Typical Strategic Planning Outline
A typical written marketing plan includes: When choosing an agency to handle your project, there are at least four general areas any client should investigate when selecting the advertising agency that will be right for them. Marketing Judgement Demonstrated Creative Ability Staff Support Strength Marketing Judgment What experience and personnel does the agency bring to the responsibility of recommending expenditures that very often represent a large percentage of a company's cost of doing business? MH&T has a staff of dedicated professionals who are interested in long-term relationships with clients. We prefer to be considered an integral part of your marketing program, contributing fresh input from a different perspective-close enough to understand your business and goals, yet distanced enough to maintain objectivity. At MH&T, the question we ask is always: "How can we accomplish the client goals within or below budget?" We rarely suggest any marketing endeavor that cannot be justified on a cost/return basis within a defined period. Back to top Demonstrated Creative Ability Has the agency offered true examples of its ability to not only provide advertising services, but also to provide them in the context of a presentation that is provocative and productive? "It's great, but does it sell?" - One of advertising's oldest, but most important phrases. If your product is one-of-a-kind, highly desirable, and affordable, almost any presentation can bring results. Rarely is a product or service alone in the marketplace, however. More often, companies are competing for larger pieces of a finite pie. How successful an agency/client team is begins with how well both understand the product and its potential. It is from product/potential understanding that MH&T develops forceful communications. Drawing attention in a crowded market requires creative strategies that effectively position the client, and selling techniques based on the use of applied benefits. Back to top Staff Support What kind of agency staff and services support the account representative you will be dealing with? Does the agency have its own production department that includes artists, pre-press, and other services; or does it go to outside sources? Are media planning and placement done in-house, or are media placement services hired? Although each well-planned marketing program has its own timeline to accomplish objectives in an orderly manner, you must be able to react quickly and effectively to rapidly changing situations. Because MH&T has full services in-house, reaction time is cut to days or overnight, instead of a week or more. The costs of communications, from conceptualization and copywriting to production and placement, are not subject to outside suppliers hired by the agency, then rebilled with "profit added." MH&T offers a combination of functions that work together to accomplish objectives. Most of these functions exist to serve the creative side, which benefits from the input of key agency personnel who fully understand client objectives. Back to top Strength What is the size of the agency in terms of staff, clients, billings, etc.? Is it too big to assign its best people to your account, or too little to handle it? Are they fiscally sound and have a record of paying suppliers on time? All advertising agencies offer client services for a fee. These services add to a company's marketing costs and must be a sound investment. At MH&T, we recognize that agency performance is evaluated constantly, if not formally. The agency principals take a daily interest in every client. We have never left a supplier unpaid, and our way of doing business has established good credit references from Houston to New York. MH&T will be pleased to provide both client and supplier contact information to satisfy any questions you may have. Back to top |