Ten Things To Look For In A New Ad Agency

Strategy, strategy, strategy.

Would you buy a car without tires? A tree without roots? Frankly, it’s impossible to understate how important a strategic foundation is to your marketing. After all, strategy is always the force that ignites brilliant, effective creative work. So, make certain the agency you select not only emphasizes brand strategy, but has a track record of delivering fresh, category-busting insights.

Thinking beyond the traditional.

Advertising has gone through a technological renaissance over the past couple of decades. Some agencies have kept pace. Others... not so much. You’ll want to be certain you’re teaming up with a group that can create brilliant social, ambient, contextual, and influencer campaigns as easily as a clever television spot.

Access to the top.

The leadership team at any given agency is typically composed of folks with a depth of experience, keen knowledge of the industry, and plenty of charisma. However, they are often as difficult to access as a bank vault. Make sure the leaders of your new agency are still active in the business - and will be active in yours. Every day.

Maturity or youthfulness? Yes.

The best shops are blended like a fine espresso roast. In this case, a perfect concoction of mature wisdom and youthful exuberance. It’s a magical formula for creative work that’s smart, focused, and right on trend.

One size doesn’t fit all.

Big clients don’t always need big agencies. And small clients can sometimes find the perfect team to manage their business at a larger shop. The key is making sure you meet the exact people who will be working on your business. Sometimes agencies (usually large ones) have “pitch teams” that you’ll never see again once you hire the shop.

There are no agency Yelp reviews.

Which means one of the best ways to evaluate an agency is to examine their client roster. Have their clients been with them a long time? Have those clients been successful at growing their business? And, is the prospective agency inviting you to connect and interview their current clients? If the answer is yes to those three questions, it’s a very good sign.

A staff with staying power.

It’s impressive when clients stick around. But, it’s equally important that agency employees are in it for the long haul. Especially in an industry as fickle as advertising. It means the associates believe in the agency’s mission, enjoy coming to work, and will be excited about helping yet another new client succeed.

Build on a stable foundation.

Choosing a new agency is a bit like merging with another company. You will be sharing critical information, and your success will, to a degree, depend on each other. So, make sure your new partner has been around awhile, and is financially stable.

Common knowledge.

If your industry is highly specialized (e.g. health care, financial, senior living), it makes sense for you to team up with an agency with prior experience in your category, provided there is no competitive overlap. The agency’s learning curve will be significantly less steep, and you’ll be able to tap into previous knowledge the agency has gained by helping clients in your sector succeed.

A lesson in chemistry.

At the end of the day, this is probably the most critical element to evaluate. Do you enjoy spending time with these folks? (You’re going to be doing a lot of that). Do you trust them? (You’re going to be sharing proprietary information). Do you share their values and admire their culture? (If so, you may just have met your perfect match).