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FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions. How can you help my company? Today, communications, advertising, and reaching your customers is more challenging than ever. You need the resources to create marketing and communications plans that deliver potential customers to your business, whether it's a brick and morter store or cyber service. We're pros, we've been there, done that, and have the t-shirts to prove it. More importantly, we listen and help you formulate a plan that can work for you. Doesn't media cost my company more if I use an agency? No! In almost all cases the media will not only cost the same or less, but also allow you to add the talents of the agency at greatly reduced cost. Our Agency commission on media, generally 15% of the Gross amount, is taken away from the total negotriated rate, not added on to it. We get this commission because we do the media's work for them by placing and maintaining the media plan, creating the ads, and working directly with you in your interest. How do I know my advertising is working? Ask your customers and suppliers. They will tell you if they have seen or heard anything about your company. Run focus groups to see what your share of voice is in the market. Advertising makes the phones ring, brings people to the doors of your business, or generates marketplace awareness of who and what your company is. Like any investment, there is a cumulative effect from your advertising, an accrual of market awareness over time. Most successful companies run multiple layers of advertising designed to accomplish different brand or marketing tasks. Together they make up a communications marketing plan your agency can help you create and track for effectiveness. How can you help me ... you're in Hawaii and I'm not? Yes, we're in Hawaii .. but we're connected worldwide through technology and our relationship with TAAN agencies and AAAA agencies. You come to us because we know how to get results in communications, advertising, and public relations. We may do the work ourselves, or we may recommend a combination of agencies worldwide to do what's needed to succeed. The key is we know how, and we have a proven network of proven professionals. I've heard an agency can save money on media ... why? There are several basic reasons. 1) We buy more media than an individual company does and get better overall rates based on this "bulk" buying. 2) We have all the tools for "target buying", allowing the agency to buy media to reach your specific customers, a more effective way of buying media. 3) There are times we will advise you not to spend money on media if there are better ways to penetrate your market such as the Internet, trade shows, direct marketing, or other opportunities. 4) In many cases the agency will negotiate add-ons for promotion or PR with the media that might not be available to you directly. If I work with an agency, will they use my ideas? Good ideas come from everywhere in a well run company. Good agencies spend time within your company looking for that right idea that communicates your USP (unique selling proposition) to your customers. That may come from the President or it may come from the sales floor. The key is to have a strong working relationship with your agency that allows for the discussion and analysis of all ideas. I have a staff member who can run graphics programs on our computers ... what do I need an agency for? Desktop publishing systems are great for producing all types of materials for companies, but the lack of communications and marketing skills and training shows up in the ineffective nature of many of these internal pieces. We work with your in-house capabilities to maximize their ROI and keep them on the same communications path as the rest of the company.   And we're constructing more answers right now! Come back soon! Last Updated: January 2000