With so many busy metropolitan areas in the Tarheel State, understandably there are many full-service advertising agencies in North Carolina. While one would expect award-winning advertising agencies to locate in New York or Chicago, North Carolina's diverse environment for developing businesses is also a favorable area for North Carolina advertising agencies to thrive.

North Carolina ad agencies are mainly located in large metropolitan areas: Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Wilmington, and the Triad area consisting of Greensboro-Winston-Salem, but you may find agencies in places like Gastonia as well. If you've never worked with an advertising agency before, you may benefit from some tips that will help you make the most of full-service advertising agencies in North Carolina.

Here are some points you may want to consider when working with North Carolina advertising agencies.

1. Share everything you know about your business with the North Carolina advertising agency, as well as your business environment including competition.

2. Come up with some manageable goals by which you can gauge success or failure.

3. Remember the time to make major creative changes is at the beginning of the work, not at the end, when it will cost you more.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Communicate your needs to advertising agencies in NC

The success of any advertising agency relationship depends on how well you communicate your needs to your account executive. Being clear about your goals and expectations of North Carolina ad agencies will help you get the campaign that will help you reach your goals.

I recommend: An agency partner of Harbinger, a Triangle-area ad agency, discusses their own road to success. The Raleigh-Durham area has its own web site for Raleigh ad agencies.

Expect a listening ear from advertising companies in NC

One way to evaluate a North Carolina advertising agency is to look at how many new ideas they bring to the table. Find out if they're looking at your company's challenges from different angles and checking out all the possibilities for your company.

I recommend: Check out the blog for fresh ideas at Holy Cow Branding, a Cary, NC advertising agency. Thomas Marketing discusses their philosophy of dealing with clients as they begin the process by listening.

Get the scoop on advertising companies in North Carolina

Listings for North Carolina advertising agencies are widely available on the Internet. However, it helps to read news about advertising agencies to find out how successful they really are.

I recommend: See how far an advertising agency in North Carolina would go to attract new business, in a blog entry from Dan Dunlop, president of the Jennings advertising agency in Chapel Hill. Website Biz, a Charlotte advertising agency, tells how they delivered results to a travel company.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Get the budget question out of the way when evaluating North Carolina advertising firms. Advertising can take a chunk out of any budget, so be up front with your concerns.

Full-service advertising agencies in North Carolina offer you anything from ad placement to the design and concept of your entire promotion plan. You work with one agency to guide you through the process of advertising your business product or service.

Choose advertising agencies in NC to take your business to the next level with radio, television, print and outdoor ads, press releases and guerrilla marketing.

When looking for the best North Carolina advertising agency for your business, keep the following in mind:

1. Establish your company's advertising budget before contacting advertising agencies in North Carolina.
2. Consider your current advertising plan. Make a list of what you like and don't like.
3. Look at how your competitors advertise. Ask NC ad agencies how you can effectively compete.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Identify your company's advertising needs before contacting North Carolina ad agencies

Evaluate your current advertising plan. Whether you've spend thousands of dollars on ad campaigns in the past or are just starting with nothing to compare, focus on where you want to see your company's name. NC advertising agencies help you get the most cost effective and creative ads possible for your budget.

I recommend: Browse the Caldwell Marketing & Advertising online portfolio to see the types of services advertising firms in NC typically offer. Ginger Griffin Marketing & Design specializes in brand development, media, website and ad design and illustrations to give you a variety of talent in one agency.

Search local North Carolina advertising agencies to compare services and prices

Look in your area for full-service advertising agencies. In North Carolina, most of the ad firms are centralized in the larger cities like Charlotte, Raleigh and Wilmington. However, the state has many agencies spread throughout the state. Make a list of the top 5-10 closest to you.

I recommend: Concentrate on your city or closest metropolis to find the best advertising agencies. NC companies like Emery Advertising in Raleigh and ARC Design in Fayetteville reach to the entire state and beyond with web design and search engine optimization to give you as much exposure as you need.

