“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don’t know which half.” -John Wanamaker R-E-S-P-E-C-T—it does not come easy for people working in advertising. It never has. In an examination of one of the most intense pressures on agencies, Campaign examines the pitch process today. It’s not a pretty picture. […]
Ad people love to gaze into crystal balls. You might say it’s an occupational hazard. Dave Morgan, CEO of Simulmedia, believes that small and mid-sized regional independents are reasserting themselves. He claims, “Many are no longer just winning business with regional accounts, but are winning big engagements with big marketers, proving that “scale” as preached for […]
The post The Smaller and More Focused the Agency, the More Responsive and Reliable appeared first on Adpulp.
Do you have friends who have a tough time splitting the bar or dinner bill? There’s an App for that! Three Syllables: Venmo Me! According to the Los Angeles Times: Venmo, owned by PayPal, and Cash App, owned by Square, have surged in recent years, as cashless financial services moved into the mainstream. Some 40 […]
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Editor’s note: The following article was provided to Adpulp by Epica Press Club and was written by Paris-based journalist, Theda Braddock. One of the most demanding positions in advertising requires a blend of attention to detail, authority, business flair, people skills, flexibility and – yes – a love of creativity. Wining and dining, champagne, swanky […]
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“HatfieldYou made rain for L.A.We’ve got ten grandFor you to go cook us some rain” -Widespread Panic New Biz Tips from the Sausalito Sausage Factory The head of the 4As and the head of ANA walk into a bar… Sorry, there’s no punchline. But there is this advice for new business execs, a.k.a. agency rainmakers, from Greg […]
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Did you know that 70 percent of marketers expect primary research when receiving new agency pitches? In related news, 89 percent of agency pros that win new business pitches more than half the time use primary research when developing their pitch. The stats above available in a new report from Vennli, which wants to help […]
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Anyone who works in sales, advertising, or media knows that referrals are worth their weight in gold. In the continual slog for new business, a referral from a colleague is often the door opener to real opportunity. Mark Sneider, owner/president of agency business-development firm RSW/US, writing in Adweek reveals data that referrals in the agency […]
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“We have lost our way. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want.” -Charlie Chaplin Minneapolis agency, Colle McVoy, tapped one of film history’s most famous speeches (from Charlie Chaplin’s 1940 film The Great Dictator) to help win the hearts and minds of the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board. But will the commercial […]
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Hear Ye, Hear Ye. 21% of Americans ages 12 and up have listened to a podcast in the past month. That is up from 17% in 2015. With one in five Americans tuning in, advertising pros are taking notice and grabbing the mic. According to Digiday, “Ad agencies have caught podcast fever.” Digiday highlights and […]
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For most new entrepreneurs, the primary source of ideas you’ll enact will come from your competitive analysis. That’s a snazzy way of saying you’ll look at what more established companies in your space are doing, and you’ll copy them. There’s nothing wrong with this early on – that’s one of the primary ways we as […]
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I used to collect beer cans as a kid. So, I know an iconic local beer brand when I see one. Old Style, Iron City, Olympia, Pearl, and Yuengling—with beers like these, who needs PBR? Now that we’ve established that, some ad news… After a competitive review, Minneapolis agency Colle+McVoy has been selected to oversee […]
The post Colle+McVoy Wins Grain Belt For The Agency And Minnesota appeared first on AdPulp.
I suppose in a perfect world, a client in need of an advertising agency would point to an ad campaign they admire and say, “Let’s hire them.” We wouldn’t need the agency pitch process that is part ‘Dating Game,’ part dog and pony show, part theater, and part…well, part marketing services evaluation. Since we don’t […]
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The agency business in being pounded by a sea of rough and tumble changes today. Agencies are struggling to get lean and nimble, and MBA-toting bean counters are key to this reformulation. Unpopular though they may be, agency CFOs are nevertheless in high demand, says Jay Haines, CEO of global executive-search firm Grace Blue. One […]
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When you’re looking to improve your business, technology has a lot to offer. Among the ways you can use technology to improve your business is through webinars. Webinars are gaining in popularity for a variety of reasons. It is not a huge commitment to ask for and people are a lot more willing to watch a webinar rather than a seminar. Best of all, they can enjoy the webinar while sitting at home. Your business will reap the rewards and you will make more money as a result.
