June « 2009 « FUEL LINES Fueling Ad Agency New Business Through Social Media

A Plea to Ad Agencies: Give the cobbler’s children some new shoes

June 30, 2009

There’s an old saying that cobbler’s children have no shoes. It refers to the fact that a busy cobbler will be so busy making shoes for his customers that he has no time to make some for his own children. If I had a dollar for every ad agency that has used that metaphor as their excuse for why they neglect their own new business program I could have retired long ago.

It’s time to stop treating your agency as its most neglected client and promote it to your most important client. It’s time to give the cobbler’s children some new shoes!

How?

Empower your new business director. Give them the clout and resources to get what they need from the agency as if they are the primary contact person for your most important client. Their projects are not put on the back burner when the agency gets busy. Allow them the time, resources and realistic expectations to build a consistent new business pipeline.

Choose your best target audience. Who is your agency’s target audience? That is the first question that needs to be answered. Without it there is no direction for your agency. It’s time to take a rifled approach to your agency’s new business. You can’t stay focused if you don’t have a target identified.

Practice what you preach. Use the tools that you recommend your clients use. Demonstrate their success for your agency. This is especially true when participating in social media. Walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Create a new business program using social media to generate inbound leads for your agency. This doesn’t replace traditional methods for agency new business but refines, enhances and integrates them into a powerful agency new business machine.

Be transparent. The transparency that social media mandates is changing the way agency’s do business, and it is a much needed change. It compels us to lead with benefits instead of capabilities. Everything is now laid out bare on the table, including agency compensation. Perhaps even more performance based agreements. On the client side perhaps replacing our current broken system of pitches and RFPs with something new. Long term relationships should be a mutual goal because it benefits both the client and agency. For that to happen there must be the “win-win” for both and that can’t be done without being transparent.

Be a Leader not a vendor. If you want to stop clients from treating your agency as a vendor you must lead. To be in a position leadership means to have a genuine expertise, a point of differentiation. Your agency can no longer afford to be everything to everybody. So the next question you need to answer, “what is our expertise?” When you answer this question, plant that flag in the ground, this is what we do best, it will command respect, higher premiums and give clients outside your market a reason to do business with your agency. A small agency was recently included in a pitch for a national account because they were willing to say this is who we are, this is how we are different than other agencies, this is our expertise.

Additional articles that may be of interest:

7 Comments | New Business Tips, New Business Trends, Social Media | Tagged: Blogs I Recommend, Cobbler's Children, Michael Gass | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

How Teens Use Media: A Nielsen report on the myths and realities of teen media trends

June 27, 2009

This is one of those rare post stepping outside the sphere of agency new business. I found this new Nielsen report very enlightening and wanted to share it with my readers. The report debunks a lot of the myths on “How Teens Use Media.”

You may be surprised to learn that teens can often be reached by the same means as their parents.

Here are a few key findings:

Teens are NOT abandoning TV for new media: In fact, they watch more TV than ever, up 6% oveer the past five years in the U.S.
Teens love the Internet … but spend far less time browsing than adults: Teens spend 11 hours and 32 minutes per month online – far below the average of 29 hours and 15 minutes.
Teens watch less online video than most adults, but the ads are highly engaging to them: Teens spend 35% less time watching online video than adults 25-34.
Teens read newspapers, listen to the radio and even like advertising more than most.
Teens’ favorite TV shows, top websites and genre preferences across media are most are mostly the same as their parents.

Click here to view the entire report.

8 Comments | New Business Trends, Research | Tagged: new media, Nielsen, teens, traditional media | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

Ad Agencies Social Media Success Stories

June 24, 2009

I’m hearing from agencies that are obtaining new business by leading conversations with social media and being able to demonstrate their credibility within that arena.

I just received word that Jaci Russo and The Russo Group landed their 12th new client of the year, CC’s Community Coffee House. This following the acquisition of a new regional client in the dairy category. These both coming through The Russo Group’s ability to demonstrate the benefits of social media by how it has benefited their agency. The agency They actually use the tools they recommend their clients use and practice what they preach.

I’ve featured The Russo Group a number of times because they’ve been out front of most small-to-midsize ad agencies when it comes to social media. They’ve learned to lead conversations with their social media expertise that has opened up doors for this agency nationwide. Ninety-eight percent of their new business now comes from outside their market.

