The 5 most important things when hiring an advertising/marketing firm.

1. Fee structure: Know what is included in your monthly fees. Some firms will include pretty much all that you need in the monthly fee, while others use the monthly fee as a base cost only to come back and charge you again for everything that they do for you. These additional charges can add up to as much or more than your monthly fee.
2. Tracking systems: There has been a saying that “half of my advertising dollars are wasted; I wish I knew which half”. With today’s technology, just about everything can be tracked to show what is working and what is not. Find out what systems will be used, and make sure that you can understand them.
3. In-house vs. outsourced: Outsourced marketing will always be more cost effective than in-house labor. However, there are 2 main concerns with outsourced. #1 what type of contractor are they (not good if they are working for other firms as well)? #2 where are the contractors located? Distance and language can have a large effect on the end result of any project.
4. Communication services: What systems are in place for ongoing communication? Hiring a firm should give you a greater talent pool and better results for less than hiring staff members. However, you see staff members daily. Know up front when to expect to hear updates and status reports from your firm.
5. Buying power: Firms will usually have greater buying power than you. What happens to the savings? Are they keeping the savings or passing them on to you. You can many times expect savings similar to your firms’ monthly fee. If these savings are passed on, then it is much like hiring a firm for free.