Page 136 - Duct Tape Marketing

120 Part II: Sharpening Your Marketing Focus

Choosing and Working with
an Advertising Agency

Before you can select a marketing partner, here’s what you need to know:

ߜ Your needs: What kind of service are you seeking? Are you looking for
help with a single important project — perhaps the creation of an adver-
tising campaign, a major brochure, an annual report, or a big promotion?
Or are you seeking an agency to help build your image on a long-term
basis? Know what kind of partnership you’re after before contacting
agencies. Some agencies welcome project work, while others prefer to
work with clients on a long-term basis.

ߜ Your priorities: Some businesses want an agency with a reputation for
delivering award-winning creative concepts. Others seek agencies with
demonstrated experience in a particular industry or market segment.
Some value economical solutions above all else. Others want an agency
with a name-dropping client roster, proven government or industry rela-
tions, or even strong social or business connections. Before beginning
your search, decide which aspects of an agency’s offerings are most
important to you and evaluate capabilities accordingly.

ߜ Your budget: Define how much you plan to spend over the coming year
on ad production, media placements, marketing materials, and promo-
tional efforts. Then share the financial facts with your top-choice agen-
cies. Small businesses hesitate to reveal budgets that they think might
sound meager, plus they’re afraid to “let the wolf in the hen house” by
telling an agency how much money is budgeted. Advice: Establish a trust-
ing partnership by being open from the get-go. If your budget doesn’t fit
an agency’s client profile, it’s best to know before you spend time trying
to establish a mismatched relationship.

Defining your selection criteria

Before beginning the agency selection process, answer these questions:

ߜ What are you trying to accomplish?

Put your objectives in writing. Are you trying to establish and build a
brand? Do you want to introduce a product? Do you need to reverse a
sales decline or jumpstart stagnant sales? Is your objective to launch a
long-term effort to build market share?