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In August 2004, 30-year advertising veteran Bob Salomone opened West Islip-based Salomone Strategic Consulting. The company specializes in helping companies select and retain an advertising agency.For most, there's only two or three times in a career when you have to hire a new agency, Salomone said. Most people are inexperienced at it. They don't ask the right questions.They're not thinking about whether a program is affordable or executable, he added. I keep them from getting mesmerized by fabulous art work and dazzling slogans.Organizations typically send out requests for proposals to dozens of agencies, and wind up with a pile of paper they don't know how to evaluate.But Salomone claims he can whittle the process, in part by knowing what to ask. A former agency owner who spent a career in strategic marketing, branding and positioning, Salomone says his questions enable clients to identify an agency that will bring the outcome it needs.Since starting his company, Salomone has consulted with eight clients in consumer, professional, business-to-business, banking and the health-care industries.He presents questions to both the client and the prospective agency.He prompts clients to consider who they are, what they want to be, what they need to achieve their goals, and what kind of budget they have to work with.Agencies need that information, Salomone said, so they can understand a client's objectives.He then delves into an agency's strategic ability, including how its representatives think. Pay attention to their thinking, he said. That's what you're buying.He also asks if the agency is interested in working with the client. And if so, why. Some agencies have a new-business person that is paid to get leads, Salomone said. That person is not screening anything. In these instances, Salomone seeks out the heart of the agency by speaking with the president or vice president. In some cases, companies think they need a bigger agency. But if a client is considered small, a larger agency may not be a good fit, though that's not always true. It could be that a small client is in an emerging industry, or as Salomone puts it, a brand new category. For a larger agency, this could present a valid opportunity to gain experience and make a mark, Salomone said.When evaluating agencies, Salomone designs a scoring chart, complete with acceptable, unacceptable and exceptional categories. He narrows the field to four to six candidates and researches their credentials.Salomone said that as soon as the presenters leave, he and his client review the proposal. Otherwise, if you wait to discuss the candidate at the end of the day, it's difficult to remember who said what. As a result, a company could accidentally hire the wrong agencyAgencies also like keeping Salomone around, he said. For instance, before making a presentation, agencies may have questions that a business owner may not have time for. Salomone makes himself available to answer all questions.Salomone is planning a direct marketing campaign, and will begin networking at Long Island Advertising Club and Hauppauge Industrial Association meetings.