ADwire » Who We Are & How You Choose

Who We Are & How You Choose

August 14th, 2008 at 12:29pm Cindy Harris

There’s plenty of people out there who get the deer-in-the-headlights look when I say “I work for an ad agency.” So, to shed a little light on what we do, here are answers to two popular questions: How do ad agencies work? And how do I pick one for my business?

How Ad Agencies Work

Ad agencies run the gamut from large multi-nationals to one-man (or -woman) shops. Some just do media buying and ad creative and others do just public and media relations. Most, though, do everything including market research, media buying, ad creative, graphic design, web work, public relations and video production.

Usually you’re assigned a point person for your project, and that person will work closely with you to ensure the end product meets your expectations. At the beginning, there will be some back and forth as we gather background and ideas for the project and then you can expect proofs based on an agreed-upon timeline, which then go through another back and forth period until they’re just right.

We typically have clients that either know what they want right off the bat or come to us just knowing they want to improve their business; in the latter case, we will propose various strategies & tactics to help.

In all cases, clear and honest communication are essential to the agency-client relationship. We do this for a living and have probably heard it all, so don’t be afraid of speaking up. You won’t hurt our feelings. You hire us for our marketing and advertising expertise - we understand your business and goals but we are not experts in your field - you are. If something isn’t right or you have questions, ask. We’d rather get constructive feedback than produce a project that you don’t like.

How To Choose an Agency

Here are some questions you can ask yourself as you start looking at agencies for your project or business:

1. Do you like the work they’ve done for their other clients? While a portfolio is not all-inclusive of an agency’s expertise, it will be representative of their work and you should at least like some of it. But don’t be hoodwinked by the flashing lights and pretty pictures of impressive creative - ask about actual results their clients gained as a result of the project.

2. How long have they been around and do they have long-term clients? An agency that’s been around awhile in this business means they’re probably pretty good at what they do. Agencies that don’t get results have a very short shelf-life. Also look for the number of long-term clients they have - that’s also a pretty good indicator of the quality of their work and customer service. At the same time, look for an agency that regularly brings in new clients as well - new clients keep our creative forces fresh and new.
3. Are you given a list of current and former clients as references? If not, and they won’t provide them after you ask, it might be best to turn tail and run. If an agency does give you referrals, call them!

4. Will they have to outsource parts of your project or is it done in-house? Outsourcing will drive up costs and project timelines. If you need full service, be sure the agency you choose can provide full service. If they just do public relations, for example, they will likely outsource the video project that’s needed for the second phase of the campaign.

5. Finally - do you like and trust the agency’s staff? In most cases, the client-agency partnership is a close one with near daily contact when you’re in the midst of a campaign. It’s important you like and trust the agency’s staff…You don’t have to invite them over for Sunday dinner, but a certain amount of friendliness and goodwill go a very long way.

There are many other nuances and topics I didn’t cover here - these pointers are just a starting point, an introduction to a complicated but beneficial relationship between agency and client.