2. ADVERTISING
THE AGENCY
How to Choose One:
1. Decide what you need from the agency
2. Get a preliminary list from ad campaigns you like and business associates.
3. Find out what services they offer – research, media, creative, marketing, PR, website design
4. Ask for their client list: are they a general agency or do they specialize in an area that does (or does not) relate to you? Do they have experience in businesses or services similar to yours? Do they already have clients that conflict?
5. Check their clients for comments
6. Do you get along with their management? You have to be able to talk to them and be understood.
7. Will you have direct access to their creative and media people? It is the people on your account that count; not the name on the door.
8. All agencies charge the standard 15% on media billing, but what is their policy on charging for the other services.
9. Run competition among the top three or four acceptable agencies. Pay them between $2500 and $5000 for their sales pitch – and keep the ideas.
10. Remember you want those most of all for their CREATIVE GENIUS and next for the MEDIA PLANNING. All the rest is HOUSEKEEPING.
THE AGENCY (cont’d)
How to Use One:
1. Before you call the agency, define clearly what you want to say and the target group.
2. It is the agency’s job to come up with a creative and media plan to achieve what you want. It is your job to tell them what you want.
3. Bring the agency in early and let them do their job. Do not be the creative director.
4. Research is expensive! But ad campaigns are more expensive.
It is better to test your campaign first.
5. Because ad campaigns are expensive, your senior people should talk to the agency.
6. Insist on talking directly to their creative people, so they will get the feel for their need.
7. The creative idea is the key – get that first and the rest will follow.
8. Do not settle for the dull and the ordinary. Push until you get outstanding work. If you do not, change people – or agencies.
9. Challenge the agency on it proposal and make them defend it.
10.Look for the ancillary and support ideas from the agency’s marketing department.
11.Get the agency to help you sell the campaign to top management. They will want to and the will be better at it than you – but you control the presentation.
12.At the end of the campaign, get a full report from the agency, including tear sheets, tapes, etc.