As a marketing and PR professional with more than three decades of experience, I have learned that the most important attributes of a professional marketing firm is loads of experience in your specific region (providing exemplary experience with all regional media), along with a thorough understanding of your business's target market and the best ways to engage that targetted customer. Unplanned marketing campaigns use the "shotgun" approach: shoot off a wide load of buckshot (advertisingplacements) and hope you hit the right people. A truly knowledgeable marketing firm will research the best, most cost-effective and trackable ways to reach your target audience and not waste advertising dollars on untargeted "shotgun" marketing techniques that reachs an audience that is way too broad to be able to track real results and create paying customers from lookie-loos. Yes, it is true marketing is an art, but there must be true science and proven statistics in the mix; campaigns MUST be properly focused and trackable to keep a "shotgun" campaign from becoming too costly without data-driven results. I'm an expert at this, contact me if you need advice or strategic planning!