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Help! My pipeline is empty
If you are saying that at this time of year, it will be a tough year indeed. The truth is, almost every agency gets to that point every so often. It may be that your…
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Win before the pitch
Pitching new business is the oxygen that keeps agencies alive. Ask any agency leader, and you’ll probably hear how much they hate it. It’s disruptive, costly, mismanaged, unfair, and many other NSFW comments will ensue.…
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What are the forces that will influence prospects in 2023
2022 was supposed to be the great recovery, yet it is ending much softer than predicted, with a pessimistic outlook for 2023. Experts predict further economic turbulence, with business leaders taking the necessary steps to…
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New business planning for 2023
While there is a lot of 2022 left, 2023 is closing in fast. What is the industry focused on in 2023? Social justice, DEI, ESG, climate change, or are these now old news in the…
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Let’s get personal
Personalization in marketing has been one of the hottest trends over the last 5-10 years. There is a good reason for that. According to Twilio, 62% of consumers say a brand will lose their loyalty…
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Has the marketer’s journey changed
It’s a topic of great interest across the marketing spectrum. How has consumer behavior changed post-pandemic? Many have attempted to answer this question, and those answers all lean in one direction. The change is digital.…
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What do prospects want
It’s not an easy question to answer. In fact, 95% – 98% don’t want anything, at least not right now. Better said, don’t want anything when you try to reach them. Marketo says that only…
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Do you know who your audience is
It seems like a funny question to ask an ad agency. After all, agencies are in the business of defining target audiences for their clients. Agencies rely on well-articulated criteria that guide almost everything they…
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The unintended consequences of success
If you’ve been on my site before, you know that I focus on the foundational building blocks of ad agency new business. I believe new business is much like a sport where perfecting the fundamentals…
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Is your agency a PRO at new business
No matter how you get there, agencies will eventually have to generate new clients through proactive means. Maybe you’ve been fortunate to have a network of friends who keep sending referrals. Perhaps a campaign you…
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3 post-pandemic prospecting insights
With Q1 well in hand, business development pros continue to see and feel the effects of covid on their ad agency prospecting process. I spoke with an agency BD leader the other day who lamented…
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Hug Your BD
It’s almost the end of the year, and we all have a lot to be thankful for this year. While it may seem insignificant in comparison, I think one person doesn’t get the thanks and…
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What’s in your BD strategy
What should agencies expect in the new year, and what can they do to prepare? A lot changed all around us. Extreme business pressures have shortened CMO tenure, applied even greater pressure on marketing performance…
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A marketer’s mindset
Whether you’re selling ad agency services or accounting software, knowing what your prospect is looking for and what’s behind their quest for a solution is the holy grail. Your prospect may say they are looking…
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100 leads in your inbox
I get these every day, as I’m sure you do too. Since I’ve been in this business, the number of people and organizations promising outrageous results has increased exponentially. What’s worse, the number of people…
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3 signs you are not ready to prospect
Agencies must prospect for new business if they want to stay in business and grow. Some say they don’t. Leads and opportunities come through their network, friends, past clients, and other sources. Others say they…
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Welcome to the Prospecting Matrix
Two of the most significant barriers to ad agency new business success are time and resources, and this past year has made those barriers even worse. No matter how an agency handles new business, it…
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Are you tired of being ignored
Marketers are looking for new agencies right now. Recent research suggests as many as half are planning to make changes. They may hire search consultants, visit agency search websites, or do it on their own.…
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The Anatomy of a Win
The Anatomy of a Win Ad agency business development is anything but predictable. On any given day, you have a list of prospects and go about the work of getting their attention, demonstrating value, and…
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Are you using intent data in your prospecting
According to an Adweek survey fielded Oct – Nov 2020 among 70 brand marketers, 41% said they plan to retain their agency/agencies, 31% said they plan to make changes to their roster, and 22% weren’t…