Before You Hire An Advertising Agency, Ask These 3 Questions

Hiring an advertising agency is a big deal. Whether you need help with a single project, or are looking to revamp your entire marketing plan, it is important to pick the right firm to help. They will have influence over the success of your project and you will likely be working long hours with them. The obvious questions are about experience with your industry and market. While these are important, a few other questions are good to ask, too.

1. Are they capable of creating a comprehensive plan?

Many graphic designers are able to create a one-off project. Hiring so and so’s brother in law could be the best option for your stand-alone email campaign. However, pay attention to how comprehensive the advertising agency is. In order to get the most bang for your marketing buck, it is important to develop a brand, target markets, cross pollinate across products, service lines, and media channels, all with the ability to handle everything under one roof. A solid agency can see the forest and the trees.

2. Do you work well together?

Any marketing project, big or small, can take on a life of its own and take over yours. This means long hours and weeks working with the advertising agency you hire. Gage how responsive they are, how they react to your suggestions, and how they can take those ideas and work them into something you didn’t even think of. You don’t have to be best friends, but a company that is motivated, responds reasonably to emails or calls, and enjoys working with you is worth it.

3. Do they have a broad range?

Sometimes, a creative group hits a home run with a progressive look and then everything in their portfolio slowly starts to look the same. Make sure that the company has a broad range of styles they can show. This proves they have the versatility to create something truly original for you.

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5 Creative Advertising Ideas You Really Should Try

These days, a marketing plan can feel more related to science than creative work. With metrics, indices, graphs, polls, testing, and analytics, a good marketing plan is full of scientific data. However, even the most state of the art process for drafting a marketing plan must include creative advertising. While not every business would be wise to utilize some of the more extreme of inventive tactics, such as guerrilla marketing or wild wraps for city buses, there are a number great options that are creative and can benefit almost every business.

1. Selfie with product contest

Run a monthly contest for people taking selfies with your products or advertisements. Pictures can be loaded onto a social media site or website to share with all. Pick a winner each month that gets free product and a feature on your main page.

2. Community involvement

Creative advertising can also mean getting active in your community. Find what matters to your customers and look into options: trash pickup at the local lake, support for an animal rescue service, or involvement with a community theatre or sports complex. Every town will have a variety of ways for your company to make a difference.

3. Promote key hashtags

Invite patrons to post comments on your site or a social media forum using key hashtag phrases that you provide. The, list an assortment of results on your website. People love to get special recognition, plus you can use this opportunity to gather personal information for a newsletter or separate marketing initiative.

4. Pump up the drama with traditional media

Even traditional print media can be jazzed up with the help of a creative advertising firm. You don’t have to go for an entire branding revamp. Pick a signature event or sale and let a designer have fun with it.

5. Unusual giveaways

Think of the kinds of things that your customers need and develop attractive and interesting logoed items to give away with a purchase or at an event. A credit card holder that adheres to the back of a cell phone, an unusual pen, small earbuds, or anything else that could be used over and again is a great idea.

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