Hiring an ad agency is not a decision to be taken lightly. Your business’s success may rest on the ad agency’s shoulders. These are the people that will market your business to new customers and help you retain the customers you already have. Therefore, you need to take your time looking for an ad agency.
Following these five tips will ensure that you hire the best ad agency for your next marketing strategy.
1. Research, research, research
Most business owners and decision-makers are busy people. We realize that. However, you must do your research to find the right advertising agency. Hiring the first result in a quick Google search will not lead you to the people best suited to help your business.
That is not to say that digital research is not helpful. Just make sure to research each candidate carefully. You may also want to review both AdAge and AdWeek, which are trade publications that offer articles about agencies around the United States.
2. Talk to people
The best way you can conduct research into potential ad agencies is to talk to people. Your business likely works with other businesses. Talk to those companies about the ad agencies they use. Look up case studies and reviews of potential ad agencies online. The best ad agencies will put lists of their past clients on their website. Call up some of those businesses to learn about their specific experience working with the ad agency.
3. Interview the prospects
Just as you would carefully review any potential employee, you need to take the same amount of care when interviewing an ad agency. You especially want the culture of the agency and your business to mesh well together. You will want to talk to all of the people that will be working with your business, not just one or two. This will ensure that the creative team works well together and with you.
Keep in mind your own business’s Scope of Work and company mission, and carefully review the same documents from the prospective ad agency. Do their values align with yours? If not, then you need to consider other ad agency options.
4. Conduct an RFP
Along the same lines as number three above, an RFP can be extremely helpful when looking for an ad agency. RFPs may not be as common as they once were, but they can still be extremely helpful in finding an ad agency that aligns with your business.
5. Be transparent about your goals
Finally, in your discussions with every potential ad agency, make sure to be transparent about your goals, budget, scope, etc. Being honest during talks ensures that everyone is on the same page. The ad agency should work with you to determine a marketing plan that will work within your scope and budget. So, it is essential that they know that information from the beginning.
Conclusion
Obviously, choosing an ad agency is a big decision. You should always go through the five steps described above by looking for a new ad agency to work with. But, we’d like to make your life a little easier: contact AdComm Advertising.
Here at AdComm Advertising, we have the experience, history of success, and positive reviews to prove we are your best ad agency choice. We offer web design and development, SEO/SEM, graphic design, tv production, video editing, social media marketing, digital content creation, package design, and much much more. Contact AdComm Advertising today to see how we can help you communicate effectively with your audience.