They aren’t the only ones generating new business through social media. Holland + Holland, a small ad agency in Birmingham, has been invited to pitch for a national known brand account. I can’t share the name of the company since they are literally a couple of weeks away from presentations but the invitation came through their niche, marketing to women, combined with their demonstration of knowledge of social media.

Here are just a few other agencies other agencies that have recently reported new business opportunities that have been generated through social media:

Chuck Robins, president of Aro Solutions, Charlotte, NC agency, recently shared a new business acquisition through social networking. The new business came without a pitch.
Park Howell, president of Park&Co, Phoenix, AZ, recently share a couple of new business opportunities directly related to their involvement in social media and their environmental marketing niche. Park’s blog, A Brighter Shade of Green Marketing, has also generated conversations with national advertisers and built greater awareness for his agency.
John Sonnhalter, CEO of SONNHALTER, a B-to-B agency in Cleveland, AZ, has also gotten new business with a major tool manufacturer through social media. John created a blog called, Tradesmen Insights, to help his clients and prospective clients with tips and strategies to reach professional tradesmen through both traditional and social marketing.

Share your ad agency’s social media success story!

If you’d like to share your agency’s social media success story, please add it through the comment section below. It’s an encouragement to others in these lean economic times.

20 Comments | New Business Trends, Social Media | Tagged: Blogs I Recommend, Holland and Holland, Jaci Russo, John Sonnhalter, she-conomy, Social Media, The Russo Group, Tradesmen Insights | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

Top 25 Ad Agency New Business Through Social Media Articles

June 22, 2009

Fueling Ad Agency New Business Through Social Media: Out of more than 336 FUEL LINES posts, readers selected these as their Top 25:

Your readers can tell you a lot in regards to what is of interest and what isn’t. They act as a judge and jury over your content. Pay attention and follow their interests by consistently reviewing your blogs analytics to learn which posts generate the best traffic.

If you have any additional ad agency new business resources, new business articles or posts to share please add their links through the comment section below.

7 Comments | New Business Tips, New Business Tools, New Business Trends, Social Media | Tagged: agency blog, Blogs I Recommend, Michael Gass, new business blog posts, new business resources | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

A Social Media Prophet for Ad Agency New Business?

June 19, 2009

The growth of Social Media is dramatically impacting how agencies promote themselves.

I’ve recently been called a very excitable prophet who wants you to believe social media is the only new business tool. I am not that naive. But neither am I naive enough NOT TO BELIEVE that the advertising industry and the way agencies obtain new business has significantly changed. It will continue to evolve and the changes will dramatically accelerate. That isn’t hype, it’s the truth.

If some in our industry want to call me a prophet, so be it. But I’m telling you, “the flood is coming and you had better get on the social media boat!”

My epiphany, connecting social media to ad agency new business, came when I was reading the CMO’s Marketing Outlook Study and came across this statistic, “80% of decision makers say they found the vendor, not the other way around.”

This report also stated that in 2008 social media would become mainstream. Social media has already impacted advertising as we know it. It also impacts new business development. Instead of chasing after new business it was more important for an agency to have an appealing position to be found by a specific target audience. As important as a website is for an agency it is now as important to have a new gateway to the agency, a blog.

I’ve never said that traditional methods don’t work. I’ve written in this blog about the best practices for direct mail, RFP responses, pitching for new business, even cold calling. I also believe that when the economic recovery comes, a lot of agencies will continue to obtain new business through their personal networks and referrals as they did before.

But, I don’t believe that doing new business the traditional way is the best method. There is a new way to do it more efficiently and effectively by incorporating social media as a central part of your agency’s new business program.

You can call me a believer, because I’m totally convinced of the benefits of social media for ad agency new business. It is like networking on steroids. Prospective clients actually initiate the contact with you and when they do the conversation is much further down the road and they are ready to do business often without you having to pitch for it.

As an agency new business guy for almost my entire advertising career, I’ve found that social media provides the way you could only dream agency new business should work.

There is also an added plus. Beyond the benefits of providing a consistent, measurable new business pipeline, it is the best professional enrichment tool I have ever used as well as the best tool I’ve ever seen for simplifying the agency branding process.

Why am I so confident when it comes to social media? I’ve walked the walk, not only talked the talk. I’ve practiced what I’ve preached and used the tools that I recommend my clients use.

