As your business grows – and your marketing becomes more focused and polished – it may come time to step up to hiring a full-service advertising agency.

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.

Tips & Tactics

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.

You've done all you can to market your Michigan business on your own. But you're running out of time and energy to get your name out there the way that you want to see it. Full-service advertising agencies in Michigan can analyze your business needs and provide the best combination of services.

When it comes to advertising agencies, Michigan has their fair share. As one of the Great Lakes states, Michigan has a concentration of big cities yet offers small-town charm just miles away. As a result, Michigan advertising agencies present the best of both worlds: big-city ideas and small-town values of warmth and personal attention.

Depending on the size of your business, you may feel more comfortable with smaller Michigan advertising companies. Or you may prefer an agency with the experience of national advertising campaigns. Whether you're looking for large or small advertising agencies, Michigan can deliver what you need.

When considering advertising agencies in Michigan, ask these questions:

1. Do they have a proven track record of success with similar companies?
2. Do they seek to understand your company?
3. Have the Michigan ad agencies laid out a clear advertising plan, with an eye toward your present and future needs?

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

Look for Michigan advertising agencies to build on your company's strengths

When you're looking at Michigan ad agencies, you want a company that not only looks at where you are now, but where you want to be in the future. In this dog-eat-dog world, you know you need to have a plan for your business to ensure your continued survival.

I recommend: Biggs/Gillmore in Kalamazoo, MI, is a heavy hitter among advertising agencies in Michigan, representing Fortune 1000 companies like Armstrong, DuPont, Kellogg and Kimberly-Clark. Johnson-Rauhoff is a full-service advertising agency in Michigan, with locations in Saint Joseph and Benton Harbor. They have an emphasis on developing a clear strategy for your business before taking any action.

Get small-town service and big-city smarts

Don't be fooled by appearances. Some Michigan advertising agencies may not be the slick designers you may expect from Chicago or New York. But you'll find that when choosing advertising agencies, Michigan may have the market cornered on friendly yet effective service for your business.

I recommend: Forsberg Advertising in Lansing, MI, offers graphic design and digital printing, copywriting, public relations and editorial placement, photography and multimedia services. The Cull Group is an unapologetically small Michigan advertising agency with a big heart for its clients. Their team offers a variety of services including advertising, public relations, point-of-purchase displays and corporate identity programs.

Find Michigan ad agencies that see more than dollar signs

What do you want from your ad agency? Ultimately, you hope to find a company that cares as much about growing your business as you do.

I recommend: MW Marketing Group in Hudsonville has the whole gamut of advertising services available, including advertising, corporate identity, website development, direct and e-marketing, as well as other services. (Click on the portfolio to view sample projects).
Smith-Winchester is one of the advertising agencies in Michigan that will focus on the process, and will try to understand the challenges that affect your business.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Thoroughly research your options for advertising in Michigan, but go with the agency that seems to understand your company's needs the best.