New business directors, who often carry the title of senior vice president, are responsible for marketing their agencies to prospective clients. Their tasks range from calling on companies to seek the opportunity to present an agency’s credentials, to positioning an agency, to leading a pitch team to win an account in a specific business category. In the past, as with many executive level advertising agency positions, this position had been mostly held by men.
Women are now filling one of the more critical roles in agency management: the pursuit of new business.
One of the largest independent advertising agencies in the country, The Richards Group, tapped Diane Fannon, to oversee new business development back in 2004. Diane is a frequent panelist and speaker for AAAA new business seminars.
Cindy Scott, Director of Business Development for LWT Communications. Cindy is a natural at New Business Development. She has all of the abilities, plus learned skills and personality that make her very successful in what she does for this regional ad agency.
Ad agency executives and consultants who assist companies in finding agencies say that half or more of agency new business directors are women. Some sources say that upwards to 75% of agency new business directors they talk to are women. The trend is significant, these people say, because the new business position may be a possible path to agency leadership, which has been nearly closed to women.
[...] Another article of interest: More Women Pursue New Business for Ad Agencies [...]
As a woman leading business development, I would suggest that my gender’s attraction to BizDev is not seen as a path to higher positions (though that’s a benefit), but that our socialization has given us some strong skills that help us build relationships in which prospects feel a connection, and sense of trust. Couple good people skills with strategic thinking to see opportunities, the discipline to manage the process and the ability to multi-task the needs of many prospects, and you have a winner (no matter what the gender).
Thanks Michael and company, for keeping BizDev top of mind for many of us.
Sarah,
Thank you for your comments. Our industry has not done a good job promoting women in places of leadership. Hopefully that will change. When 97% of all creative directors are men and only 3% women, there is a huge disparity. Especially considering 85% of all brand purchases are made by women.
[...] More Women Pursue New Business for Ad Agencies [...]
[...] More Women Pursue New Business for Ad Agencies [...]
Michael, I’d say from the UK perspective that there are some women doing the Biz Dev role – but far more take on the “Client Services” SVP (or equivalent usually Director in the UK). And they do well at it because of what Sarah Results Smith says above – we socialise well, we listen and we are able to juggle several tasks at once.
Thanks for your UK insights Rebecca!
I would suggest that my gender’s attraction to BizDev is not seen as a path to higher positions (though that’s a benefit), but that our socialization has given us some strong skills that help us build relationships in which prospects feel a connection, and sense of trust.
[...] More Women Pursue New Business for Ad Agencies [...]
[...] More Women Pursue New Business for Ad Agencies [...]
[...] More Women Pursue New Business for Ad Agencies [...]
[...] More Women Pursue New Business for Ad Agencies [...]