I’ve blogged consistently for the past two years and spent countless hours getting up to speed; personally coached over 41 ad agency principals in social media and counseled and advised at least twice that number; have written 336 blog posts and received 810 comments; over 6,941 followers on Twitter and 8,489 twitter posts; not to mention maintaining an active presence with Facebook and LinkedIn.

I have a strong point of differentiation from my competitors and through conversations with my target audience I’ve been able to develop an appealing position. Even though I am a gifted “cold caller” I have yet to make a single cold or even warm call for my business.

To better understand social and how it can benefit agency new business, for the past two years I’ve worked long days, nights and weekends with little time off. I’ve had the mindset that I’m back in grad school. I felt that I had this unique window of opportunity to get ahead of the curve, out in front of the wave.

This is not the worst of times, it is actually the best of times for your agency. Small to midsize agencies have the same opportunity to gain market share as never before.

A comment to a recent guest post written by Jaci Russo, Should Ad Agency Pitches and RFPs Be a Thing of the Past? Chuck Robbins writes,

“We have taken this exact attitude in our new business efforts. We were recently asked to pitch for some business against two other firms. We had already done some significant relationship building with the President of the client company (met through a social media reconnect) and we told him that we would not devote a weeks worth of hours to build a presentation for them for free. We had already identified two projects where he needed our expertise. I told him he was loosing valuable time with an agency presentation. He agreed and wrote us a check. You two are way ahead of me but I am catching up fast!”

With all of that said, I’m not offended in the least for being called an excitable prophet. Prophets usually have to stand alone while others try to maintain the status quo.

So while other agencies debate the benefits of social, get in the boat and see for yourself what social can do for you and your agency. Clients are hungry for agencies that are willing to stop following the crowd and actually take the lead.

11 Comments | New Business Trends, Social Media | Tagged: Advertising Industry, Blogs I Recommend, CMO Marketing Outlook Study, Michael Gass, Social Media | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

Bob Hoffman’s Blog, An Example for Ad Agency CEOs?

June 18, 2009

Bob Hoffman, CEO Hoffman/Lewis advertising in San Francisco and St. Louis and author of The Ad Contrarian blog provides a excellent example of an agency’s blog that has potential as a great tool for new business.

I was first introduced to Bob through the not so flattering AdAge article above. What the author viewed as a negative I saw as positive, particularly for an opportunity to generate new business for Bob’s agency.

Social media is suppose to be transparent, but Bob is beyond transparent. You either love him or despise him but you certainly wont forget him.

He wont appeal to everyone but to those he does appeal to, it will be a strong a appeal.

If I were a prospective client I would be drawn to Bob as a straight shooter when it comes to the advertising industry. Someone who will cut through all of the BS and tell me like it really is. He’ll speak in a language that I will understand and not agency speak. I would feel he would be a person that I could trust.

All Bob needs to do to turn his blog into a new business lead generation pipeline is focus and write to his agency’s best target audience, not to those of us within the ad industry. We all have a natural tendency to want to work with people that we know, like and trust. The Ad Contrarian gives us a rare personal look at an agency CEO who writes what he thinks and will even emphasize his thoughts with a few expletives. Okay, maybe lots of expletives. I’m sure that Bob’s partners would want him to tone it down, but from a new business perspective I think Bob’s blog is pure gold.

A sampling of Bob’s posts:

Top 10 Bullshit Professions
Facts Still Matter: The Death And Life Of Television
Twitter Saves The World
5 Fashionable Myths About Advertising

THE AD CONTRARIAN SAYS:

“In American business, there is nothing stupider than the previous generation of management.”

“We don’t get them to try our product by convincing them to love our brand. We get them to love our brand by convincing them to try our product.”

“Brand studies last for months, cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and generally have less impact on business than cleaning the drapes.”

“Marketers always overestimate the attraction of new things and underestimate the power of traditional consumer behavior.”

“As an advertising medium, the web is like communism. It’s never very good right now, but it’s always going to be great some day.”

Follow Bob on Twitter

16 Comments | Agency Blogs, Social Media | Tagged: Advertising, Blogs I Recommend, Bob Hoffman, CEO Blog, economic stimulus package, Seth Godin | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

Should Ad Agency Pitches and RFPs Be a Thing of the Past?

