When would you need to use a full service marketing company, what are they are what kind of things should you look for?
What Do Full Service Marketing Companies Do?
Everything.
A full service marketing company will handle everything in house - from the planning and strategy, mailing, printing, design and follow up.
Are All Full Marketing Companies The Same?
No
Many full service marketing companies will boast about handling all the marketing - however may outsource areas to partners or freelancers (mailing, advertising, telemarketing, printing etc.). So they are full service in that they are taking care of your marketing for you; however they are not full service in that they need to outsource. Marketing companies that do not handle all marketing internally are marketing consultancies - quite different.
What To Look For With A Full Service Agency
One of the most important factors when considering a full service marketing agency is experience. Do they have a knowledge and understanding of your industry?
Another factor to consider is cost - if the agency are handling all your marketing, then chances are it will not be cheap and in many cases, serious money is involved. All marketing companies charge differently so it is wise to compare marketing prices.
Consider also where they are based; location location location (as they say) is something that plays an important roll. If you are spending good money with a marketing agency, then you will want to meet with them regularly. Having regular meetings to discuss performance and targets is something that is essential in order for you to get the best results for you investment.
One final thing to consider (and something that many companies do not do) is putting in KPI's (key performance indicators). If you are investing money, you need to get a return and for that, you need to ensure that the marketing agency is performing. By agreeing targets with them over a period of time, you can measure how effective their work is and either smile, or look for ways on how to improve the campaign.