Prospective clients shouldn't hire a marketing agency that can't market themselves. I wanted to share some excerpts of an interview conducted by Jami Oetting, content strategist for Agency Post, an online publication for agency professionals. The subject of the interview is Douglas Burdett, former artillery officer, Madison Avenue ad man, stand-up comedian and the principal of Artillery, a small agency in Norfolk, Virginia. Douglas provides a good example of how agency promotion has evolved. … [Read more...]
Ad Agencies: How to Stop Chasing New Business
The Barkley agency has created a number of thought leadership platforms that drive new business. In this session of the Fuel Lines New Business Conference, Jeff Fromm, Executive VP at Barkley, shares how his agency has created a number of thought leadership platforms that drive new business. One of the most successful has been built around Millennial Marketing. Jeff states, "In 2010, after losing the Sonic account, I went looking for a niche for new business that was consistent within … [Read more...]
Inbound Marketing For Ad Agency New Business
In recent studies, agencies have expressed that new business is more difficult than ever before, but it doesn’t have to be. Don't get me wrong, new business has historically been a problem for agencies. Most small to midsize agencies have no positioning and no point of differentiation. They look and sound the same. They are often treated as vendors because they lack a positioning of expertise. Most don’t have a target audience thus, no focus for business development … [Read more...]
The Indispensable Ad Agency
How Marketing Talent, Technology and Strategy Gaps Present Invaluable Opportunities for Agency Growth “The marketing services industry is in a state of flux. As CMOs navigate the marketing talent gap, they are increasingly seeking performance-driven agency partners that are immersed in marketing technology and staffed with digital-savvy professionals. SMBs need partners that can deliver fully integrated solutions and in essence function as outsourced inbound marketing teams. Large enterprises … [Read more...]
The Preeminent Thought Leader on How to Win Ad Agency Pitches
Win more ad agency new business pitches. It’s easier than you think. Peter Levitan has been described as a serial new business pitcher. He has delivered global, regional, and very local new business pitches for over 30 years. He has a Hall Of Fame pitch batting average. Peter 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 is the author of, … [Read more...]
The Most Provocative Man in Advertising
Bob Hoffman is one of the most sought-after speakers on advertising and marketing. He has spoken all over the U.S. and has been invited to speak at conferences throughout Europe. Bob’s “Spotlight Lecture” at Advertising Week Europe has drawn almost 50,000 views on YouTube. Bob was one of the keynote speakers at our inaugural Fuel Lines New Business Conference in Nashville, TN. He presented a refreshing take on the marketing industry in his presentation, Marketers Are From Mars, Consumers … [Read more...]
A Perfect Platform for Ad Agency New Business
For over eight years I’ve prescribed creating a niche blog for agency new business and have helped create over 200 personal blogs for agency principals. A personal blog can provide small to midsize agency owners with a perfect platform to create positioning of expertise and appeal to a very specific target audience. It’s like a fishing expedition. You fish for a specific fish with a particular bait, you fish away from the boat (the agency’s website) so you don’t scare off the fish. Recently, … [Read more...]
This is My Personal Story In Leading Ad Agency New Business
Business development has dramatically changed and rainmakers of the past have struggled with the changes. I wanted to publically thank my good friend, Ken Henley, who is a Nashville artist that created my new caricature. Ken and I have known each other for years. We've seen a lot of changes within the advertising industry, but none as great as what has occurred over the past seven years. I've been in business development almost my entire advertising career. I was an account … [Read more...]
Personal Brand Development Benefits Ad Agency New Business
Growing your personal brand can greatly boost your agency's new business opportunities. It makes sense for the principal to be the face of the agency. Not only are they the least likely to leave, but usually small to midsize agencies are built upon the vision, values and the type of culture that best suites their owners. And, agency owners are critical to new business. There are many situations where your personal brand is as essential, or even more so, than your agency’s brand. Take a … [Read more...]
Why are ad agency new business executives performing so badly?
Rainmakers who were good at new business in the past are struggling today. According to a recent Agency-Marketer Business Report from RSW/US, the tenure of a new business director is 2 years or less. Only 26% of new business directors were viewed as successful. Why? I've worked face-to-face with more than 200 advertising, digital, media and PR agencies as they've struggled with the changes that have occurred in business development which was brought on by The Great Recession, the … [Read more...]