10 Blogging Tips for Ad Agency CEOs

parkhowell

The tips below are going to differ considerably from other recommendations in the blogosphere. But please be reminded that they are intended primarily for agency principals of small-to midsize ad agencies and given entirely from a new business perspective. Agency principals have to “get” social media. You can only “get” it by being a participant.

A personal blog will provide you with a direction, focus and professional enrichment unlike anything you have ever experienced before.… Continue reading

Ad Agencies Should Use a Database Service for New Business

A number of ad agencies that I talk with attempt to maintain their own database of prospects. For a short list that is doable but if your list is large it is impossible to maintain unless you have someone totally dedicated to keeping it updated on a regular basis.

I recommend using a database service company. Most charge an annual fee to subscribe but the cost is usually worth the price because of the internal time saved along with updated information on thousands of companies, agencies and businesses.… Continue reading

10 Reasons Ad Agencies Should Participate in Social Media for New Business

Fortunately the debate on whether or not ad agencies should participate in social media is rapidly shifting to how they should participate.  But just in case your agency is still on the fence, here are 10 reasons why  should participate in the social media arena:

  1. Small agencies can compete with much larger agencies. Smaller agencies are more nimble and can more quickly adapt their agencies to utilize social media for themselves and for their clients.

    2. … Continue reading

In times of economic crisis shouldn’t ad agencies lead?

Given the current economic crisis and the communications revolution, on Monday, February 23rd, media baron Rupert Murdoch issued an urgent internal communication, warning his staff:

“We are in the midst of a phase of history in which nations will be redefined and their futures fundamentally altered. Many people will be under extreme pressure and many companies mortally wounded. Our competitors will be sorely tempted to take the easy beat, to reduce quality in the search for immediate dividends. 

Let me be very clear about our company: where others might step back from their commitment to their viewers, their users, readers and customers – we will renew ours.”

He declared, “The direction of the business now and over the next few years will define the character of our company for decades.”

Hopefully the advertising industry, with all of its resilient creative and intelligent minds, is as committed to finding solutions for its clients during the current economic crisis and global communications revolution.… Continue reading

25 Ad Agency Blogs, Vote for Your Favorite for February

 

It’s time for you to vote for your favorite agency blog for the month of February. 25 ad agency blogs have been submitted to FUEL LINES. The winner will be featured on FUEL LINES throughout the month of March.

These are the 25 agency blogs submitted for the month of February:

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

B&A blog, Columbus, OH

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

Brains on Fire Blog, Greenville, SC

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

Cure for Common Marketing, Jackson-Dawson Marketing Solutions, Greenville, SC

Demi & Cooper Advertising blog, Elgin, IL

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

Direct Dispatch, Haggin Marketing, Mill Valley, CA

FEED, Razorfish agency, Seattle, WA

Fluid Studio’s Big Idea Blog, Bountiful, UT

Free Advertising Candy, EVOK Advertising, Lake Mary, FL

Karasma Media blog, Harlem, NY

ID-ology blog, ID Branding, Portland, OR

Paramore | Redd blog, Nashville, TN

Razor Branding, The Russo Group, Lafayette, LA

She-conomy, Holland + Holland, Birmingham, AL

SPURspectives, Spur Communications, Overland Park, KS

VBP Out Sourcing, Glen Burnie, MD

WOMENK!ND , Womenkind agency, New York, NY


 

The Zapwater Blog, Zap Water Communications Chicago, IL, was selected by FUEL LINES’  readers as the Ad Agency Blog of the Month for January.… Continue reading

Ad Agency New Business News from the Front Lines

A view from the front lines

I usually have my blog post written in advance and have preselected the date/time for at least five post to be published for any given week. This week has been a bit different. For some reason it has been more of a challenge this week comparative to others. I thought I would make this post a bit more personal to share what I’m hearing from small-to midsize ad agencies across the country.

  1. More agencies are coming to grips with the importance of social media that it is a necessity.

    2. … Continue reading

Advertisers are Leading their Ad Agencies into Social Media

Barbara Bacci Mirque, executive vice president of the Association of National Advertisers, ANA, observed that “more and more advertisers are leading their agencies into new media, not the other way around,” and that “clients are the ones who are personally and professionally experimenting with new media forms and directing their agencies to look into them.” 

“When I started out in this business in the mid 80’s as an assistant product manager at The Frito-Lay Company, we expected our advertising agencies to be innovative and inform us about what was hip and cool – now it appears to be the other way around.” 

Clients want leadership from their agency.… Continue reading

Ad agency having explosive new business growth by leading with social media

jaci

Social media teaches ad agencies to do new business the right way.

I thought FUEL LINE readers would like to have an example of agency good news in the midst of all of the bad news.

The Russo Group, a small ad agency (full time staff of 19) in Lafayette, Louisiana, is having explosive new business growth using and leading with social media. Instead of laying off they are hiring. 104% net profit over this time last year.

… Continue reading

Build Ad Agency New Business Virally

internet

Viral marketing campaigns are a great way to generate awareness for your agency and provide opportunities for agency new business.

Instead of happenstance, viral marketing is becoming a science. An emerging industry dedicated to understanding what makes marketing viral. GoViral, is just one example of a company that specializes in launching viral campaigns by ”seeding” clips on the web in places where they will be picked up and spread online.

Patrick Aloft has assembled an excellent list of successful viral marketing campaigns.… Continue reading

Social Media Metrics for Ad Agency New Business

twitter-grader-michael-gass

This simple statement speaks volumes to the ad industry, your agency’s promotional efforts and advertising for clients.

“If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.”
Lord Kelvin

One of the reasons social media is growing in popularity is that it is more measurable than traditional media. That is especially important in this down economy.  I am able to measure and improve upon my social media communications at incredible speed. Here are a few things that I am measuring which enables me to better reach my goals and objectives: