Fueling Ad Agency New Business
This is a lesson on positioning for ad agency new business. I recently read the most extraordinary story in the Atlanta Journal Constitution about an agency owner that I had to share. Not only because it is such a powerful story, but I know and have worked with the person that was being spotlighted, Tom […]
Creating and maintaining agency new business is often harder than it should be because one key ingredient is often lacking. Positioning is the foundation of any agency’s new business program. It is also the area that many agencies have not addressed because of either procrastination or, more likely, their unwillingness to make the difficult business decisions. […]
Most agencies have an active new business plan but 67% of responders don’t view their program as successful. “When it comes to new business, it’s important that agencies never become complacent, even when times are good. In order to nurture and grow a vibrant agency, there must be a steady stream of new business opportunities […]
Agencies fail to realize the importance prospects place on having a knowledge of their industry and a positioning of expertise. Small to midsize agencies continue to promote themselves as full service, even though it’s rare for an agency to have a full service client. They use “full service” to broaden their appeal to most prospects. […]
A plan is just a plan until it’s executed. Execution is the battleground that determines success or failure. According to the RSW/US survey report, 66% of agency execs stated their new business hire was unsuccessful because the person lacked a methodology. How many annual planning meetings has your agency gone through to create a strategic new business plan only to […]
Social media is a primary force that is redefining the role of the men and women who oversee the world’s largest companies. The importance of social media to business has dramatically escalated. We have moved through the “hype phase of social media when businesses felt compelled to participate because it was such a fad. We have […]
When it comes to negotiating contracts and service agreements, agencies are terribly naive, like lambs led to the slaughter. My friend, Peter Levitan, ran business development and marketing at Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Worldwide in New York and London, and bought and sold three of his own agencies (including Portland’s Citrus). Peter has written the most […]
The role of the agency new business executive is the riskiest position due a dramatic change in the way business is acquired and the skills rainmakers need to make it happen. Business development has been dramatically altered. There are many people who have done this job in the past who do not know how to do it well […]
Building an engaged online community should NOW be a core responsibility of business development. The battle for new business has moved online which makes community development indispensable in marketing your agency online. Knowing how to build an online community has become an important skill-set for those charged with agency new business. Community development comes before business development. How to Build an Online […]
Leverage SEO and expert positioning! Based on Google patents and documents, which explicitly state that Google prefers experts and authorities. John McDougall, the author of Web Marketing On All Cylinders and The Big Dog Authority Marketing Checklist, will show you how positioning your agency and team members as thought leaders is critical to digital marketing success. One of the […]
For ad agencies that even have a new business plan, the majority fall short in its implementation.
How many annual planning meetings has your agency gone through to create a strategic marketing plan, only to have it fail in its implementation? Maybe this year, instead of focusing so much attention on the plan, use annual planning to create a dynamic process for execution.
Experience has taught me that successfully executing a new business strategy requires a system.… Continue reading
Most agencies have no plan for new business. They can’t express what they are selling or who they are selling it to.
For you to state that you want to “take your agency to the next level” is not a strategy, it’s a goal. A strategy is not your agency’s mission statement. Your marketing strategy is a plan of execution.
Goals, objectives and mission statements are all fine.… Continue reading
As part of my consulting work, I’m asked to review a lot of agency websites from a new business perspective. Recently, I had a request to review the website of a large ad agency in New York. I wasn’t surprised that I didn’t find a single testimonial from a happy client. A good number of agencies neglect to add this important component to their marketing mix.… Continue reading
The battle for new business has moved online.
You want to enlarge your agency’s online footprint to generate more leads.
These are some proven platforms:
It’s natural. We’re at the top and insulated. Our world consists of our employees, clients, vendors and the small, finite amount of time we get to spend with our friends and families.
Sure, it can be fun, exciting and rewarding. Hell, we wouldn’t do it otherwise. These are the highs.
But on the other hand, there are lows. And they get well, really low. In some cases, it seems you don’t have anyone to turn to.
Since 2007, I’ve preached that there was a new model for new business that made the existing model obsolete. Agencies needed a new approach to new business.
During the past decade, technology and the rise of social media changed how people communicated. This dramatically impacted business development. Prospects became self-sufficent. Any business information they wanted about a product or service became easily available online.… Continue reading
The atmosphere is often chaotic at most agencies. There are numerous interruptions and urgent requests throughout each day. It’s an environment that’s in a perpetual state of distraction. Working in this kind of climate is stressful. You’re constantly shifting from one task to the next.
In addition to agency our agency life, we’re now having to process an extreme amount of information daily.… Continue reading
Agency business development programs are often sales focused. They’re built around outbound, interruptive sales tactics that are designed to start engagements with prospective clients. The prospects have little, if any, awareness of the agency or how they’re different from their competitors.
Success in “selling the agency” is proving to be extremely difficult. And when business development isn’t successful, they think the sensible thing to do is to step-up outbound sales.… Continue reading
As any agency business development executive knows, it’s crucial to track decision-maker shifts in order to beat competitors to the pitch. First-time CMOs are one of the top new business triggers for agency changes, media shifts, and new marketing technology investments, as new hires tend to make changes within 3-12 months following their appointment.
First-time CMO hires signal that a company is making moves to bolster their marketing efforts, and also indicates a probable increase in spend in order to support these initiatives.… Continue reading
Through my experience working with hundreds of advertising, digital, media and PR firms, I’ve discovered how important it is for the agency owner to be the face of their company. Given the rise of social media, their personal brand story is as essential, or even more so, than the agency’s brand.
… Continue readingBeing the “face” of an agency is an intimidating role, and as a result, many owners and founders avoid the spotlight.
Michael Gass, Business Development Consultant | Speaker | Author of Fuel Lines
Fuel Lines provides new business resources for Advertising, Digital, Media and PR Agencies.
It has been rated among the top 100 marketing blogs in the world, according to Ad Age’s Power 150.
Since 2007, Michael has helped pioneer the use of social media, inbound and content marketing strategies specifically for agency new business.
Read more about Michael
An essential component to your agency's new business program is a prospective client data base.
In my opinion one of the most accurate online database of marketing and advertising decision makers is Winmo. I highly recommend them.
I'm Michael Gass, I'm an author, speaker and a new business consultant to advertising, digital, media and PR agencies.
Since 2007, I have helped pioneer the use of social media, inbound and content marketing strategies specifically for agency new business.
Fuel Lines is my social media 'home-base. It has been ranked among the top 100 marketing blogs in the world, according to Advertising Age’s, The Power 150.
Learn more about me