ImagineAgency - Services

1. To start, find out how an agency functions. Companies expect the agency to know at least the rudiments of their business, but the truth is that it’s a two-way street. To shop intelligently for an agency, you must understand what makes them tick.

2. Establish a selection committee, if necessary. This should be made up of the managers who will have responsibility for the agency relationship. Establish written criteria within the selection committee to be used during the search process.

3. Compile a list of eligible agencies. Eligibility should be based on such things as size, reputation, current accounts, and known conflicts.

4. Forget the creative mystique generated by "agency legend" during the first meeting. Prepare yourself to talk business - one potential marketing partner to another. Have specific discussions about your goals, your needs. See if the agency has a feel for your industry.

5. Once you’ve assessed the business capabilities of a prospective advertising agency, the next step is to get a taste of its creative flair.

6. Don’t waste your time and money having agencies work up speculative creative presentations for you. Speculative work is generally more glitz than substance if it’s thrown together on a crash program at the agency’s expense. And, if the agency wins the account, you’ll pay for the work in future billings.

7. Look at recent work performed for an agency’s current clients. But you select the clients. Go through the roster and pick campaigns done for a few companies that have marketing situations similar to yours.

8. It would be best for this creative presentation meeting to take place at the agency rather than at your office. While you are there be sure to take a short tour of the facilities. It will speak volumes about how the agency is run and with what kind of people you might ultimately be working.