:

• Make sure your agency partner is focused on winning mindshare and market share for your clients, and not bent on winning awards and accolades.
• Avoid high-maintenance agencies cluttered with inflated egos, and instead seek partners who are effective at collaboration and idea sharing.
• Avoid agency partners who are focused on the next “cooler than cool” creative execution or techno-gadget, and instead find a partner who genuinely wants to internalize your brand voice and tone.

“You don’t necessarily want an agency partner who delivers exactly what you ask,” Jaspers says. “Instead, you want a partner that is willing to push you further.”

Perhaps one of the most important factors to watch out for is not allowing your brand to get compromised by unauthorized vendors or rogue buyers, a situation that Croom and Jaspers say happens all the time. “It requires strong brand leadership and constant diligence on your part,” Jaspers says. “Having messaging framework and marketing playbook helps. The solution to fragmentation is integration.”

In the end, whether you’re trying to grow a brand, turn around a company or deliver a seamless experience, getting everybody moving in the same direction can be challenging. With differing goals, agendas, leaderships and budgets, messages and brands quickly can become fragmented. The answer is not taking away budgets or funneling everything through a central headquarters for approval. The answer is finding a partnership that can turn your process into a well-oiled machine capable of streamlining operations with a centralized point of contact.