Meet with North Carolina ad firms that meet your requirements

Set up appointments with your top 3-5 advertising agencies in NC to discuss what they can do for your company. Make your choice based on what you see on their websites, what you hear from colleagues and what your initial conversations tell you about prices and results.

I recommend: Ask to meet the staff members you'd be working with and make sure you get along well before committing to any North Carolina advertising firms. Thomas Marketing & Advertising Consultants gives you a list of employees and their specialities right on their website. Creative Strategy and ImageWorks Studio offer portfolios online but make sure to ask for any other samples and testimonials to get a more complete feel for their work.

Choose the best North Carolina advertising agency and begin implementing your advertising plan

Decide on an advertising agency in North Carolina that will best represent your company. Work with the firm to develop a schedule, budget, timeline and creative plan. They're the experts, but it's still your business--you should have the final say before anything goes to press.

I recommend: Assign a small project to your choice of marketing agencies in North Carolina to make sure the team gets everything in on time and on budget. Tweak any problems and continue with the full plan involving advertising, public relations and online marketing. Diversity Advertising, the Goss Agency and The Sumner Group all incorporate multi-function plans.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use advertising companies in North Carolina to take on your entire marketing plan or hire an advertising or marketing graduate to work on some smaller projects to save money.

To get a job or advance your career with NC advertising agencies, it is important to pursue advanced education and training opportunities. Advertising firms in NC are competitive. The most successful job candidates not only have the right academic degrees, but also demonstrate advanced advertising skills, experience and competency.

Even after you land a job with an advertising agency in North Carolina, it is important to stay informed of advertising industry trends through industry workshops and conferences. Before you begin a career in advertising or to advance your career, consider the following full-service advertising agencies in North Carolina education and training recommendations:

1. Take college courses to get a bachelor's or master's degree in marketing, communications or graphic design.

2. Demonstrate your advertising expertise to full-service advertising agencies in North Carolina by participating in selective advanced industry training programs.

3. Stay on the cutting edge of advertising agencies in NC trends with seminars, classes and conferences.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get a job with North Carolina advertising agencies by earning a college degree

To get a job with advertising agencies in North Carolina, it is important to earn a college degree. Advertising and marketing agencies in North Carolina look for job candidates with the minimum of a bachelor's degree. Look for accredited colleges and universities that offer marketing, advertising, communications, graphic design or journalism degree programs.

I recommend: Learn about course options available for aspiring advertising agency executives at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Get information about advertising schools in North Carolina at EdRef.com.

Advance your North Carolina advertising agency career with competitive training programs

Several of the leading advertising industry organizations offer institutes for advanced learning. Some institutes are designed for senior-level ad executives, while others are focused on those just starting out in advertising. By participating in these selective programs, you will improve your marketability as an advertising professional and show current and potential advertising companies in North Carolina that you have advanced advertising skills.

I recommend: Check out the Institute of Advanced Advertising Studies at American Association of Advertising Agencies, which is an esteemed program for advertising agency professionals. The Direct Marketing Association offers seminars geared specifically to middle and senior level advertising and marketing agency executives, with courses offered for NC residents in locations throughout the Southeast.

Impress North Carolina ad agencies by staying current with industry trends

Make sure your advertising agency in North Carolina is ahead of the competition or impress prospective employers by staying on the cutting edge of advertising industry trends. For the latest ideas, strategies and design approaches, attend professional development advertising seminars, classes and conferences on a regular basis.

I recommend: The Advertising Research Foundation offers webcasts you can attend from the comfort of your NC ad agency office that address current issues and trends in the advertising industry. The American Marketing Association offers a comprehensive schedule of timely workshops, webcasts and classes for marketing and advertising professionals.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are just starting out in the advertising field, consider seeking internships with North Carolina advertising firms. Internships are an effective way to get hands-on advertising training and education.