An Idea Platform for Ad Agency New Business

Ideasicleˣ: The First Advertising SaaS Platform For Virtual Creativity. If timing is everything, then Ideasicleˣ is the poster child. Just when the world closes down due to Covid-19, a platform arrives that helps accelerate creativity through remote work. I was intrigued enough with the concept, particularly as a new business idea machine, to reach out […]

Attentionomics Needed for Ad Agency New Business

Presentations for Ad Agency New Business

 Every ad agency presentation needs to focus on capturing and keeping your audience’s ATTENTION. Keeping your audience’s attention is the rule that matters the most. If you want to reach your audience, you must have something significant to say and be passionate. Genuine passion will attract attention and attention will lead to action. A lot of […]

Most Ad Agencies Fail at Negotiating for New Business

ad agencies like lambs led to the slaughter

When it comes to negotiating contracts and service agreements, agencies are terribly naive, like lambs led to the slaughter.  My friend, Peter Levitan, 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 has written the most […]

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 […]

5 Ways to Get Ready for AMC’s The Pitch

AMC's The Pitch advertising agencies pitching for new business

AMC’s THE PITCH returns tonight with eight brand new episodes Cory Abbey, editor of AMC Blogs, suggests ways for getting up-to-speed with The Pitch: 1. Watch two videos that give you a sneak peek of The Pitch Season 2. 2. View photos from this Thursday’s premiere episode. 3. Read about the agencies who will be competing on The Pitch (as well as […]

SlideShare: Steve Jobs’ 10 Presentation Tactics

steve jobs presentation tactics

Developing the ability to be a great presenter is an important skill set for agency new business. The first speech I ever gave, I read through my outline in just a few minutes then stood speechless in front of about 100 people not knowing what to do next.  Greatly embarrassed, I vowed to never let that […]

Pixar: 10 Tips for Creating Appealing Stories for Ad Agency New Business

story shots for ad agency new business

A powerful story is your secret to connecting with prospective clients. Developing the ability to craft compelling stories is an important skill set for agency new business. Stories engage attention and inspire action. I have witnessed my fair share of agency presentations. Most provide thorough content based upon good research, but what is often lacking is […]

Lessons from AMCs ‘The Pitch’ on How to Motivate Your Ad Agency After A Loss

How to lose a pitch in front of millions of television views and the entire ad industry and still come out as the winner. A good number of agencies depend upon the pitch as the primary way they win new business and grow. Some national attention and industry buzz has been brought upon the pitch process […]

The 15 Advertising Agencies Featured in AMC’s ‘The Pitch’

pitching for ad agency new business

‘The Pitch’ showcases why a “pitching for new business strategy” is not in your best interest. The AMC hit television series, Mad Men, has received critical acclaim, winning fifteen Emmys and four Golden Globes. It was the first basic cable series to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series and won the award in each […]

The Pitch: Mad Men Pitching For Ad Agency New Business

Real ad agencies take the veil off the new-business-review process and it isn’t pretty. “The Pitch”, is a new reality show featuring two agencies, McKinney and WDCW, who are competing for a Subway assignment. The new business pitch is the way agencies win most of their business and grow.  The sneak peaks of The Pitch […]

Seven Cons About the New Social Media Platform Threads

It is necessary to understand the potential downside and limitations using Threads for new business. 

I recently wrote an article about the powerful benefits of Threads, taunted as the next-generation social media platform. While Threads brings a host of benefits to the table, it’s important to consider some potential drawbacks or challenges associated with the platform:

  1. Limited Reach and Exposure: As Threads focuses on specific topics and communities, it may limit the reach and exposure of users’ content.
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Threads: Unveiling the Powerful Benefits of the Next-Generation Social Media Platform

Exploring the myriad advantages of Threads, highlighting how it is reshaping the landscape of social media.

In an era where social media has become an integral part of our lives, new platforms are continually emerging, aiming to revolutionize the way we connect and communicate. Among these innovative platforms, Threads is rapidly emerging as a frontrunner, offering a unique and enriching experience for users.

