How to Start a Television Ad Agency

The power of television in the advertising world remains remarkably strong, even as the Internet expands. Companies that want to be exposed to the largest possible group of consumers work with television ad agencies to develop innovative campaigns. You can start a television ad agency to promote burgeoning businesses on a reliable medium.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Focus Your Agency's Attention on Television Advertisement

1. Contact every television station in your community before you start an ad agency. These contacts should feature a discussion of rate schedules and special programming in the near future that will draw a higher price for interested advertisers.

2. Search for acting, comedy writing and other entertainment experience during the hiring process for staff members. A qualified copywriter with some commercial acting experience can give you insightful comments on the best way to block out TV ads.

3. Use your staff to create sample TV ads for placement on your website as a virtual portfolio. You should film several types of TV ads, including both light-hearted and serious approaches, to show your agency's range to potential clients.

4. Create a rotation of freelance and contract ad professionals to help with larger projects as your agency grows. You should start to compile a contact list of local freelancers who can be reached on a short timetable to help clean up ad copy or design a background set.

5. Reduce the amount of space you need to rent for your agency by renting studio space on a case-by-case basis. The amount of room and equipment that need to be dedicated for a sophisticated TV studio can cause skyrocketing overhead costs. You can establish a relationship with one studio in town to get a decreased rental rate.

6. Consult with high-level staffers on an ad review process before you open the agency's doors. Larger agencies utilize community volunteers to review multiple versions of an advertisement. A good first step is to submit ad copy to a review by random members of your staff to get a new perspective.

7. Determine your agency's policy on political advertisements as you begin your agency. Your agency may focus on a particular industry, business size or type of TV advertisement that does not lend itself to candidate or issue ads.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with promotion of your agency through social networking and file-sharing websites. Television networks have begun to partner with social networking websites to promote new shows to a tech-savvy demographic. You can announce your agency's opening and highlight your services through an online video.