Selecting an advertising agency to take on the task of promoting your business is a major undertaking — one that requires careful consideration and evaluation so that you can steer clear of lost time, wasted resources, missed opportunities and strained business relationships.
But how do you go about choosing an advertising agency to work with? How do you find the right company to whom you can entrust the responsibility of building your brand and making sure that your intended audiences become fully aware of your business and what you have to offer? While you may never fully realize the quality of an ad agency's performance until after the work is done, there are important factors that you need to keep an eye on so that you can be led in the direction of the best agency for your specific needs.
1. Study an agency's industry experience. Create a shortlist of the ad agencies you wish to check out, and make sure that the list prioritises agencies that are known to have clients in your same industry. Their experience in working in your field will give them an edge as there will be circumstances and information unique to your business, which they will already be well aware of and able to articulate well in their campaigns.
2. Consider an agency with a creative philosophy that meshes well with your vision for your brand. You may be surprised (delightfully, one would hope) by the creative concepts that a prospective agency may present you with after working with your company. But right off the bat, you have to have a clear picture of the agency's creative style and be happy to see how that expression will translate to an effective message to deliver in your business's name. If you know right from the beginning that a particular agency is quite aggressive or controversial with its themes, or too simple for your taste, it's best to consider them briefly (if you're willing to be adventurous), but manage your expectations and be prepared to request a change to the work or walk away from the partnership if the campaign you are looking for is not materialising.
3. Take the agency's size into consideration. A larger advertising firm will have a number of other clients all requiring complete attention and energy from their staff. So choose an advertising agency that is adequately sized so you can be sure that your project will be given their complete concentration and will not be halfheartedly managed.
4. Longevity is also a plus. You don't remain in the advertising arena for long if you've had a long string of failed campaigns, ill-prepared strategies and poor client relationship management skills. So keeping your eye on agencies that are long established with a positive reputation assure you that you are working with professionals who value their craft and aim to deliver quality results every time.
5. Pick an agency that you have chemistry with. You will be working very closely with your chosen advertising agency. After all, they will need to know all the intimate and important details about your business if they are to build an impressive, all-encompassing branding campaign that will help you cultivate a following. So you must find an agency that you can trust and relate well with. Smooth-flowing and open communication is key to maintaining a fruitful relationship with the ad specialists you hire.