
Why Should I Use an Advertising Agency?
Some people might think working with an advertising agency is old school, but small, think-outside-the-box agencies like New School offer a variety of services to clients.
It’s worth it to look into the ways an advertising agency can position your business ahead of the competition.
Maybe you’re an engineer with a prototype for a product, a small manufacturing company with a niche market, or even a solo entrepreneur in a creative industry – that doesn’t mean you have the time or have a clue about how to promote your business.
Or maybe you want to advertise online or launch a social media or Kickstarter campaign and have no idea how to go about it. An advertising agency will handle the details and do the legwork to make sure you see results. They provide expertise, resources and research in a variety of ways, especially when it comes to branding. That’s why agencies also design logos, websites, business cards, brochures and advertising – to establish a cohesive look and brand awareness.
Diverse services: Most advertising agencies work with local businesses, small and large, to develop and manage traditional ad campaigns and help place advertising in various media. But today’s advertising efforts reach far beyond traditional print ads. Their services encompass graphic design, branding, advertising, direct mail, content marketing, digital marketing, website development and hosting, business cards, logos, posters, brochures, video and audio production, billboards, commercials, photography, writing, editing, storyboarding, animation, and other multimedia projects.
Save time and money: Successful business owners know they don’t have time to do everything, yet marketing and advertising are necessary for growing and promoting a business. Hiring an advertising agency means you can outsource ad development, production and placement and other technology and marketing duties to professionals so you and your staff can spend time running the business. Not only does it save on personnel costs associated with adding an entire department to your operations, but it also avoids the logistical cost of developing advertisements in-house due to the technology and software needed. Most small businesses don’t have the budget to hire a marketing professional, much less a web developer, graphic designer, videographer and writer. Plus, agencies put together project calendars, campaign ideas and implementation strategies. For solo entrepreneurs and small businesses, this is essential, especially if you are technologically challenged or busy actually doing the work and handling day-to-day operations.
Expertise and creative people: Marketing and advertising go hand and hand, so it makes sense to have the same people who designed your logo and website develop ads that reflect your company’s message and brand. But it’s also nice to have a fresh perspective and new ideas. Ad agencies bring outside opinions and professional expertise to the table, along with a strategy for analysis and execution designed to increase brand elevation, market penetration and new business. Plus, local ad agencies have a local focus and understand the market, community and audience you want to reach. They provide consultation and guidance on how, why and where to direct your company’s marketing efforts and help oversee the project or campaign from an idea through completion. They spend the time doing the research and make recommendations to target the most effective markets and stay up on what the competition is doing. Advertising agencies work with a team of creative people, including photographers, writers, graphic designers, marketing professionals and tech-savvy folks to help develop websites, ads, videos and campaigns that get noticed and deliver results. And rest assured, the best creative minds don’t work for in-house departments because they enjoy tackling a variety of challenging assignments for different clients in diverse industries on their own terms.
Established relationships: For traditional print advertisements, various publications have different policies, procedures and production deadlines for the ad to ever see print. They may want professional photography or have certain specs for size and copy. An ad agency can work directly with the sales or design staff to ensure a quality ad is delivered on time and reflects the essence of your business. An agency also can save you money on ad placement. Many agencies have relationships with sales professionals, publishers and radio and TV stations, so they can get cheaper rates than a business owner who calls direct or negotiate a discount for repeat ads. Agencies can quickly redesign ads to be more effective, resize them to still be readable, or make minor changes for different media platforms and markets, which also saves your business money.
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