June 17, 2009

The advertising industry is rapidly changing. Will agency pitches and RFPs be a thing of the past and if so, what will take their place for best business development practices that better benefit both clients and ad agencies?

This is a guest post written by Jaci Russo, Partner and Chief Strategist for The Russo Group, a small ad agency (full time staff of 19) in Lafayette, Louisiana, that is having explosive new business growth by leading prospective client conversations with social media. In this post Jaci raises some great questions and hopefully will facilitate dialogue from both agencies and clients.

Guest Post By Jaci Russo:

One of the questions that plagues all agencies is how to get new business and develop more clients. There are lots of theories about inbound v outbound marketing.

I received an email the other day from JC Fantechi in Sweden. He is the founder of Icebreaker which helps ad agencies in Europe win new business. He emailed me because he heard Michael Gass’ interview of me on Fueling New Business about the new business wins we have had this year. I thought his question was great, so I wanted to answer it here:

In your opinion, are pitches/should pitches be a thing of the past? Are they really necessary in order to gauge an agency’s output, or wouldn’t a “chemistry test” be better, to meet a potential agency & its work team to see if there is grounds for a good marriage, then work together to solve the strategic and the creative? Maybe that’s the way you already work, but I’m tired of getting my clients into pitches, getting half decent briefs and only one performance in order to get things right”.

JC Fantechi Founder, Icebreaker

Most companies that work in the B2B space are expected to put forth some sort of outbound effort to gain new business. Most often, that outbound effort involves one of the following:

RFP – Request For Proposals - Potential client creates a 10-100 page document detailing everything they want to know about their new prospective partner. In the construction industry, a contractor then spends hours researching the blueprints and creating a very detail proposal including costs. The final written documents could at times rival the size of War and Peace and the cost would be enough to purchase a house.
Pitch – An incredible investment of time and resources dedicated by anywhere from 2 to 20 companies is made at the behest of the client and much like the Olympics, there is only one gold medal winner. The companies involved completely engross themselves in the client and learn everything they can about the brand and the category. Since this is typically done in a vacuum with little or no input from the client there is no guarantee that the research and analysis is on target.

I completely agree with JC. If a sample project were the third option, it would be the best choice every time. A project would allow both sides to really get to know each other. A project is like actually dating vs the RFP/Pitch which is more like a first date where you only know what they want you to know about them.

There is another option though.

We work with our B2B clients to generate inbound efforts. This is the same way we develop our own business. Using a myriad of tools, from social media through speaking and writing engagements, we are able to establish ourselves as knowledgeable experts and that is why we are experiencing unprecedented growth (Q1 09 net profit up 118% compared to Q1 08).

Inbound marketing is great for a lot of reasons, most of which, once the relationship is in place, there is no competition for the business.

Click Here to Cast Your Vote

If you believe pitches and RFPs should be a thing of the past, then what would practices would better benefit clients and agencies? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Previous interview with Jaci Russo: Ad agency having explosive new business growth by leading with social media

16 Comments | Agency RFP, New Business Trends, Social Media | Tagged: Blogs I Recommend, inbound leads, Jaci Russo, JC Fantechi Founder, Pitches, RFPs, The Russo Group | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

3 Ad Agency New Business Blogs That Provide Fresh Perspectives

June 16, 2009

There are several blogs that will be of help to your agencies new business efforts that I want to introduce. Each of these blog authors has a great amount of experience working with advertising agencies of all sizes for new business and each of them also has a unique perspective. I highly recommend that you include them in your online reading as resources for your agency’s new business.

clive maclean

Clive Maclean’s Blog, Resources to Grow a Profitable Agency

“Driving profitable growth within an agency requires much more than just new business! Most agency principals tend to rely on new business development as the key driver to profitable growth within their agency. All their aspirations, dreams, energy and resources are focused in this area while not realizing that new business development is in fact only one pillar of the five pillar strategy required to be successful.” Clive Maclean, Clive Maclean Consulting

The New Business Dingo, Ad Agency Growth Through Proactive New Business

“Unless you’re consistently implementing new business campaigns to drive new revenue in-line with organizational objectives, (be that through social media or traditional DM strategy), it’s highly likely that you’ll fall short this year.” Dave Currie, President of Catapult New Business

New Business Intel

New Business Intel, Driving Ad Agency New Business

“New Business Intel provides a way for me to share my experience and help advertising agencies, media companies and other marketing solutions companies drive business growth by developing the right ongoing sales processes.

