Advertising agencies are self-contained structure. Within the advertising agency, there are departments and people, all essential to the movement of client projects and the overall success of the agency. One department cannot work without another, as they are all interconnected and dependent on each other.

Think of an ad agency as a chair. The agency as a whole, as an organization, is the seat. It’s the part of the chair people take most notice of; it’s where clients sit and relax. The departments are the legs, the support system. Like a chair, if one leg fails, the whole agency falls. In most agencies, these four legs, or departments:

Creative

Creative is responsible for creating the ads, from concept to final product. Within the creative department, there are designers and art directors, who are responsible for visual elements, and copywriter, who are responsible for coming up with wording. The accounts department creates a “creative brief”, or a document communicating the client’s project requests, which is then given to the creative department. The creatives then execute a concept, based on the creative brief, with several rounds of client revisions. Once the project exceeds clients’ expectations, the creative department packages the project in digital formats, which can be used for printing, TV broadcasting, digital advertising, and so on.

Accounts Department

The accounts department acts as the liaison between the agency and the client. If the client requests a change to a project, account executives are responsible for passing on the information to the creative department. For example, if the client requests a color revision on an ad, the account executive assigned to that client, will inform the designer of the requested change. Once the revisions have been made by the creative department, the account executive will deliver the revised project the client, until completion. 

Q: Do I really need a website for my small business? Or can I use my Facebook business page as my website?

Facebook business pages are a great way to connect with your customers and build an online presence, but it should not replace your website. In today’s digital age, a business website is essential in broadening your reach.

Websites offer the following:

• A place for customers to go and learn more about who you are and what you do
• Customizable interface and content
• eCommerce
• Blog page (more opportunity to highlight who you are and what you do)
• Online marketing capabilities (AdWords, retargeting, SEM, SEO, etc.; essentially, more opportunity for customers to find you online)

Q: How do I get people interested in buying my products and services?

In order to start moving product and selling, you need to start marketing. Steuart H. Britt illustrated it best when he said, “Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does”.

One of the most fundamental sales strategies is called the “Marketing Mix”.

Running a small business is no easy feat. It requires tenacity and ambition, but above all, a willingness to adapt and learn.

Here are some of the biggest questions small business owners have.

Q: How important is it to create a brand for my business? Does it really make that big of a difference?

Answer = A well designed and thought out brand is essential to business. No matter how big, small, young, old, or well known your business are, a brand will not only help create business familiarity among customers, but will allow you to stand out among your competition.

A brand creates an identity for your business; what you do and why you do it should both be transparent in your brand. Even a simple, yet eye catching logo, thoughtful brand messaging, and well designed support materials can help your brand pop.

Q: How can I come up with a great name for my business?

1. Let people know who you are and what you do

Marketing expert, Stuart Britt, once said “Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does”. If you are selling a product or service, but are not investing the time or money into marketing it, how will people know you exist? Unless you already own a well-known business, you need to actively create brand awareness. Setting even a small marketing budget will go a long way in reaching more customers and building a brand.

2. Stand out among competitors

Constructing a creative and strategic marketing plan will allow you stand out within your industry. If your ads and marketing materials are well designed, well thought out, and placed strategically, customers will take notice.

For example, say you own an office supply company, Supplies ‘R’ Us. Your main competitor, Office Plus, has half of the market share. To set yourself apart from Office Plus, you decide to run a Supplies ‘R’ Us social media campaign, specifically targeting your ideal customers. More and more customers start seeing your ads on social media sites. As a result, Office Plus customers start shopping at Supplies ‘R’ Us, and you begin to gain a larger share of the market.

Branding is no easy feat.

There are an exponential number of elements to take into consideration: logo, typeface, messaging, strategy, purpose, value, audience, the list goes on. And while all of these items are essential to building a solid brand, one items reigns highest on the list. Color.

Why color? Color is the first thing our eyes see.