Marketing:
How to choose an advertising agency?
Originally Published in CanBiotech BioMed Outsourcing Newsletter: Volume 1, Issue 1, September 2002

By MarketFusion
Geoffrey McDade, Parter
Healthcare marketing and advertising consultants

Developing innovative products is a major scientific achievement but it’s not enough if they are not marketed efficiently and effectively. The transition from the research lab to success in the highly competitive marketplace requires professionals with specialized skills and experience.

Some innovators license their products to outside companies that possess the resources and expertise to execute the marketing phase. However, for those companies that choose to do their own marketing choosing the right advertising agency is absolutely critical. The agency should become a virtual extension of your business bringing the skills and experience that complement your own.

Selecting an agency has often been compared with trying to find a potential spouse in a singles bar: the partner that makes the most sparkling first impression may not have the depth, values and commitment to stick with you for the long haul. A sizzling pitch may conceal weaknesses or be made by senior people who won’t have much involvement with your account.  So be very careful in this process

Some questions you should ask to aid your selection process are:

• Do they have the necessary credentials and experience?
• Do they thoroughly understand your business?
• Are they genuinely interested in your industry?
• Do they understand the competitive environment?
• Do they suggest sound, cost effective marketing strategies?
• Do they present engaging and relevant creative solutions?
• Do they have a sales rationale for each and every recommendation?
• Does your key daily contact reflect the above attributes?
• Are the people who successfully pitched you the ones who will actually work on your account day-to-day?
• Can you trust them to work effectively with minimal supervision?
• Are they lean and mean or high rent?
• Will you be an important client for this agency?
• Is the chemistry positive?

Bigger isn’t better… better is better. Sometimes small groups can be a better fit for you, and your business will be more important to them. Ask questions to see how they think on the spot. Note the kind of questions they ask about your business to give you an idea of what they think is important. And always remember that you are buying your product’s future not the agency’s past. Don’t look for people who always agree with you. An intellectually and strategically challenging interaction produces the best outcomes.

Hire your agency with the goal of creating a long-term relationship and ensure that it will be profitable for both parties so that you become a preferred client of the agency.

Finally, encourage a relationship of mutual respect and open communication. Work to fix problems promptly, but if you can’t, don’t delay your search for a replacement because working with the right ad. agency can give you a vital competitive edge.