I’m convinced that a blog makes me a better communicator, helps me to stay ahead of trends, and provides leadership to our clients.” Todd Knutson, CEO of The List

I’ve the good fortune to know each of these authors personally and count them as friends and colleagues. They are all passionate about agency new business. I hope you find them as refreshing as I have regarding their unique perspectives for agency new business.

Leave a Comment » | New Business Tips, New Business Tools | Tagged: agency profitability, Blogs I Recommend, catapult new business, Clive Maclean, Clive Maclean Consulting, Dave Currie, new business resources, The List, Todd Knutson | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

Defining Social Media for Ad Agency New Business

June 14, 2009

It’s going to be hard to “sell” social media if you can’t “define it.”

All you need to break into a cold sweat is for one prospective client asking for you for a definition of social media. After you babble on for some 20 minutes or more trying your best to provide an answer, you’ll lose all credibility. So be prepared.

I frequently conduct social media workshops to help agencies in understanding social media, how it will affect them and how they can embrace it.

One of the first questions usually asked is, “What is social media?”

If you conduct a quick search for a definition of social media you are going to find a wide variety of them. You need to be ready with a succinct definition.

Hopefully you will find this to be a good start.

“Social media describes the consumer controlled online revolution, a fusion of sociology and communications technology, people use to share personal opinions, experiences and insights with others.”

A compilation from Wikipedia , Brian Solis and me.

Richard Scroble states, “The best way to understand new media is to compare it to what has come before.” He compares the attributes of traditional and new media to better define social. Read more of Richard’s article, “What is social media?”

Feel free to add your suggestions to improve upon what I’ve shared or offer your own own definition.

Additional articles that may be of interest:

3 Comments | Social Media | Tagged: Blogs I Recommend, Brian Solis, Michael Gass, Robert Scoble, social media definition, Wikipedia | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

For Ad Agency New Business Fish with the Right Bait

June 11, 2009

Your agency’s blog will allow you to obtain new business by fishing for the right kind of fish using the right kind of bait.

Fishing isn’t a bad analogy when talking about new business. Chris Brogan’s free eBook “Fish Where the Fish Are” being an example. I’m finding that I’m often using fishing as a metaphor for describing my philosophy for agency new business.

If you know anything about fishing you understand the importance of using the right bait. Two people can be fishing from the same boat and one catch lots of fish and the other doesn’t catch any just because of they are using different bait.

For an agency to attract their best suited prospective clients they have to have the right appeal (bait). No point of differentiation = no appeal. If you try to appeal to every prospective client you wont appeal to any of them.

I know that agency principals get very nervous when you ask them to put a stake in the ground, narrow their focus and create an appeal to a particular prospective client audience. Most are unwilling to do it because they are accustom to generating a diversity of clients through their personal networks and referrals. That also means that most of your agency’s business is going to be centered within a particular market.

If your agency get business beyond your market usually its because of a former client relationship. That isn’t the best and most efficient way to obtain new business. Plus our industry is rapidly changing and forcing agencies to differentiate. The way prospective clients are searching for their agency partner and what they are looking for in an agency is also changing.

So, how can an agency appeal to a particular fish (prospective client)?

An agency blog will allow you to narrow your focus without keeping you from obtaining new business the way you’ve gotten it in the past. You wont even have to change the agency’s website, which serves primarily as your online agency brochure. Pick your best target audience and provide valued content that helps them with their advertising and marketing challenges. Give them a reason to come back often. People have a natural tendency to want to work with other people that they know, like and trust. Your agency blog allows you to create an online following for your best target audience by using the right bait.

Some examples of agency blogs that are specific to a particular target audience:

10 Comments | Social Media | Tagged: ad agency blog, Blogs I Recommend, Michael Gass | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

The Top 10 Social Media Questions Ad Agency Clients are Asking

June 7, 2009

Marketers are mostly new to social media. A significant 88% of marketers surveyed are using social media to market their businesses. BUT 72% have only been doing so for a few months or less.

Ad agencies need to understand what top questions their clients and prospective clients are asking about social media and be prepared to provide answers.

