Blog

So you're looking for an advertising agency in northern New Jersey? I knew it. How's your search going? Not so well? Well that's okay because we're here to help!

While trying to find the best ad agency in New Jersey, there are a few things you have to consider first and that starts with what types of questions you are going to ask them.

Listed below are the 20 best questions to ask an ad agency in New Jersey.

Let's check them out along with the answers you should be looking to hear! The questions are broken up into three easy categories; ask questions to find out what they're all about, the type of marketing and tools they use and how they measure progress.

What They're All About

How has your agency evolved over the past five years?

A lot has changed over the past five years. If you want proof just look at pictures of yourself five years ago, I'm sure you'll be happy to see how much you've changed. So the same rule goes for advertising agencies.

Technology is a constantly changing aspect that affects advertising. As it continues to change, advertising agencies should be open to integrating these new technologies. Seeing how they have evolved over the past five years will give you insight on if they'll be around in the next five.

What is the average tenure of your clients?

Find out if the agency turns over clients quickly. This could be because they take on short-term projects or because they aren't good at account management. Whatever the case is, find the agency that has high client retention rates.

Where are you located?

In this age of communication anything can be shared and viewed via email, so choosing an agency super close to you doesn't need to be a priority if you don't want it to be. However, some people like that personal, face-to-face interaction. If that's the case, choose an agency that is local. It's all up to your preference but get the information you need first before you make that decision.

Who will be working on my account?

This is a great question to get to know the team you'll potentially be working with. Is it an individual or a team? Are they new to the agency or have they been around since forever ago? They should be willing to tell you as much as you want to know about who will be working on your account. You want to make sure that this person or team is someone you are comfortable working with.

How big is your agency?

Remember, these are just the “get to know you” questions so there's really no right or wrong answer to this question. You're just trying to get to know what type of agency they are and if they fit your wants and needs.

Some people think that bigger companies are impersonal, while others think the bigger, the better and the more you'll grow as they grow! You might prefer one-on-one attention and in that case a smaller company would be better for you.

Decide what would company best fit your needs.

What do you know about my industry?

Not only do you want to find an agency that has experience with the industry you're in, you want them to be enthusiastic while working with you and your product. You don't want to work with an advertising agency that just goes through the motions.

Will we have scheduled meetings?

This will help track the progress that is being made on your project. If scheduled meetings aren't offered, ask why not? Even if it's not weekly, there should be set up scheduled meetings to measure the progress on any given project.

Types of Marketing and Tools They Use

In which area of advertising do you have the most expertise on?

There are a ton of different channels that can advertise your brand. Would your ideal agency be experienced with online ad networks, media planning or creative for a traditional campaign? These are things that you have to think about first and then find out which advertising agency offers the best skills for your needs.

What unique tools do you have to help us reach our target demographic?

The cookie-cutter ad agencies need to be kept in the kitchen... we don't want that anymore, we want more. Why be like everybody else? Find an ad agency that sets you apart from your competition and has skills aligned with your goals.

Tools can include a creative team, relationships with ad networks, or proprietary techniques to reach a certain customer. Skills that set agencies apart from others will set you apart from your competition.

Do you handle media buying?

Media buying is the art of placing ads whether it's on television, radio, websites, etc. If your ad agency handles the media buying... great! You can check another thing off your list.

Media buying isn't easy and it doesn't just required slapping your ad wherever there's an opening. The more experience an ad agency has with media buying, the more you should consider hiring them. It would be a great asset to your company.

What is your process?

Every agency has a step-by-step process to get from point A to point B with your advertising (or at least they should). Do they start with brand research, interviews, or a creative brief? Learning their process will help you determine if this company fits your needs and you'll be able to follow along with their plan while working with them.

Do you work with a marketing optimization partner?

What exactly is this advertising agency going to offer you? Are they just going to create attention-grabbing content or can they go further than that?

Optimization is not just driving traffic to your site, it's reaching the right audience and converting them. An agency that works with a marketing optimization partner will give you these benefits.

Do you have quantifiable skills in direct marketing and the Internet since they are so closely tie in with marketing?

Plain and simple... if the answer is no, go find another advertising agency. Direct marketing and the Internet are integral parts in marketing and they are growing in importance everyday. An advertising agency should have skills in both of these areas to bring you the success that you are looking for.

Do you handle only our existing advertising, or our new product launches and grand openings as well?

Ideally, you're looking for an ad agency that can handle it all. Are they adept at introducing new products and do they have access to first-rate public relations services? Their answer should be of course and of course!

Do you have the ability to do both traditional marketing and inbound marketing?

You're testing their flexibility with this question. You want to find an ad agency that will help you expand your product and company. They should be able to handle your social media, create an app for you and just overall take your campaign a step further creatively.

Measuring Progress

How will you specifically deliver value to this campaign?

As a marketer you're trying to convince people to buy your product or service. But when looking for an advertising agency you have to be specific with your ROI expectations. Tell them exactly what you are expecting out of this campaign and see what they have to offer. Stay clear of the agencies that can't clearly explain how they will convert your advertising dollars into the results you want.

How do you track the relationship between creative efforts and lead generation and conversion?

Your agency partner should be able to tell you which combination of touch points will stimulate conversions, which are underperforming and make recommendations to improve your ad campaign in order to maximize marketing spend.

Are you able to measure data sets across multiple devices?

Campaigns now have to be efficient not only on print, television and radio, but on the Internet and through mobile devices as well. Advertising agencies should have tools and technology to analyze how these platforms are performing and be able to advise you which platforms deserve more of your ad spend and which do not. This information can have significant impact on your ROI and agencies that aren't providing this are only doing half their job.

How will you track ROI?

How an agency tracks ROI will depend on the type of advertising plan you use. For example, direct response ads and coupons are more easily tracked than an image spot. However, your advertising agency should offer a plan on how they will track these analytics.

Is there anything we missed?

Let us know in the comments below!