Streamlined and Focused Communication:

Threads sets itself apart from traditional social media platforms by focusing on streamlined and efficient communication.… Continue reading

Ways That Artificial Intelligence Will Impact Ad Agency New Business

artificial intelligence for ad agency new business

Artificial intelligence can make business development easier and efficient.

AI offers a wide range of benefits across a variety of industries and applications. It has the potential to transform the way that businesses, leading to increased efficiency, accuracy, personalization, and innovation.

AI, is still a relatively new technology but it’s time that ad agencies carefully evaluate its potential benefits and drawbacks from a new business perspective.

Here are a few examples of the practical ways AI will enhance your agency’s business development:

  • Improved Lead generation: AI can analyze large amounts of data to identify potential new business leads more efficiently than traditional methods.
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Community Development Comes Before Business Development

Community Development Comes Before Business Development

 

Building an engaged online community should NOW be a core responsibility for business development.

The battle for new business is online which makes community development indispensable for marketing your agency. Knowing how to build an online community has become an important skill-set.

How to Build an Online Community of Prospects

1. Create a Niche

Since I started my consultancy in 2007, I’ve advocated creating a niche blog for agency new business. I’ve helped launch over 450 personal blogs for agency principals.… Continue reading

Most Ad Agencies Have No Plan for New Business

The Cobbler's Children for Ad Agency New Business

Having a written marketing plan makes new business easier and much more consistent.

I wanted to share, from my personal experience, one of the typical challenges of small to midsize advertising, digital, media and PR agencies. They are often described as the cobbler’s children who have no shoes.

The most common positive trait among these agencies is that they know how to take care of their clients. But what is their most common negative trait?

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The 8 Word Mission Statement for Ad Agency New Business

ad agency mission statement

Your agency’s mission statement can have new business value and measurable results.

A mission statement is a statement of the purpose of a company, organization or person, its reason for existing. The mission statement should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a path, and guide decision-making. Wikipedia

The mission statement captures the heart of an organization, what it stands for and why it exists.

Here are some examples of the mission statements of popular digital businesses: 

  • Google.
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To be an effective writer, spend more time planning and less time writing

content marketing for ad agency new business

Successful writers spend 75% of their time in the preparation and editing process and only 25% of their time writing the content.

There are big rewards from content marketing, but it’s also a big challenge. Writing is a process that takes time and effort. Even the best writers have difficulty putting their ideas into words.

Most of us aren’t born with the gift for writing. We have to work at it. 

According to a study conducted by McLuhan and Davies, a Toronto based consulting firm specializing in communications training, effective writers spend:
  • 40% of their time planning
  • 25% of their time writing
  • 35% of their time revising

Less effective writers usually spend:

  • 20% planning
  • 60% writing
  • 20% revising

Here is an easy to follow formula that will help fuel your writing:

1.

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Blair Enns: 12 Revolutionary Proclamations for Ad Agency New Business

blair enns win without pitching ad agency new business

How to win new business without pitching, reclaim control of client engagements and stop giving away your thinking for free. 

My friend, John Sharpe,  has spent nearly forty years in the ad agency business and the last twenty in business development exclusively. He is a personal friend and mentor with an impressive resume. So when John tells me that he has just read one of the most influential business development books in his lifetime, he had my attention.… Continue reading

3 Things An Ad Agency New Business Director Needs for Success

ad agency new business training

How ad agencies acquire new business has changed dramatically and that effects the knowledge and skills new business directors need to make it happen.

People who have done this job in the past are struggling. The tenure of a new business director is now two years or less. In a recent survey conducted by RSW/US, only 26% of new business directors were considered successful.

A 4A’s report sited that 90% of agency staff say they have to figure things out on their own due to the lack of training.… Continue reading

Ad Agency New Business 101: Conduct a SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis for Ad agency New Business

A SWOT analysis is a good starting point for someone who is charged with creating new business opportunities for a small to midsize advertising agency, PR firm or digital shop.  

Part of Steve Jobs’ 12 Rules of Success: Perform SWOT analysis. As soon as you join/start a company, make a list of strengths and weaknesses of yourself and your company on a piece of paper.

This strategic planning method, when used properly, can be  a valuable tool for making decisions, setting strategy, and evaluating courses of action.… Continue reading