Page 140 - Duct Tape Marketing

124 Part II: Sharpening Your Marketing Focus

ߜ Schedule up to two hours for each agency presentation, with roughly
half the time allocated to an informal question-and-answer period.

ߜ Consolidate interviews so that no more than a week elapses between the
first interview and the final analysis and decision.

ߜ Tour each agency before the presentation unless the presentations are
held at the agencies. Doing so gives you a sense of how each agency
works and a feel for the atmosphere in which they create.

ߜ Keep the interviews as relaxed as possible. The goal isn’t to put anyone
on the spot or to watch rehearsed performances, but to learn how the
agency interacts — among itself and with your team.

ߜ Complete a worksheet following each presentation. This can be as simple
as a list of attributes that are important to your business and a space to
rank each agency on a 1–10 scale. For example, if “broadcast media plan-
ning” is important to your business, list that category and rank each
agency from 1–10 on how well it convinced you of its expertise in this
area. Then compare your impressions of each firm’s capability to deter-
mine which one seems to best address your needs.

Putting the client-agency
agreement in writing

Most agencies prepare a contract that defines the role the agency is to
assume for the client, the compensation arrangement, ownership of work
produced under the contract, and how the relationship may be terminated. If
your new agency doesn’t offer you such a contract or memo of agreement,
ask for one and be certain that you both sign and keep a copy on file.

Good questions to ask agencies

When interviewing agencies, consider any of ߜ How do you define “good advertising”?
the following questions to help determine the
agency’s mission, style, culture, and values: ߜ If you had to name an attribute that sets
your agency apart from all others, what
ߜ How would you characterize the strengths aspect would you spotlight?
of your creative department?
ߜ Would you mind if we talked with a few of
ߜ Do your copywriters and designers have your current clients about their impressions
direct contact with clients? of and experiences with your agency?
Could you provide us with several names?
ߜ How will your chief executive officer be
involved or maintain contact with our
account?