I’m going to be honest with you, which I always am but this time it’s scary honesty. There are a lot of in-house agency research reports out there. And not all of them contain data that are close to the integrity of the studies IHAF publishes—the next of which drops at the IHAF conference on November 14.

The truth is that IHAF has been issuing studies on behalf of the in-house community for over 15 years. During that time, they’ve been tapped by other national associations to help them build surveys of their own. And IHAF has graciously obliged, always willing to help others gain a deeper understanding of the in-house model. Unfortunately, not all research that’s published has merit.

So, what makes IHAF’s studies different?

Well, the survey instruments IHAF uses and the methodology they follow leverage the talents of in-house experts and experts in field research. In fact, I’ve been partnering with IHAF and Forrester Research for years to design studies and analyze trends. The communities tapped to participate are also carefully screened, ensuring responses are from verified internal agencies and corporate marketing professionals.

Next, the data sets themselves are unique. By that, I mean that certain findings contained in IHAF’s soon-to-be-released industry report have never been issued by any other association that produces content on behalf of in-house teams. There are specific deep-dive questions IHAF is seeking answers to in response to queries posed to them by their members. IHAF’s results are not only responsive to the community, they are unparalleled in the marketplace—you simply won’t find them anywhere else.

Lastly, and this may be the biggest difference-maker of all, the findings IHAF publishes in response to each of their survey questions are statistically significant so you can be sure that the percentages reported are representative of the broader universe of internal agencies.

As marketers, you rely on the integrity of campaign data. “How did the strategy we just deployed perform? What did we learn that can inform what we do next?” You need that same level of assurance when it comes to your in-house agency. The only way to get it is to know that the facts you are referencing are legitimate.

Just like you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet, you can’t believe everything you read about in-house agencies. IHAF’s annual benchmarking reports are something you can believe.

Stay tuned for “The Truth About In-House Agencies,” IHAF’s 2023 State-of-the-Industry Report. Hard copies will be distributed at next month’s IHAF Conference & Awards. Following the event, IHAF members can access the report online by logging in at www.ihaforum.org.