Michael Stelzner, author of the book Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged, commissioned a recent study that simply asked, “What question about marketing with social media do you most want answered?” From that study here are the top 10 questions your clients want answered regarding social media marketing:

What are the best tactics to use?
How do I measure the effectiveness of social media?
Where do I start?
How do I manage the social balance?
What are the best sites and tools out there?
How do I make the most of my available time?
How do I find and focus my efforts on my target audience?
How do I convert my social media marketing efforts into tangible results?
How do I cohesively tie different social media efforts together?
Does social media marketing work, and if so, how effective is it?

What is the best way to prepare your agency to answer these questions?

Practice what you preach and use the tools you recommend your clients use. Don’t just talk the talk but walk the walk. Social media is so transparent you’ll not be able to hide your agency’s lack of understanding and preparedness.

Additional report highlights:

The top benefit of social media marketing: The number-one advantage is generating exposure for the business, indicated 81% of all marketers, followed by increasing traffic and building new business partnerships.

The top social media tools: Twitter, blogs, LinkedIn and Facebook were the top four social media tools used by marketers, in that order.

Social media tools marketers most want to learn about: Social bookmarking sites were ranked of highest interest, followed closely by Twitter.

Business owners were more likely to use social media marketing (90+%) than employees working for a business (81%).

After only a few months and with as few as 6 hours a week, more than half of marketers have generated qualified leads with social media marketing.

This link will provide you with the entire report: Social Media Marketing Industry Report: How Marketers Are Using Social Media to Grow Their Businesses

46 Comments | Social Media | Tagged: Ad Agencies, agency clients, marketing professionals, Michael Stelzner, social media marketing | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

Results of My 2009 Readership Survey

June 7, 2009

Recently I conducted my Fuel Lines: 2009 Reader Survey. A special thanks to all who took time to participate and provide their feedback and insight. This information has already been a big help. A new design for Fuel Lines is already underway as well as a review of current features and needed updates for better communications, resources and tools for ad agency new business.

These are actually responses to an open question, “How can I make my blog better” that I thought you may enjoy scanning through:

I don’t know. Content-rich, I don’t have enough time to assimilate all of it, but appreciate it greatly.
i like it the way it is…
You post too many repeats on Twitter. I see tweets about the same blog posts go by dozens of times. I start tuning it out and then miss it when you post something new
more vision as to where this is all headed
New feature – best tweet of the day or worst tweet of the day
More social media wins such as hearing the podcast w/ Jaci Russo
FYI, I generally skim your emails and read more if something pertains to my needs/interests. But it’s spotty and not regular. I just get too much good email and don’t have enough discretionary reading time.
Try to stay objective…provide perceived pros and cons of social media. Too much slant toward SM as the new savior can sound like you are selling vs. advising. Good stuff!
I think it’s terrific. Can’t recommend any changes
New design
I am sure it can always be better – but I already value what you offer. Your blog has been very helpful in helping to support my small agency efforts.
Love the blog voting. Would love to see more success stories that support strategic advice. Continue to educate on how social media can help agencies move the needle for new business
keep writing it
More streams of input on a subject – more Gestalt
I think its great as is
Stop repeating the same stories
more links to outside resources
I was unable to choose more than one option in the question above. I actually read most of your offerings and find all applicable and useful tools. I would like to see more information regarding using FB and TWitter and Linkedin as a New business tool. As a company we have profiles but are uncertain as to how to ask viewers to subscribe to our blog. I am uncertain how to attach myself to my firms profile etc…
I enjoy your blog very much and do not have suggestions for improvement
You could include something about renewable energy sources, like sun or wind energy… you know.. this sort of thing… maybe eletric cars..
Talk more about Social Responsible Brands. Who are they? where are they? why are they responsible? etc
Keep doing it
Just keep up the good work
I think an overall greater variety. It seems that topics get recycled and show up again. Also more client results from social media. It seems like we are an industry of practitioners without too many of us getting paid for social media campaigns
Keep doing what your doing
I get emails from you and occasionally visit your site from there. Is that what you’re talking about?
Keep writing even more
Keep it coming! It’s awesome!
It’s terrific already
More content for B2B new business – how social media can be leverage for complex technologies being sold to businesses
don’t know. i’ve never read it
I love the BLOG and I love following you on twitter. The challenge I have is that I am new to the blog and it feel difficult to just jump in since there is so much to review. What would be great for newbies is if there was some type of orientation section on how to best navigate. Or perhaps a “if you only have time to read 10 things on here, read these”. I tend to just feel behind and I am sure once I have a few hours to really play on the site it will seem much more manageable, but that is my current state. Keep up the good work
I like it now
The layout could be improved to make the posts look easier to read, even though they’re long
keep doing what you are doing…it’s all informative. Meaning you won’t be able to please all
I am so illiterate about computers that it amazes me to see what you do… (this one actually came from my mother!)
Just keep up the great work. Very insightful
It’s very jammed packed with information. Very good. Maybe bigger agency case histories on what worked for a social media campaign
I am impressed with the practical advice. I have passed it on to the President of our agency. I am the CEO but much of the social media is new to me
It’s one of the few that I even look at – maybe differentiate articles more issue to issue – not just Social Media helps agencies get new biz – every month
think it is pretty good and you have aPOV that is clear and sensible. Just a question of time management to stay current
I would be interested to hear from other agencies how they go about their new business e.g. Russo Group. More examples and thoughts on initial contact with potential clients and means of standing out from the crowd
Think your blog is already very helpful and informative. Better? Maybe diversify your topics a bit. Not much
Put pics of hot women on it (via scott@nelsoncreative)
Seems to do a pretty good job. Would love more factual info on ups and downs within industry, and including the larger shops
not sure about your blog, but your twitter outreach and e-newsletter a little aggressive. i prefer to hear from people via email 1x per week and no more than 3-5x per day on twitter. anything more is a little obnoxious in my opinion. i subscribe to several sources that i read regularly so when everyone is pushing out material multiple times per week it tends to just get lost
I think it’s one of the best new business blogs out there. Keep up the good work!
you’re doing a great job right now!
I do like the interviews you’ve done with agencies. They are often very informative
I like your stuff and you have a lot to offer. But I think you tend to go a little overboard on social media. It is a tactic, and not the be-all and end-all. We are still pitching and winning (and losing) good ole’ fashioned accounts. Not denying or ignoring the impact of Twitter, Facebook, etc., and we are making social media a priority in our agency but clients are still advertising on TV and in print and doing PR campaigns, etc. Thanks for asking and being open to input. Best wishes…

