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How do I choose an advertising agency?

 

Marketing & Advertising mentor Jay Conrad Levinson responds to the following questions from an inc.com user:
I need to develop a new-product-rollout marketing campaign using an advertising agency. What steps should I take? How do I choose the right agency? Is there an etiquette I should use when seeking proposals? Should I ask several agencies to develop pitches and then choose the best one, or should I interview agencies and choose the one I think I can best work with?

Jay Conrad Levinson responds:
I suggest that you contact a few agencies to make sure of three things:

  1. You will be considered an important account to them, and your work won't be assigned to beginners.
  2. The agency shows you the kind of work that impresses you and talks about profitability more than about winning awards.
  3. There is good chemistry between you and the agency people who will be working on your account.

Personally, I don't think it's a good idea to ask agencies to develop pitches because that won't answer the points I just mentioned. But you should meet the people who will be directly working on your account.

Here are three related articles I wrote about selecting an agency. I think they will help you. Good luck!

How to Select an Ad Agency
10 Questions to Ask before Choosing an Ad Agency
What to Look For in an Ad Agency
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