So often when people hear the word “agency” and they associate it with a lot of overhead and a big price tag. However, particularly when it comes to working with an advertising agency, this couldn’t be further from the truth. If you’re working with the right professionals, the experience, strategy and transparency offered through an advertising agency will actually save you money in the long run. Here are just a few of the many reasons why ad agencies can stretch your advertising and marketing budget further.

The client is not responsible for paying commission

When you work with an advertising agency, their commission should never be a line-item on your invoice. Agencies get paid on the backend from the media outlets with whom they place advertising. They have special, negotiated rates with each outlet to ensure they get paid while still providing the best value to their clients.

The agency has built years of trust and relationships with media outlets

As a business owner, you could cold-call a sales rep from your local newspaper and they would be happy to offer you some standard package rates. However, it’s likely that neither the package nor the rate is the best you can do. As it is with nearly everything in life, it comes down to relationships. A respected ad agency has likely devoted decades of its existence to forging trustworthy relationships with media outlets. One phone call to their contact can help you develop a better ad package, tailored to your target audience, and at a better rate.

Unlike media sales reps, agencies don’t have to meet quotas

Most media sales reps have to meet a strict quota which often forces them to push clients into advertising packages that aren’t necessarily the best fit for who they are trying to reach. It can be confusing and frustrating to figure out on your own if you’re really getting an unbiased opinion from one of these reps. An advertising agency is your unbiased opinion. They don’t have quotas and they don’t have pressure to work with any particular outlet – only if it makes sense for a client’s ad strategy.

Agencies do the legwork for the client to ensure they get what they pay for

If you’ve ever placed an advertisement independent of an advertising agency, you may have been left guessing as to if and when your ad really ran. You got an invoice reflecting it did, but how do you really know? A good ad agency should do the legwork for the client by requesting system confirmations from the media and checking them against the invoices. If there are any discrepancies, your agency will fight to make it right. You will have peace of mind knowing you will always get what you pay for.

They can help break you out of a bad media relationship

If you’ve already been placing your own advertising for a while, it’s likely you have formed some relationships with media sales reps. This is both a good and a bad thing. If you realize an outlet is no longer the best fit for your ad dollars, it can be awkward and difficult to break away from a sales rep. When you work with an ad agency, they have no problem playing “the bad guy” for you and coming in to break you out of any bad relationship you may have.

Time is the real cost-savings

You hear it all the time, but that’s because it is true. Time is money. Is your time best spent forging media relationships, sifting through confusing ad proposals and developing the right strategy to market your business? Or is your time best spent focusing on business development, operations and growth strategies? Unless advertising is something you just love to do, your time is likely better spent running your business. Handing over the task of advertising to a trusted and reliable agency will be a big cost-savings both immediately and long-term.

Have you worked with an advertising agency and experienced a cost-savings? Share your personal story by leaving a comment!