Click here if you would like to review the report.

Leave a Comment » | New Business Survey, New Business Trends, Social Media | Tagged: Blog, Blogs I Recommend, Michael Gass, reader survey, Social Media | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

Ad Agency Creates YouTube Video to Generate Appeal for their Niche

June 4, 2009

Ad Agencies, Select Your Audience, Find Your Niche, Promote Your Agency

An ad agency used YouTube to create a strong appeal around their niche, which is marketing to women. Their audience is male advertisers who should be marketing to women.

It’s been just over a year since the principals at Holland + Holland Advertising put their stake in the ground declaring who their target audience was and what was their point of differentiation. This small agency located in Birmingham, Alabama, had been accustom to competing for local work but narrowing their focus has brought about regional and even some national attention.

Their president, Stephanie Holland, also serves as the agency’s creative director. The epiphany came when she realized that …

97% of all creative directors are men and 85% of all brand purchases are made by women.

To test and grow this point of differentiation was done through the creation of an agency blog, that would live apart from their agency’s website. This would give it room to breath, grow and put a face to the agency through Stephanie. She-conomy, A Guy’s Guide to Marketing to Women was developed.

Their niche has provided the agency with discipline, focus and a clearer direction than ever before. It is a very strong point of differentiation.

4 Comments | New Business Tips, New Business Tools, Social Media | Tagged: Ad Agencies, differentiation, Holland and Holland, marketing to women, niche, she-conomy, Stephanie Holland | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

Survey: Key Insights into Agency New Business Trends

June 3, 2009

Many ad agencies are desperate for new business but desperation can often turn an agency into its own “worst client.” New business activity will not necessarily equate to new business. Agencies must have a discipline and focus to generate new business in this economy. It’s not that hard. Just practice what you preach!

The Mirren New Business Conference back in April of this year, 158 advertising agencies participated in a survey about the current economic downturn along with their new business development practices.

