How not to waste time with unqualified prospects. It isn’t difficult to secure meetings with prospective clients of small to midsize ad agencies. What is key is to get appointments with qualified prospects that have the proper budget and a readiness to spend money for an agency’s services. There are a lot of prospects out […]
12 Tips for Building a Rewards Program for Ad Agency New Business
June 6, 2011 by
Everyone in the agency should contribute to new business and one of the best ways to encourage lead generation is through a referral program. A referral program is one of the most cost-effective and efficient methods for generating new business for small-to-midsize ad agencies. Here are my 12 tips on how to create or enhance […]
Create a Call to Action for Ad Agency New Business Through Social Media
March 11, 2011 by
A strong Call-to-Action is needed to convert your blog’s visitors into new business opportunities. The most important key to converting your agency’s blog visitors into leads is to have a “call-to-action”. A strong call to action is a clear, simple and compelling offer that persuades your readers to take the action you want. Just having a […]
10 Tips to Create a Consistent Ad Agency New Business Program
September 28, 2010 by
Your agency’s new business program must be sustainable at the times when your agency is at its busiest. Too often new business development is put on the back burner until existing business decreases and a downturn begins. That creates a roller coaster effect on your agency’s pipeline of prospects which impacts agency income and causes you to accept the wrong type of client, from the wrong pool of prospects which do not fit your agency’s strengths and core competencies.
Ad Age: A List of the Worst Agency Websites for IPhones and IPads
September 20, 2010 by
Attention Agencies: You provide a sweet target for your competition if you don’t practice what you preach and aren’t doing for yourself what you recommend for clients. The McKinney agency, Durham, NC, recently created some positive press for themselves while creating a firestorm around some of the biggest advertising agencies websites.
A New Business Plan is Just a Plan Until It’s Executed
October 3, 2019 by
Execution is the battleground that determines success or failure.
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
A Plan for Ad Agency New Business in 3 Simple Steps
September 12, 2019 by
Having a written marketing plan makes new business easier and much more consistent.
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
12 Tips for Using Testimonials for Ad Agency New Business
August 22, 2019 by
Adding recommendations is an easy way to empower a new business program.
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
7 Helps for Consistent Online Leads for Ad Agency New Business
August 15, 2019 by
Business development doesn’t have to be so difficult. By creating simple steps and processes you’ll have a system to boost online leads.
Here are 7 tips to get started:
1. Consistently Use Lead Generation Platforms
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:
- For over the past 10 years, I’ve recommended a niche blog for agency new busines. I’ve helped create over 450 personal blogs for agency principals.
You Can’t Grow Your Ad Agency Quicker Alone
July 11, 2019 by
Being an agency owner can be lonely.
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.
Social Media is now Pay to Play for Ad Agency New Business
June 12, 2019 by
Paid social advertising can accelerate the process of attracting qualified traffic and leads.
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
Distractions Can Take A Toll On Ad Agency New Business
May 8, 2019 by
Why it’s so hard to remain focused on new business and how to deal with distractions.
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
Ad Agencies: The Two Things Prospects Want to Buy
May 2, 2019 by
You should stop selling your services, that’s not what prospects are buying.
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
Targeting First-time CMOs for Ad Agency New Business
April 30, 2019 by
Here are five brands that have added their first CMO.
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
Your Personal Brand is Key for Ad Agency New Business
April 26, 2019 by
Developing your personal brand is one of the best investments you can make for new business.
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.
