Let me tell you a story about my friend Sam, a proud new business owner. Sam relied heavily on word of mouth to promote his company. He worked hard to network with his large circle of friends and family, obtained free press from the local publications and the internet, and was a strong believer in heavy organic marketing. Although each of these are great strategies, without the right exposure through advertising, the chances for success are slim.

Let’s take a look at Sam’s typical day:
Sam shuts the alarm clock, pushes back the sheets, goes into the bathroom, brushes his teeth, gets out of his pajamas, into the shower, lathers up, shampoos his hair, gets out, shaves, gets dressed.

OK Stop.

Let’s analyze the first 15 minutes of Sam’s day (this is leading somewhere, I promise).

Rewind: Alarm clock – advertised by Sears in the newspaper circular, sheets – advertised by JC Penney on the radio,
Pajamas – from Macy’s advertised on TV,
Dove soap leaves our skin soft,
Crest toothpaste whitens our teeth,
Pantene shampoo leaves our hair manageable,
Norelco razor gives us the smoothest shave, etc.

The countless messages we see and hear ultimately lead us to buy a particular product. So if Sam doesn’t advertise his products, what are the chances of someone hearing about his business and buying his products?

In order for a business to succeed, it has to have a comprehensive marketing strategy built into its annual budget. So where do you start? Try direct marketing, radio, maybe get a vehicle wrap? How do you know the most efficient and effective way to allocate your budget?

Simply put – hire an advertising agency. Here is why:
• A good agency won’t cost you money – they will end up saving you money by helping you to make balanced, cost-effective decisions based on experience.
• They have established contacts with the different advertising medium and vendors and are able to obtain the best rates and the most value added (free stuff). It is very easy for a media outlet to charge inexperienced customers what is termed the “rate card” for their services, which an agency would never consider paying.
• Usually an agency gets a commission from the media outlets for everything that they place for your company, so it cost you nothing. It is in their best interest to see you succeed, so that you will continue to use their services to advertise.
• Helps business owners concentrate on the countless other aspects of running their business. When you are sick you go to a doctor. When you need your taxes done, you find an accountant. Advertising is a highly specialized field and a good agency can deliver objective, highly targeted results to help your business succeed.

If you are in the South Florida area and you have been looking for advertising agencies, look no further. Contact Strategic Marketing, Inc. today.