Download Six Reasons to Consider Retaining a Full

 Six Reasons to Consider Retaining a Full-­‐Service Ad Agency Some small and mid-­‐sized businesses are reluctant to retain an advertising agency for a variety of reasons. Most often, people think of agencies as managing multi-­‐million-­‐dollar ad campaigns for big consumer brands and associate them with hefty retainer fees. There are also companies that have spent decades coordinating all advertising, marketing and PR projects in-­‐house, making it difficult to trust an outside firm and introduce an entirely new process to their corporate culture. However, a full-­‐service agency can bring multiple benefits to a business of any size, whether b2b or b2c. Most small or mid-­‐sized businesses don’t think twice about outsourcing certain critical functions – legal, accounting, financial consulting, sales, etc. So why not marketing? Finding the right agency and establishing a partnership that really works is not an easy task, but there are many advantages to using a third-­‐party marketing firm and not all agencies require super-­‐sized budgets or charge high fees. The key is to find a reputable full-­‐service agency rather than a vendor who does project work. Look to partner with a well-­‐established, small or mid-­‐sized firm that can develop and implement a fully integrated marketing communications plan based on your short-­‐ and long-­‐term goals. The true value of an agency lies in the creation of a robust and holistic marketing strategy incorporating numerous tactics, above and beyond clever advertising. Case studies and client references that speak to profitability and growth achieved, as a result of marketing efforts, are far more important. Beware of agencies that proudly showcase their creative awards, but shy away from showing the ultimate results. Ideally, the firm you select should be your agency for many years – growing by helping you grow – so look for one that has a history of long client tenure. Once you find a worthy agency, treat and educate those working on your business like a valuable extension of your sales/marketing team and your company will reap many benefits. Here are six reasons why you should consider partnering with an agency: 1. Team of Experts – Many businesses turn to ad agencies for their specialized knowledge. Small businesses, in particular, may not have their own marketing department/person and can greatly benefit from the depth of experience an agency can bring to the table. When you retain an agency, the account is usually assigned a team of experts to work on your business including media buyers, graphic artists, copywriters, account supervisors, PR specialists and web designers. These marketing professionals provide expertise that most businesses cannot afford to bring on board as employees. In fact, depending on the size of the agency and scope of work included, the retainer fee may actually be less than the salary and benefit package associated with hiring just one internal marketing person. 2. Time Savings – Rather than coordinating numerous projects with multiple vendors, using an agency allows all projects to flow through a single point of contact, usually the account executive (AE). The benefit? You only need to manage one relationship. The AE collaborates with all team members and vendors; they are responsible for keeping track of everything. Hiring an agency will free up your employees to do what they have been trained for and what you are paying them to do. Managing all or most of your marketing projects through one firm also provides synergy and helps ensure that all outbound marketing materials are branded consistently. With the Do-­‐It-­‐Yourself approach, materials can lack visual impact and may not have the disciplined structure needed to build a brand. 3. Cost Savings – Because ad agencies usually receive retainer fees and media commissions for their services, many small and mid-­‐sized businesses assume these added costs will cut into their ROI. Actually, the opposite is true. Hiring an agency can save both time and money. What many businesses do not realize is that agency media buyers are given special advertising discounts. Since they book ad space for numerous clients, they are able to leverage their media relationships and secure steep discounts. Savvy media buyers also negotiate package deals, value added opportunities, premium positions, and complimentary media placements for their clients. They are experts at analyzing media options and finding the best media mix to reach your target audience and maximize your return on investment. In addition, they stay abreast of new media vehicles and proactively provide additional media opportunities throughout the year. 4. Brand Buzz – Public relations is often a media discipline that is overlooked or granted minimal resources, yet it is one of the most cost-­‐effective means to increase your brand awareness, create “buzz” in your industry and generate sales leads. On an ad hoc basis, most small businesses simply write a press release, blast it to numerous media outlets and hope for the best. There is way more to PR than that. When looking for a full-­‐service agency, try to find one with strong in-­‐
house PR capabilities that can create and execute a comprehensive proactive and reactive PR program for the entire year. PR professionals have exceptional writing skills and can craft releases, feature stories, case studies and pitch materials that will pique an editor’s interest in covering the topic. They also have daily contact with editors and valuable media relationships that a typical marketing person simply does not have time to cultivate. 5. Brand Freshness – Well-­‐established brands often need a “facelift” to stay relevant in the marketplace and to align their current corporate mission and vision with their existing brand perception. Agencies can help refresh your brand image by developing a new company logo, tagline and set of corporate identity guidelines. When is the last time your business updated its website? Does it look dated? Most full-­‐service agencies also have experienced web designers and developers (either in-­‐house or on-­‐call) that can refresh your site, teach you how to update its content, and perform behind-­‐the-­‐scenes coding and search engine optimization which will improve your organic search results. 6. New Ideas – Some businesses worry that a third-­‐party marketing firm is not going to really “get” who they are or know how to market their products and services in a way that differentiates them from their competitors. When searching for an agency, they it would be ideal to find one with very specific and extensive knowledge in your industry. However, that is not always necessary. General agencies with a well-­‐
rounded client roster and experience in a variety of industries often provide a fresh perspective and an unbiased opinion. Unlike internal employees, agency teams do not feel compelled to agree with clients when they truly believe that their interests will be better served with a different solution. Agencies learn from their experiences with other clients and proactively recommend new strategies and media vehicles. A full-­‐service agency also can help provide you with strategic or creative guidance when it comes to interactive marketing, direct mail, event marketing, collateral, tradeshow graphics, social media, email marketing, etc. To learn more about the benefits of a full-­‐service ad agency, feel free to contact Jim Gorab at 973-­‐227-­‐8080 x36 or submit an inquiry at www.turchette.com/contact-­‐us.