Choosing the Best Advertising Agency

Costs are rising, competition is fierce, Today it’s more important than ever to find an effective means of advertising your business. Sure, you can try to do it yourself, but do you have the time? Resources? Strategy? Experience? 

It’s no longer just a few huge marketing companies dominating the advertising world anymore. Today, there are thousands of small boutique agencies with offices scattered around the globe, and all with their own unique specialties and strengths, the options can be overwhelming. So how do you choose the best advertising agency? Here are some things to keep in mind.

What is your goal. It is no general to say, make a great deal more money. You need to understand specifically what you want to accomplish. Greater online presence? Greater offline  presence? Do you know exactly who your target audience is? Not all advertising agencies are the same. You need to understand exactly who you are going after and then find an advertising agency that will help you attract and market to those clients.

Choose an agency that specializes in your industry.  You can achieve both quicker and more effective results if you select an advertising agency with direct experience in your industry.  Chances are they know exactly what your needs and concerns are and have a number of plans to fulfil them. IN addition, they probably know the best places to advertise and have a number of marketing pieces that have worked for clients like you in the past. While your not going to run the exact same campaign, you can run a proven one and hopefully achieve similar results.

Select the right partner. When choosing an advertising agency, you need to select one that not only understands what you are offering, but listens to your needs and wants. You want to make sure they present you with a specific plan and have a schedule to keep you up to date on the progress. Communication is very important in a marketing relationship. You are passionate about your business and need to find an advertising agency this is as well.

Bigger is not always better. While you might think that bigger the advertising agency the better, that is not always true. While they might have more people or resources, how much time are they going to devout on your specific company? Many times the smaller agencies are hungrier and know that if they are successful in growing your company, you will invest more with them for even greater results..

Full-service agencies. Does the advertising agency you are considering integrate all aspects of your campaign under one umbrella, saving you money and strengthening your company brand. Short term success if very important, but you also want to make sure they can handle your long term plans as your company grows.  For example,you might need to expand your product line, invest more time in public relations, plan a live event or online or offline presentation.  Selecting a company that can handle the various aspects can make the transition much easier. 

Interview a few companies. Advertising agencies charge all different prices. You want to make sure to compare them carefully, understanding exactly what each one is offering. Then, make sure everything is in written in terms of what is expected from each of you.

Look into their reviews. Before hiring an advertising agency, look and see if they have a BBB rating or SmartGuy rating. You can also enter the company's name followed by the words “rip off” or “scam” and see if anything comes up. The internet is an excellent place to hear the opinions of others.

If your business is at the spot where an advertising agency can really help get you to the next level, choose wisely. There are many advertising agencies to choose from. Select the one that is best fitted for your short term and long term needs.