Use Webinars for Lead Generation
When you’re looking to make sales, you need to bring in attention from people who will purchase what you’re selling. The webinar is a great way to get the attention you need, 
according to Yahoo Small Business. The Blue Jeans Network and companies like it make it possible for you to speak with everyone thinking about doing business with you and giving them everything they need to contact you directly. This is a lot more effective than a regular seminar, because in general, people will not show up to a seminar unless they already know and trust the people involved. You can use social media and other tools to promote your webinar, and you’ll bring in a lot of attention from interested parties.
Announce Product Launches through Webinars
While you’re using a webinar, this is a perfect time to talk about the new products. You not only get to show the world the product, but you can show off everything about it. According to She Owns It, this is a great way to build brand awareness and interest in your products. People can get more of a feeling for what your products are and what they do for them, which leads to higher overall sales for your company. Remember to utilize the platform correctly by not just showing the product by holding it, but by displaying the product on the screens of the people who are watching the webinar.
Demonstrate your Authority
Webinars are a perfect platform to demonstrate your authority in your industry. Remember, everyone wants to purchase products and services from companies they can trust. But many webinars demonstrate a company’s knowledge about the industry and how its products affect the lives of the people who use them. Using a webinar through something like the Blue Jeans Networkallows you to talk about the importance of everything surrounding your industry. This shows everyone thinking about buying from you that your business is serious about the products that you produce as well as the ways in which they help the lives of the people who buy them. This builds trust which will lead to better overall sales, according to Mind Flash.
Connect with Your Clients and Potential Clients
The beautiful part about using a webinar for your company is the fact that it is a much more intimate way to get involved with your clients. They see you on the screen of their computer and feel closer to you than they would if they were to see you on a stage. According to Business News Daily, you should embrace the fact people are welcoming you into their lives and in many cases, into their homes. Make sure to speak directly to the individual rather than speaking to a crowd of people. If you can make everyone feel as if you’re connecting directly with them, they’ll be more likely to do future business with you.
Reach Even More People
According to Entrepreneur, you should hone your story-telling skills to get the most out of your webinar. If you’re able to tell a story rather than hawk a product, people are more prone to listen to what you have to say and be willing to take action once the webinar is over. Your story should be one that inspires people to trust your products and your brand, so you can get them to take action in buying what you’re selling. Try not to look at the number of the webinar as you’re conducting it. Instead, take a look after you’re done and see how your numbers may have improved from one webinar to another. As you give more webinars, you’ll nail down what gets people excited and what drives sales. This way, your business will receive even more benefits from giving a webinar.
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I didn’t make any industry predictions for 2014. But one thing is certain to happen: More and more advertising and marketing firms will continue to grab any business they can. Whether they’re competent in a certain type of work or not.
If you’re hiring any kind of marketing firm, it’s always good to look at the DNA of who you’re considering. Start with their website. For example, if you can’t find anyone with a creative background in the leadership section, then don’t expect creativity to be a priority. Don’t expect much PR assistance if there isn’t anyone in upper management trained in it. And if you’re looking for a job, watch out: You also won’t find recruiters or project managers with much knowledge of job roles that the firm doesn’t traditionally hire.
It’s the subject of my latest column on Talent Zoo.
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Social media, more specifically content marketing, is now employed by virtually every agency in their own business development marketing programs. Agency blogs, Twitter feeds, LinkedIn profiles, Flickr portfolios and now Pinterest sites are part of the agency inbound marketing arsenal. These social media platforms help agencies get discovered through inbound marketing via published thought-leadership, content curation and SEO.
There is however, a downside. The use of social media on agency websites, in particular on their home pages, has become de rigueur and not particularly distinctive. In fact, it can be downright boring and counter productive.
