Fueling Ad Agency New Business
It is essential to know your agency inside and out if you want to be successful at new business. Any good salesperson has to be knowledgeable about the product or service being sold. The more you know about your agency the more confidence you will have. This is a first step for those in business […]
You should evaluate your agency’s blog to optimize its potential as a tool for lead generation, referrals and networking. There is a dramatic paradigm shift for acquiring new business opportunities for small to midsize ad agencies. Agencies need to rethink their approach to new business and intensify their focus for creating magnetic content that will […]
The K.I.S.S. principle, “keep it simple stupid” is a great maxim to remember when developing a new business program for small to mid-size ad agencies, digital shops and PR firms. This principle has been a key to success in my years working with new business within an agency environment. When it comes to new business, […]
What are you doing to prepare your agency for the digital revolution? Digital training is critical for the traditional small-to midsize advertising agencies. The strategic partnerships with digital shops have all gone by the wayside, mainly because digital agencies don’t need them any longer. To quote Aaron Reitkopf, North American CEO of digital agency Profero, […]
It is hard to stay focused and productive with so many workplace distractions such as laptops, smartphones, tablets and social media. The new business director has to be like the rudder of a ship when it comes to new business and keep it consistently focused on new business. I have been working in ad agency […]
ADHD is a problem with inattentiveness, over-activity, impulsivity, or a combination – It also is descriptive of most advertising agencies when it comes to new business. For a large number of ad agencies, the atmosphere is chaotic. It is an environment that is in a perpetual state of distraction. Working in this kind of climate is […]
Steve Jobs is a master presenter and he provides some important lessons that are helpful to any ad agency pitch opportunity. Carmine Gallo’s book, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs is a must read. There’s much to learn from Jobs presentation tactics and style since delivering. Applying his simple formula can greatly improve any agency’s pitch and […]
Without a differentiated position, agency new business is much harder than it needs to be. But, it doesn’t have to be so hard. There is an easier way to solve the pain in positioning by implementing a comprehensive inbound marketing program and will quickly gain a positioning of expertise and have qualified prospects reaching out to you.… Continue reading
Stop selling your services, that’s not what prospects are buying.
There are two things that prospects want to buy:
The importance of social media on business has dramatically escalated. We have moved through the “hype phase” of social media when businesses felt compelled to participate because it was a fad. We have entered a productive phase where companies are starting to crack social’s code to turn it into a genuine marketing advantage.
… Continue reading“Just as having a company website has become standard operating procedure over the past two decades, utilizing social media channels has now become an increasingly essential platform for companies to communicate their messages to the general public and other audiences.”
Advertising, digital, media and PR firms are struggling to understand and convert their social media and content marketing efforts into actual new business success. I have probably edited no less than 6,000+ agency articles over the past ten years. It’s always a common problem to move them away from self-promotional type content. The content usually highlights awards, new hires and client news.… Continue reading
I recently read the most extraordinary story in the Atlanta Journal Constitution about an agency owner that I had to share. Not only because it is such a powerful story, but I know and have worked with the person that was being spotlighted, Tom Matte from Atlanta.
… Continue reading“Tom Matte’s story came to me from former AJC reporter Jim Auchmutey. The author of “Class of ‘65” was teaching a writing class in which Tom was a student, and Jim thought Tom’s story about his fall from grace and ultimate redemption had strong Personal Journeys appeal.
Positioning is the foundation of any agency’s new business program. It is also the area that many agencies have not addressed because of either procrastination or, more likely, their unwillingness to make the difficult business decisions.
… Continue reading“Contrary to common belief, all agencies have pretty much the same basic capabilities, and processes. They all claim to have proprietary tools, and they may have different labels for what they do, but the approach is essentially the same at big or small agencies.”
… Continue reading“When it comes to new business, it’s important that agencies never become complacent, even when times are good. In order to nurture and grow a vibrant agency, there must be a steady stream of new business opportunities in the pipeline. Clients can be unpredictable and losing a piece a business without replacing it quickly can be detrimental to an agency’s future.”
Small to midsize agencies continue to promote themselves as full service, even though it’s rare for an agency to have a full service client. They use “full service” to broaden their appeal to most prospects. But these old adages are true, “a jack of all trades is master of none” and “when you try to appeal to everyone, you appeal to none.” … Continue reading
Let’s take it one step further … Can you describe your agency in six words “without” using these 10 Things Ad Agencies “usually” Say About Themselves?
Ten things agencies are most likely to say about themselves:
If you are up for the challenge, share your description in six words or less in the comment section below.… Continue reading
According to the RSW/US survey report,
66% of agency execs stated their new business hire was unsuccessful because the person lacked a methodology.
How many annual planning meetings has your agency gone through to create a strategic new business plan only to have it fail in its implementation? Maybe this year, instead of focusing so much attention on the plan, use annual planning to create a dynamic process for execution.… Continue reading
Michael Gass, Business Development Consultant | Speaker | Author of Fuel Lines
Fuel Lines provides new business resources for Advertising, Digital, Media and PR Agencies.
It has been rated among the top 100 marketing blogs in the world, according to Ad Age’s Power 150.
Since 2007, Michael has helped pioneer the use of social media, inbound and content marketing strategies specifically for agency new business.
Read more about Michael
An essential component to your agency's new business program is a prospective client data base.
In my opinion one of the most accurate online database of marketing and advertising decision makers is Winmo. I highly recommend them.
I'm Michael Gass, I'm an author, speaker and a new business consultant to advertising, digital, media and PR agencies.
Since 2007, I have helped pioneer the use of social media, inbound and content marketing strategies specifically for agency new business.
Fuel Lines is my social media 'home-base. It has been ranked among the top 100 marketing blogs in the world, according to Advertising Age’s, The Power 150.
Learn more about me