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

Go to an Internet advertising agency school

You can get a certificate or a professional degree through a number of online universities and other training programs. While most advertising agencies will want to see at least a Bachelor's degree, any other certificates you can acquire will aid in your job search.

I recommend: Get a Bachelors of Science in Marketing from the University of Phoenix online. Bellevue University offers an advanced degree in Advertising Management that you can get online.

Join marketing ad agency associations for training

Most professional organizations offer continuing education programs as well as seminars and other opportunities to increase your advertising acumen. Take advantage of the training while you are making those important connections that can land you a job and further your career.

I recommend: Join the American Association of Advertising Agencies to meet professionals in the industry and take the many courses they offer for career development. The American Marketing Association offers a number of training courses and other development avenues for beginners and pros.

Gather certificates for online advertising agency advancement

Even after acquiring your advanced degree, you need to keep up with the industry and pad your resume with other certificates and training programs. In addition to the seminars you attend, look for niche subjects to gain proficiency in to enhance your employment opportunities. Consider training for international advertising agencies because the global economy is wide open for educated internationally savvy ad execs.

I recommend: World Wide Learn offers a number of advertising certificates in various subjects. The Laredo Group offers intensive one and two-day training programs for online advertising education.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Check with your employer to find out if your company pays for training for advertising agencies. Many times a firm will pay for travel to seminars as well as membership fees in associations that will bring more attention to the company as well as provide continuing education.

Guide to Hiring a Full-Service Advertising Agency

What you need to know before putting your company's image in an agency's hands

By Toni Klym McLellan, Freelance Writer & Editor, Toni Writes

Full service ad agencies can:

1. Relieve some of your marketing burden, leaving more time to attend to other vital tasks.
2. Offer experienced and professional suggestions for improving your company's public profile.
3. Make your company look great on many levels through ads in multiple media, public relations, and printed promotional materials.

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

Do your homework

Dig out the Rolodex and tap colleagues for recommendations, particularly for agencies familiar with your type of business. Peruse advertising industry magazines or Web sites to research agencies who might service your or business style or size. Finally, have a budget so you know how much you can afford to spend with an agency.

I recommend: For comprehensive listings of agencies, check the AdWeek Directory or the A to Z Advertising Agencies listing at the About.com advertising portal. To read up on industry news, click on Advertising Age's Web site, adage.com or search the Yahoo! Directory for marketing and advertising trade magazines.

Perform due diligence

When contacting prospective agencies, request a portfolio, review the agency's Web site, and examine their work for other clients. Contact current and past clients and find out what they liked or didn't like about the agency's efforts.

I recommend: Read the buzz on the good, the bad, and the ugly on advertising blogs like AdAge's Small Agency Blog or The Print Advertising Blog, or consult The American Association of Advertising Agencies, the industry's largest trade organization.

Ask Detailed Questions

Does the agency work by the project, the hour, or on commission? What aspects of marketing will the agency govern? What experience does the firm have representing similar businesses? Does their prior work feel like a good fit for your business or products?

I recommend: Inc.com offers 10 great questions to ask before choosing an ad agency. AllBusiness.com also offers helpful insights into choosing the best agency for your business.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Develop an advertising budget as part of your annual business planning to avoid haphazard overspending.
• •  Ask whether the agency outsources any of its work to ensure they work with reputable, professional firms.
• •  Find out what kind of contact you'll have with the agency during the course of the project and how accessible staff will be to any future concerns.
• •  Ensure you have a written agreement outlining all aspects of the ad campaign, including the timeline for completion and launch.
• •  Make sure you know your options for revisions if you're unhappy with any aspect of the project.

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

Use full-service ad agencies

Building relationships with your ad agencies can take time and resources, making it beneficial at times to stick with one agency for all your advertising and marketing needs. A full- service advertising agency will know your company well and should be proficient in all avenues of marketing.

I recommend: The GNA Marketing Group can cover all the bases from branding to ad placement and interactive Web marketing programs. Quenzel & Associates sees the big picture and where all the various ad streams fit together. They begin by helping you acquire your customers.

Choose an online advertising agency

While your full-service ad agency may have Internet experience, the niche agencies put all of their efforts in one pot and can often bring more experience to the table that can help you get more from your advertising revenue. Consider hiring an online ad agency to do your Internet ads.

I recommend: Creative Search Media can cover all the online platforms and programs to get you top Internet ad coverage. Efficient Frontier has a variety of plans to choose from so that you can integrate this firm into your total advertising complex.

Get the most from print advertising agencies

There is still a vibrant market in the print advertising medium. You should consider using a stable ad firm with experience dealing with the print media and all its complexities. Print advertising success requires a different mindset and ability to measure results.

I recommend: The Rivers Agency specializes in print advertising for a number of mediums. Work online with the Magazine Advertising Agency to get the experience without having to pay for your ad exec’s travel expenses.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you are working with advertising agencies, make sure that they have a way to offer measurable results on a regular basis.

Guide to Advertising Agencies Key Terms

Understanding terms advertising agencies might throw at you

By Michelle Cramer

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

AE

AE stands for account executive. The AE is the employee of an advertising agency who deals directly with the client and conveys the client's needs and desires to the advertising team. The AE will help you maintain your advertising budget and will present new advertising ideas to you from the creative team.

I recommend: While you may not be looking to start a career as an AE, the job description at State University will help you to better understand how an advertising agency's account executive will work with your company.

Share of voice

Share of voice, also known as SOV, is the total percentage that your company possesses of your target market. For example, if you own a house-cleaning business and target working mothers, your SOV is the percentage of working mothers that actually use your service.

I recommend: Visit Email Universe for a more thorough explanation of share of voice.

Branding

Branding is increasing consumer recognition of your company's product or service through advertising and quality. Typically, it is a name, logo, slogan or label that allows your product to stand out from the competition based upon the product's performance and recognition through advertising mediums.

I recommend: Visit Biz Help 24 for an in-depth look at the branding process.

Above the fold

Above the fold indicates a headline or advertising banner that is completely visible to the consumer without the need to scroll on a Web page or unfold a newspaper or magazine. Some agencies refer to this as 'before the scroll.'

I recommend: The Motive Glossary provides a more detailed explanation of above the fold, with additional resources.

Campaign

An advertising campaign is a specific set of coordinated marketing strategies with the common goal of conveying a specific need or desire within the consumer and the ability of a company's product or service to wholly meet that need.

I recommend: Spark Plugging explains what makes an advertising campaign successful so you can participate in the agency's planning process. Wise Geek gives more details on the elements of an advertising campaign.

CPA

CPA stands for cost per action. This phrase is interchangeable with CPL (cost per lead) or CPS (cost per sale). Basically, CPL means that a publisher charges your company so much for each individual who clicks on the ad at the publisher's Web site, which results in lead generation through a specific action (such as signing up for a quote or making a purchase through your Web site).

I recommend: Visit CX Digital Media for more details about CPA.