Ad agencies come in all shapes, sizes, friendliness and competency. Some are absolutely better than others. Not all agencies have the same processes or will handle your work the same way either. This makes it incredibly important to pick the agency that best fits you.
General vs Specialized
Picking between these agency types really depends on how much of your own marketing work you want to outsource. If you’re looking for great design work and not much else, talk with design agencies. Simple strategy? Strategic agency. You get the point. If you’re looking for a more complete solution, most ad agencies tend to be pretty “full service”. A multi skilled approach may be best, as improving your marketing takes a variety of strategies.
Creative vs Industry Niche
Agencies with experience in your industry can definitely move fast, but you can’t expect a completely out-of-the-box perspective from them. Industry niche agencies no your market, they know your product and they know what works. Proven strategies are a warm comfort, but they won’t differentiate you (if that’s what you’re looking for). For a more creative approach, you may want to consider a creative agency. These agencies pair smart strategy with attention grabbing creative that results in unique and sometimes even award winning campaigns. So the real question might be if you’d like to play it safe or live dangerously.
Large vs Boutique
According to recent findings by the Horn Group and Kelton Research, two-thirds of chief marketing officers prefer agencies with 50 or fewer staff members, citing reasons such as:
- Fewer hoops to jump through
- More consistency in account teams
- A more intimate partnership
In a boutique agency, chances are the creative directors will touch every campaign. This is definitely true at Page Agency, where every team member works on every project, ensuring a top quality product every time.
As appealing and popular as boutique agencies sound, large agencies have their place as well. They can attract & retain talent, invest in new technology, and boast global reach!
A larger agency may show off shiny salesmen to seal you into contracts, but more clients may mean less time focused on marketing your business. A smaller agency will more likely understand your needs better providing you with more attention.
Agency List
For a thorough list of ad agencies in Dallas, or whatever area you reside in, be sure to look at Agency List. Agency List is a professional resource to help businesses, students and industry professionals find the top advertising agencies in over 60 markets in every state across the country. In addition to ad agencies, Agency List also provides fast clutter-free access to the top SEO companies, web design firms, digital marketing agencies, video production shops, universities, job placement resources, industry associations and professional communities.