5 Tips For Choosing the Right Advertising Agency

Just because an advertising agency is in "the business," it doesn't necessarily mean that you are going to resonate with the type of work they have done in the past. Ask to see a portfolio of their past work. Hint: make sure the portfolio is media-specific. That is, if you are looking to have them create a TV ad campaign on your behalf, don't be satisfied if they merely give you samples of their past billboard or magazine ads. Reason: creative work that is appropriate for one type of medium is not necessarily appropriate for another. You want an agency that knows your market intimately. In the case of a broadcast campaign for the Dallas, TX market (for example), you are going to want to select an ad agency that has relationships with all of the important radio and TV stations in town. These relationships will allow them to get you the best rates, as well as to negotiate "remotes and promos" (viz., value-adds or perks that you can sometimes receive for making radio buys).

Many firms put on a good show upon the initial get-to-know-you meeting, asking a few routine questions about your company in order to land a project with you. However, once the project has commenced, most firms will quickly appear to lose interest, seeming more like a vendor than a partner. Over time, you will find yourself garnering less and less of their attention.