December 2008 Archives

The Number #1 Ad Agency New Business Article of 2008

By far FUEL LINE readers chose the following article as their favorite for 2oo8:

Four Ways Social Media is Changing Advertising Agencies New Business

To paraphrase Little Orphan Annie, “Tomorrow is only a day away.”

Traditional advertising agencies face significant technical challenges. Consumers have turned away from media channels that built the agency industry and have moved toward emerging internet media. Ad agencies must build new interactive competencies quickly in order to survive.

I receive inquires almost daily from ad agencies who are trying to discern how social media marketing will impact their current new business business model.

An Extensive List of “How To” Social Media Tools

Mashable, All That’s New on the Web blog, is one of my favorite for online resources. Mashable writer, Pete Cashmore assembled a great list of 39 social media tools that can be used for ad agency new business.

Google How-Tos

FaceBook How-Tos

Twitter How-Tos

Blogging How-Tos

Online Videos How-Tos

Social Networking How-Tos

Business How-Tos

Time Saver Tip: Build A Treadmill Desk

If you are like me you spend lots of time in front of a computer, could stand to lose a few pounds and have a tough time being consistent getting to the gym. Dr. James Levine of the Mayo Clinic came up with the idea to slowly walk on a treadmill while working at a desk built around the treadmill…a Treadmill Desk.

Dr Levine’s research revealed that on the average his subjects burned 100 extra calories every hourwhile walking slowly — at 1 mile per hour — than while sitting in a chair.… Continue reading

Ad Agency CEOs Should Use Twitter

I do understand the time pressures and information overload of small-to midsize ad agency CEOs. That said, your use of Twitter makes sense.

Web strategist and social media consultant, Karen OBrien posted an article CEOs Who Twitter which provides the outline and inspiration for this post.

Benefits to Ad Agency CEO’s to use Twitter:

Brand Building: ability to raise your own visibility and build awareness of your agency’s brand. Twitter allows you to communicate your agency’s culture and personality.

Social Media “Teaches” Ad Agencies to Promote Themselves the Right Way

I recommend using social media as a central component for your agency’s new business program. The primary reason is that it “teaches” small-to midsize agencies to do the things they should have been doing all along to acquire new business.

For social media to be effective you must:

Identify your niche and your best target audience.
Listen. Better understand your prospective clients marketing challenges, obstacles and frustrations.
Be transparent. The success of your audience must be more important than your own.

14 Advertising Agency Blogs, Vote for Your Favorite for December

It’s time for you to vote for your favorite agency blog for the month of December. 14 ad agency blogs have been submitted to FUEL LINES. The winner will be featured on FUEL LINES throughout the month of January.

These are the 14 agency blogs submitted for the month of December:

A Ride Uptown, Mascola/Group, New Haven, CT

BINGenuity, Bing Design, Yellow Springs, OH

Blip, Martino Flynn agency, Rochester, NY

Bolin Digital Blog, Bolin Marketing, Minneapolis, MN

Brand Tracks, Locomotion Creative, Nashville, TN

Brunner Digital Blog, Brunner Digital, Pittsburg, PA

Contact Media Blog, Contact Media, Tampa, FL

Creating A Deeper Shade of Green Marketing, Park&Co Phoenix, AZ

Del Padre Digital Blog, East Longmeadow, MA

Design Buzz, Design Matters Creative Group, Lake Forest, CA

Fluid Studio’s Big Idea Blog, Bountiful, UT

Karasma Media blog, Harlem, NY

She-conomy, Holland + Holland, Birmingham, AL

SPURspectives, Spur Communications, Overland Park, KS

For the latest agency new business updates subscribe to FUEL LINES by Email

Michael Gass, agency new business consultant, primarily to small and mid-size advertising agencies, utilizing both traditional and new media tools.

Fuel for Thought: Brand Babblers

Branding

Excerpts from The Ad Contrarian … Bad Days for Brand Babblers

“In these times, clients expect their advertising to actually sellsomething. When it doesn’t, they get cranky.

Some years ago the ad industry decided that it no longer had to bother itself with the mundane task of selling. Instead, advertising could focus on the much more civilized practice of branding — whatever the hell that means.

The most effective, in fact, the only way to build a brand is to sell someone something.

… Continue reading

How to Get Started Using Social Media for Ad Agency New Business

I’m often asked what is the very first step in developing a new business program for a small-to midsize ad agency? To have an efficient and effective new business program you must first …

… identify your agency’s point of difference and select a target audience.

Once this decision is made all other decisions are easy. But for the agencies that refuse to declare what they stand for and who they are trying to reach, they will constantly struggle because they try to be everything to everybody.… Continue reading