Eye Catching Creative

FAQs

• What types of customers have you worked with?

  Graphic Design Creative Advertising Campaigns Websites Marketing Audits, Marketing Strategy, Marketing Consulting Customer Experience Consulting Custom Facebook Profile Designs Brand Identity Packages and Logos Direct Mail Print Ads Custom emails Brochures, Pamphlets and Rack Cards Internal Corporate Communications, Employee and Sales Materials e-Marketing Tools: Web Video, Newsletters, e-flyers, Web Banners, Online Ads Print Collateral: Stationary, Catalogues, Booklets Trade Show Booth Design Web Video, YouTube Video and TV Commercials Copywriting and Copy Editing Social Media Identities/Page Designs

• What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

  Selecting a creative design or marketing partner can be challenging, requiring businesses to weigh elements of experience, budget restrictions, and an overall fit for personal marketing goals. Big agency, small agency, freelancer or employee; the ultimate goal in today's competitive market is to find the right balance between cost and expertise. Making an intelligent, educated decision isn't difficult. Before deciding which direction to take, small and mid-market decision-makers need to do their homework by asking several critical, baseline questions. We are in the business of relationship building as much as we are business building and like to view ourselves as an integral part of your marketing team, no matter how big or small your company is. Here are some questions that every agency, firm or freelancer should be quizzed on before your business can move forward with confidence. Do you require a retainer and what exactly am I paying for? Retainers have been a long-time, somewhat dated practice for agencies since the late 1700's. These fixed fees are applied toward planning, production, media buying, and profit. Retainers are still a prevalent business model for a number of service providers, particularly those with high overhead costs or those supporting large clients with fat annual budgets. Many companies however, are moving away from committing to fixed retainer costs in lieu of a project-based solution. If you choose to work in a retainer-based relationship, request detailed invoices outlining exactly how the retainer fees are allocated. Keep detailed records of projects submitted and/or executed and track fluctuations of workload from month to month so that you know you are getting your money'’s worth. Finally, find out if there are anticipated costs above and beyond the retainer fees and under what circumstances additional fees would be charged. Do you require a contract? Many agencies require a services contract locking clients into a specified time commitment. Other contracts are open-ended, stipulating that clients to give up to 90 days or more notice, should they want to discontinue services, even if when they are dissatisfied with the quality of work. Beware of being locked in. Businesses should inquire about minimum annual fees, up-front fees, handling of out-of pocket expenses incurred by the agency and ownership of rights for products, services or work (in some cases the agency retains rights or, more often, transfers them upon payment). What is the expected turnaround/response time for projects? Depending on the nature of your company, expenditures and the client makeup of the agency, businesses can find themselves at the top of the agency food chain or bottom feeding for attention in the project queue. Establish a general understanding of how companies similar to yours are handled compared to other organizations. Agencies typically have the best of intentions when it comes to treating all clients equally, but over time, small businesses may find themselves pushed to the back seat. Get a realistic, but firm expectation of how quickly minor changes or project updates are completed. Be sure that the agency's expectations of you or your representatives are outlined in terms of delivery of content, materials, approvals and advanced notice whenever projects have a specific deadline. Who am I dealing with? Beyond selecting an advertising partner with above-average skills and integrity, find out what'’s going on behind the scenes by asking some pointed questions as they pertain to your business. Inquire about and evaluate their experience from multiple perspectives. For example, most companies assume that agencies need to have experience in their industry in order to be qualified. While in some cases this can be true, are there conflicts of interest with any current clients competing in the same space as you? If the agency no longer represents a competitor, find out why. Evaluate whether there is the possibility of strategic saturation” within your industry. What is the background of the agency'’s leadership? Are they simply a graphic design house, a printer that moved into design services, a broker or a more balanced company capable of executing as a true marketing partner and aligning the best resources to help drive success? Don'’t hesitate to ask these and other questions to suit your comfort level. Make it a goal of your company to establish a lasting relationship with your advertising and marketing partner and help ensure great results and long-term brand consistency. Happy marketing!