Wednesday, September 26, 2012

4 Questions to Ask Your Advertising Agency

Are you planning to hire an advertising agency to promote your product or service? You'll need the services of a really good ad agency to ensure that you are able to connect with your customers. If you do not have sufficient visibility in the market then there is very little chance of being successful. As a musician you'll definitely need a good agency to ensure that potential customers know about your work.
The process of selecting an advertising agency is not necessarily an easy one. However, the following questions will help you decide whether a particular ad company is the right one for you:
1. What services will the company offer? Advertising agencies generally offer a whole range of services that include planning out a marketing campaign, producing print, radio and TV ads and also buying space in various media. Some companies insist that you use only them for all these services. In any case, it is never a good idea to use different companies because this will result in lack of continuity between the services offered.
2. How will fees be decided? Be sure to have a discussion upfront regarding how the company will charge you. Keep in mind that ad agencies are entitled to commission from the media in which your ads will appear. You should therefore not have to pay a lot of money for the services. Even so, you should read the fine print so that you don't have to deal with unexpected costs.
3. Will the company appoint a person to work on your advertising? Your relationship with your ad agency will generally be a very long term one. In fact, it is not a great idea to switch agencies often. You'll also need one person from the company to manage your account. This ensures that you get personalized service from the agency. You will also be able to count on this person to mobilize resources for you at very short notice, if and when necessary.
4. Does the company have good contacts in the media? Be sure to hire an advertising agency that can get you space on different media at short notice. The company should also be able to get you slots for your ads at very reasonable prices.
Once you hire a really good advertising agency, you will see a significant improvement in business. Everything depends on the company you finally select..