The process of choosing an agency can be daunting, intimidating, and frustrating. Basically, not a lot of fun.
But when that process is over, if you pick the right agency, the reward will be well worth it. To help in your search, here are some tips to help you find the agency match that’s right for you.

What clients want in an agency (most Important to least important):

• Value. You want the very best advertising agency you can afford (VALUE = BENEFIT/COST)
• Experience. Since there are 30,000 options, having previous experience in the category is critical. (You don’t want to waste the time and money to educate, plus the agency could be an informed resource.)
• Services. The agency must be able to provide the minimum of services required
• Level of comfort. You want trust, chemistry, and to be a cultural fit
• Geographic location.
• Size to size. (Staffing, not billings)
• Memberships in associations
• Overall experience. (Years in business)

What clients have to overcome when purchasing agency services:

• Developing a list of candidates
• Fear of purchasing something that is so subjective and esoteric
• Fear of unexpected costs
• Fear of making a long-term commitment to the unknown
• Unable to define your marketing problem
• No time to search for an agency
• Have not measured the marketing effort to date and have no existing plan

What we would recommend:

• Decide what kind of services you are looking for. (Marketing? Research? Full-service? Media? Branding? Project work? Creative-only?)
• Conduct an online search with a view to your strategic need.
• Thoroughly review agency websites. (Review staffing experience, work samples, and client list.)
• Check to see if they have prior experience in your category, or comparable.
• Narrow the list to a dozen agencies.
• Talk to their people. Over the phone, discuss the scope opportunity to see if they’re interested.
• Ask around. Check out their references.
• Whom do you feel comfortable with?
• Find out how busy they are.
• Narrow your list to five prospects.
• Visit their location, if possible. If not, ask them to visit yours.
• Ask them to show you their best work and their worst work. Discuss why.
• Ask for a rate card or samples of previous efforts, with costs associated.
• Meet their top executives.
• Give them a plan of what you’re thinking. And make sure you are both on the same page.
• Make sure you have a good idea of the budget and schedule, in hand.
• National, large clients conduct a pitch to see what the agency offers. Small ones sometimes pay to conduct a pitch.
• Choose your agency.
• Hold them to their deadlines.
• Love your agency and let them love you, by giving them strategic, rather than executional, direction.
• Give yourself a 6–month clause, just in case you want out.