Here are some of the key insights into agency new business trends that came from this survey:

Organic growth, additional business from existing clients, was the best source of new business in 2008
Strategy now plays a greater role than creative for prospective clients
The number one reason for losing a pitch or RFP is lack of category experience
Presentations are boring and are not appealing enough
Agencies are placing a priority on proactive prospecting
Despite the size of agencies, most struggle with the same core new business issues: pitching effectiveness, prospective effectiveness and lack of discipline

The top 5 roadblocks to new business effectiveness:

Lack of resources
Lack of focus and discipline
Lacking the best approach to prospecting
Pitching, not being selective enough
Positioning, not truly differentiate

The top 5 reasons agencies say they lose pitches:

Lack of relevant experience
Perceived to be to small
Creative/Programs not as strong as competitors
Presentations not engaging or dynamic
Presentation’s logic rationale not tight enough

Top 8 things agencies need to improve upon:

More proactive prospecting
Be more differentiated
Be more selective about pitches
Develop better strategy and insights
Strengthen overall strategy and creative
Be more focused and disciplined
Hire more dedicated new business staff
Create/refine our new business plan

Read Andrew McMains ADWEEK article, Survey: Shops Plan More Pitches in ’09

To download a copy of The Mirren New Business Conference: 2009 Trending Report

Survey: Ad Agency Survey Finds Traditional New Business Methods Aren’t Working

Additional article of interest: Should Ad Agency Pitches and RFPs Be a Thing of the Past?

1 Comment | New Business Trends | Tagged: adweek, Andrew McMains, Blogs I Recommend, Michael Gass, Mirren New Business Conference, New Business Survey | Permalink
Posted by Michael Gass

A Social Media System For Ad Agencies To Get Up-to-Speed Quickly

June 2, 2009

A large percentage of ad agency principals want to know where to begin with social media marketing. There are so many options they feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin. Where is the best place to start?

Michael’s 60 day social media system helps ad agencies get up to speed with social media quickly

I’ve developed my own system that I’m glad to share. It provides an accelerated way for agencies to get their head around social media, build a credible presence in a short period of time (60 to 90 days) that also will provide professional enrichment and at the same time provide tools for branding, new business and networking.

I usually start with a one day workshop to provide an overview of social media marketing for ad agency new business and come up with answers to key questions that will accelerate our productivity.

I’ve found that to the best prospective client “gate-way” to agencies has changed from their website to an agency blog. It is the central platform for your presence in social media and it is where you want to generate a steady flow of traffic.

To get an agency blog up and running quickly there are some questions that must be answered such as these:

Who is our best target audience?
What is our point of differentiation from our competitors?
What are our core agency strengths?
What kind of helpful resources does the blog provide so that we can write a simple descriptor statement for our blog?
What are the key search words we can dominate for our target audience to find our site?
Who will be the face(s) for the agency?
What are the top 10 to 12 categories we will write to?
What is the title and domain for our blog?
What blog platform are we going to use?

Having answered these questions, the next step for a period for the next 30 days is to put those writing for the blog on an accelerated program of reading and writing. 50 blog posts of value within the first 30 days. It is a lot of writing and there are reasons for this intense schedule:

Learning to write for web which is far different than writing for print.
Finding your writing voice.
Developing reading and writing habits for the future.
Assimilation of what you are reading. You don’t know what you know until you write it down.
Having enough resource material for credibility and too repurpose.

I help acquaint participants to Google Reader and assist in organizing their reading for this initial period. Having all of their resources to coming to them instead of having to search for them. Identifying the tools that will use to further enhance Google Reader.

I then set up milestones through a simple online management system, Basecamp, to keep the process moving forward and stay on track.

The next 30 day period is used to repurpose the content of the blog and begin to generate traffic through SEO, Twitter, Newsletter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Technorati, StumbleUpon, Digg, YouTube, Flickr, etc. This is done while continuing a writing schedule of between 3 to five blog post per week.

Blog analytics are reviewed which provide great feedback for the resource material that best resonates with the target audience. Adjustments are made.

If you want to use this system on your own, I would suggest:

Start with a one day workshop for the agency principals and a few of the executive staff (you don’t want to many involved at this stage, it is like herding cats).
Create a simple plan for moving forward with an agency blog as the central platform to which you will generate targeted prospective client traffic.
Set milestone dates and designate specific responsibilities.
Create benchmarks for measuring ROI and for making adjustments based on feedback from your target audience.

I’m always glad to share my point-of-view (for what it is worth) and answer questions.

Below are some additional articles that may be of interest: