If you’ve got a small start-up company that is doing relatively well, but could be making a bit more profit, you may be wondering “How do I advertise effectively?” Don’t sweat it — choosing an advertising agency is your first line of defense.
An estimated 54% of small businesses admit they could use some more help in improving their marketing skills, especially when it comes to social media. Promotions marketing performed by professional public relations agencies will be able to take care of this no problem.
Choosing an Advertising Agency: This should not be a stressful process. Professional web design companies are everywhere, all it takes is a little bit of effort and research. Small ad agencies are often the best way to go if you are a small business struggling with promotional ideas. They will be able to tell you that, for example, 70% of small business owners spend three or less hours a week on email marketing, despite the fact that this is one of the most effective marketing strategies out there.
Is an Advertising Agency the Right Decision? You may be second guessing your need for an ad agency, so think long and hard before committing to the investment. A small company needs to think about what role advertising will play in their business strategy. If you have goals already set, will advertising help or hinder these goals? If you are deciding on redesigning your brand or seeking a new customer demographic niche, you should probably make the investment.
Keep in mind that choosing an advertising agency should not be an impulse decision. Do your research on what company will work best for you. Choose one that is familiar with your industry.
Request for Proposal: After deciding whether or not an ad agency is the right thing for your company, its time to get to work telling agencies a little bit about your company and what you would like to have done. Be sure to include your financial requirements and any time constraints. Also address what type of advertising you would like to have (newspaper, TV, online, etc.).
Start Your Search: With the Request for Proposal (RFP) completed, you can finally start your search. There are thousands of willing agencies to help you — and they all have their own ideas. Find people you trust; make sure the companies you are looking at have an impressive portfolio along with being in the industry for a long time. Don’t be afraid to ask competitors about who they have used in the past either.
The first American magazine advertisement appeared in Benjamin Franklin’s General Magazine in 1742, and since then there are dozens of ways to advertise a business, you’ll just need to seek out a bit of professional help to get your company where you want it to be.
Continue your research here.
