Small Business Marketing Kit For Dummies, 3rd Edition

Choosing and Working with an Agency

Agencies aren’t just producers; they’re marketing partners. Before beginning the agency selection process, answer these questions:

What do you want the agency to help you accomplish? Put your objectives in writing. Are you trying to establish and build a brand? Do you want to introduce a product? Do you need to reverse a sales decline or jump-start stagnant sales? Is your objective to launch a long-term effort to build market share?

What do you value in an agency? Are you looking for an agency that specializes in a certain kind of media — such as broadcast, print, online advertising, or direct mail? Do you want an agency that specializes in the production of brochures and printed material? Do you primarily seek publicity assistance? Are you seeking an agency known for its award-winning creative work or its expertise with social media campaigns?

What do you bring to the table? To get and keep the attention of a good agency, you need at least one and preferably two or all three of the following attributes:

• A budget: You need a budget big enough to do the job and to allow the agency a decent profit.

• A product or service around which an agency ...