To set the stage for successful buys and long-term business partnerships, get the right information up front.

Too often media buyers can get in a rut asking their partners and prospects the same questions. Surface questions related to flight dates, banner sizes, frequency caps and budget are all important, but it's the next layer of questioning that takes your buy from ho-hum to home run.

Whether you're an advertiser focused on branding, an agency with ROI goals for your client or a cost-per-action (CPA) client, here are nine questions to be sure to ask yourself and your network before the impressions start rolling in. 

1. Who is your primary contact?
Is your contact a sales rep, an account manager or someone in a combination role? If you initially speak to a sales rep and then are transitioned to an account manager, it's extremely beneficial to get all three of you on a call to be sure all the requirements and goals you spoke to the sales rep about are understood by the day-to-day account manager.

2. Are the network's other clients primarily focused on branding or ROI?
This can speak volumes. If you are a branding advertiser working with an ROI-centric network, or vice versa, it could be harder for the network to meet your needs. It also sends up a red flag as to what works on the company's inventory; if most of the network's clients are branding clients, it's likely for a reason.

3. With which advertisers do you have a longstanding relationship (or which have rebooked)?
Some networks are able to disclose clients and some are not, but the answer to the question can again speak volumes. You're looking for confidence and to find out how many of the network's clients end up happy after a buy. Whether it's a branding campaign or a CPA client, if the company is truly happy with the network's results, it has rebooked.

4. Is the company a blind network or a transparent network?
There are pros and cons to each. Blind networks can allow for more volume at a lower cost because you aren't paying for the big names. A transparent network allows you to choose exactly what sort of content you'd like your advertising to appear next to.

5. Have you clearly communicated your goals and metrics?
This is the most important factor in a successful buy. Making absolutely certain that the network knows what you are using to measure success -- number of impressions, a percentage increase in product awareness or a set number of actual sales -- enables your provider to do its best to hit your mark and enables you to keep the network accountable.

6. What is the network's data-gathering strategy?
For the most part, there are two predominant strategies for campaign optimization. You can start small and slow and scale up. The benefit of this option is that you will typically hit your goals (whether they are ROI, demographics, etc.) without blowing through too much budget, but it may take time to scale the campaign. Or you start large and cut back. This method tends to be quicker but also tends to run through budget faster. Impressions or clicks can sometimes be wasted during the learning period. It's important that you understand the network's methods so you can keep them in mind when reviewing data.

7. What is the reporting situation?
Real-time stats can do wonders for a campaign by enabling you to catch technological glitches, notice trends and make swift, educated decisions. Emailed reports are workable too -- but make sure the network knows at what frequency you expect to receive reporting so it is not thinking weekly when you're expecting daily.

8. How often does the network optimize?
It's important everyone is on the same page here. Is the network used to optimizing weekly, or only after collecting three weeks of data, while you're looking for daily touches on the account? This is something you need to know before you go live -- not three days in when you want optimization and the network doesn't want to touch the account for at least four more days.

9. How quickly can the network make creative changes?
If you need to make a creative switch for a messaging, compliance or optimization reason, find out how quickly the network can accommodate you. Will it take hours or days? You need to know this ahead of time so you can be prepared if the situations arises.

Talking these points over with your current and potential network partners will help you take your media buys to the next level. Your due diligence in the beginning of each new relationship can set the stage for successful buys and long-term business partnerships.

Erin O'Grady is the director of affiliate publishing at Clickbooth.