To better understand how agencies use social media, I used my Pinterest advertising agency directory to review the home pages of 45 Seattle advertising and digital agencies. Agencies are marketing experts so I though that it would be interesting to see how many feel the need to put social media like Twitter and blog posts up front and center.
My findings indicate that out of 45 Seattle agency website home pages:
Is using valuable home page space for social media feeds a good idea? I am of two minds on this and I think that my findings are useful for more than just advertising agencies.
Including social feeds allows agencies to post real-time thinking and content on their home page. This sounds reasonable. But this benefit is compromised when you actually read many agency Twitter feeds or blog posts. The nicest word I can use for the great majority of shared Twitter messaging is “boring” (see some examples below.) As is often the case, success relies on execution. It isn’t whether or not you imbed feeds or posts, it’s what they actually communicate about the agency that adds value or just distracts. Read some of the feeds. It is very difficult to see any business development strategy behind the copy.
Bottom line…
OK, go ahead and demonstrate your social expertise. But, post compelling content that drives a single-minded agency message or bag it. Also, consider the relative value of cluttering up your home page and distilling your messaging – clutter isn’t good if you are trying to deliver a concise brand message.
Don’t do it. 23 agencies out of 45 include social media feeds. This is a recipe for a sea of sameness that doesn’t help propel any these agencies into the land of distinction. Do you really think that a prospective client wants to read Tweets like these (I’ve made them anonymous to protect the innocent)…
Democracy has been sold to the highest bidder. Learn more here: URL
“agency name” Standardizes on AdobeMarketing Cloud: URL
#linkedin an easy, great place to collect customer testimonials URL #social
Hey have a safe and happy 4th you guys!!!
When to listen to advice and when not to. URL via @inc
My Conclusion.
Social media is an incredibly powerful digital tool. It helps all of us be DIY publishers, subject matter experts and it delivers target-rich traffic to historically low traffic advertising agency websites. However, we need to keep in mind that content for the sake of content is not a sound marketing strategy. Quality is much more important than quantity and thinking hard about how to build and sustain brand distinction in a sea of social media is critical.
Peter Levitan is a leading business development consultant for advertising and digital agencies. He blogs at http://www.peterlevitan.com
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I have been staring at hundreds of advertising and digital agency websites on my Pinterest directory trying to decode each agency’s objectives and strategies. Frankly, the lack of ad agency website differentiation, especially if you view these websites from a new business perspective, is confounding.
Every once an awhile I come across an agency that is doing something different. In this case, the something different is a social media tool from Copacino+Fujikado, a leading Seattle agency born in 1998. The agency is known for its iconic Seattle Mariners work and a range of other famous brands including SAFECO and REI.
C+F, which has a very clean site by the way, has a “+ curated” button on its navigation bar. The + curated tool lives on each page and allows a visitor to save pages from the site and add them to a curated list that the visitor can email to himself or someone else.
The + curated device works for at least four important reasons.
+ curated helps the visitor to save and share content (especially the agency’s work.) An action that is generally difficult in website viewing.
It works as a user-activated new business tool.
It provides the agency with data on who is visiting and sharing. Again, a new way to solve the problem of the anonymous visitor.
It is different and cool and provides the agency with a new shiny thing that they can show to clients to prove that they actually walk the social media talk. Most agencies try to deliver social chops by showing their Twitter feed.
C+F has managed to move past the now ubiquitous home page Twitter feed to demonstrate agency-owned digital prowess.
Peter Levitan is an advertising agency consultant dedicated to helping advertising agencies add new business in our age of disruption. He can be found everyday right here: www.peterlevitan.com
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It’s almost trite to say that there is only one chance to make a good first impression, but it’s true. The day your team pitches that new account is usually the most important day in the relationship. Firms that deliver well-rehearsed pitches, display expert-level knowledge of the prospective client, and present fresh ideas with an aha moment stand the best chance of closing the deal.
Make Every Pitch Count
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
