What you need to know about working with a full-service agency.

The advertising industry has evolved since the days of the Mad Men. Full-service agencies have given way to specialty shops. These shops usually focus on one marketing tactic — PR, SEO, website design or maybe inbound marketing. And they tend to concentrate on only one or two industries.

I heard this line over and over at a recent conference: “Specialize in one product/service and deliver that specialty to one industry.” This allows you to become a thought leader in that space, etc., etc. And it works — very well — for countless businesses. Still, a one-stop advertising shop has numerous advantages, which can be broken out into these five Cs:

Convenience

Working with a full-service agency offers a ton of convenience, because we take a holistic approach to your marketing needs. We start out by learning who you are as an organization and understanding all of your goals. We become a strategic partner, involved in every aspect of your marketing — from research to strategic planning to tactical implementation. Chron says it best: “Ad agencies that offer a range of services are able to handle every facet of planning and implementing an advertising campaign, leaving business owners to concentrate on running and growing the company.”

Consistency

No matter where or how you use your brand, it has to look and feel the same. It’s vitally important in building awareness and gaining customer trust. Let’s say you’re launching a large campaign, comprising public relations, social media, digital banner ads and a website. In each of these vehicles, your brand needs to send out the same message. When you work with a full-service agency, you’ll have a team dedicated to understanding you and your brand, thus ensuring consistency. No need to spend time developing relationships with vendors that may not take the time to understand who you are and find the best way to ensure your branding message stays the same. No need to waste time keeping an eye on a bunch of different vendors to ensure they’re all putting out the same message.

Constant improvement

ROI, metrics, big data, analysis, results, reports — all current marketing buzzwords. As a marketer, you need proof your tactics are working. Client A is working toward higher brand awareness while client B cares about creating leads. Because we can measure success at more points of contact, our clients get a crystal-clear picture of their return on investment, what’s working best and what might be tweaked to work even better. That’s what a full-service marketing and advertising agency can deliver — a cycle of consistent improvement. There’s no need to keep up with the guy running your social media and the person placing your media to make sure each is providing the best ROI possible. In our shop, all of these folks are under one roof and they work hand in hand with your account team.

Collaboration

Housing a number of departments under one roof allows everyone to share ideas about how tactics are working or not working for clients. We take all of your marketing tactics into account during the creative process, considering how best to translate your brand message into print, social media and a PR campaign. Each department gives input to determine the best tactics from beginning to end.

Cost efficiency

Time is money, right? It all boils down to working efficiently within your budget. A full-service agency can save you countless hours. You have one place that needs to get to know you and your brand. You don’t need to explain yourself and your brand to multiple vendors. You don’t need to build multiple relationships. You need only one, with one dedicated team of marketing professionals. And our team also understands the parameters of your budget and can stay within them. We know the best way to spread those precious marketing dollars around to make sure your campaigns are working.

So there you have it — five reasons why working with a full-service agency is better for you, your organization, your brand and your budget.