Resources: Articles

Seven Tips for Selecting an Ad Agency
by Rod A. Covey, President

An advertising agency can be a boon or a bust for your company, depending on the relationship. The process involved in finding the right agency is as important as the message in your campaign. Here are seven simple guidelines to help you make an intelligent, informed choice.

1. Establish a selection committee of managers who will work with the agency. Establish written criteria for the search process.

2. Compile a list of eligible agencies. Some important criteria to consider:

• Size—Where does your company rank in budget size in relation to other clients? You don’t have to be the largest, but it’s often foolish for a small client to select a large agency.
• Reputation—Find out the agency’s reputation among clients, vendors and competitors.
• Credit rating—Evaluate this periodically, even after you choose an agency. A company may discover that although it’s paid for the agency’s services, the agency has not paid its suppliers.
• Current accounts—How many accounts does the agency handle? What percent is consumer-oriented? Is it involved with your competitors?

3. After you have assembled the business capabilities of a prospective agency, get a taste of its creative flair.

Speculative work is generally more glitz than substance. And if the agency wins the account, you’ll pay for the work in future billings.

Look at recent work performed for an agency’s current clients. Pick campaigns done for companies with marketing situations similar to yours.

4. Examine media planning and buying for the same clients whose creative work you have studied. Media is one of the toughest, most important and underemphasized areas to be judged. It’s where the bulk of your dollars go. Ask about planning and buying strategies. How do they evaluate media and audience data?

5. Evaluate production services. Ask about the relationship between the agency and the printers, film houses and others who do outside work for it.

6. Arrange for committee discussion. Discuss the chemistry between you and the agency. No matter how competent an agency may seem, if you don’t have a good feeling about working with the agency team, you may be headed for trouble.

7. Notify the winning agency by phone and letter. Also notify the other agencies by phone and letter the same day, and thank them for their efforts. You never know when you may need to switch agencies.

Rod A. Covey is president of Covey-Odell Advertising, Ltd., a North Canton-based advertising, marketing and public relations firm with 40-plus years’ experience.

For more information, contact Covey-Odell Advertising, Ltd., 330 Schneider St. SE, North Canton, OH 44720; phone 330-499-3441.