Tip #15 ∞ Trust - the Big Thing ∞

If you the client don't trust your ad agency, then you should find another ad agency that you do trust.

If you do trust your ad agency, then you the client should allow that agency the creative freedom to develop justifiable marketing solutions to your marketing problems. You should tell your agency how much you're willing to invest in the solution and allow them to research the best way to solve the problem given the budget you've allocated.

You must trust that your agency is not going to rip you off. You must also realize that the agency has to fund themselves, as well as their vendors, to deliver your creative solution. So, you're paying for their creative time, research time, and the vendors necessary to get the project done (ie vendors being printers, direct mail houses, billboard companies, web programmers, or whatever media needs to be purchased to get the message out to your audience).

If you are worried that your agency is going to not give you the best bang for your buck, then you should come right out and tell the agency or find someone you do trust.

Also, you could set aside a certain amount of money for the agency and a certain amount of money for expenses. Define your creative brief and let your agency get to problem solving.