Selecting an Advertising Agency [Infographic]

For a detailed post on the process, precautions, best practices & guidelines to choosing the right ad agency, click here.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Selecting an Advertising Agency

Selecting an Advertising Agency, especially for the first time, should not be an impulse decision. You should plan for a rigorous preparation process, to avoid wasting your time. Even before beginning the search, you need to think critically about what role a digital marketing agency would play into your business objectives. Whatever the reason – whether you’re planning for accelerated growth, redesigning your brand, or branching into new territories – it should be fully formed before you even start searching for agencies.

Consider the time you are willing to dedicate to this partnership
The money you’re willing to invest
The skills your team already possesses and the skills your team lacks

Preparation is critically important. If it’s not done thoroughly and honestly, the search is going to end up in misfire!

Look at the whole deal as if you were adding more team members to your company. You will have to cooperate for a long time, and I always encourage a transparent and open relationship in order to get the best results. Most importantly, you need to make sure that everyone is on the same page. The agency you hire has to understand your ideas, give you the necessary feedback, and at the same time, care for your campaign and make the decisions they think are right. In the end, it’s their expertise and knowledge that counts. They are the ones who will tailor your campaign, not you.

Make sure that you go into the relationship understanding the specifics you want on paper like deliverables, metrics, reporting, and goals. You should set time frames for campaign progress reviews and make sure that on-going evaluation leaves room to change course or re-prioritize as events and performance dictate. This is how accountability is established and healthy expectations are formed. All the best! 🙂