• Accept that your agency has strengths and weaknesses, and use every tool to achieve your goals.

    The Mistake of Misunderstanding Chemistry

    Blair Enns, founder of Win Without Pitching, wrote a great article on 10 new business development myths. In it he references my father, Stuart Sanders (founder of Sanders Consulting Group), […]

     
  • If you don't solve the client first, you can’t win the pitch.

    Solve the Client, Not the Client’s Problems

    Every agency has been there — charging into a new business pitch, and for the next hour or so, presenting great work, their unique approach, and overall capabilities. Some agencies […]

     
  • Isn’t it time for your ad agency to get fairly compensated?

    Client Negotiation: A Lesson From Steve Jobs

    What is at the heart of any negotiation? Two people trying to find a way to do business together. But how well equipped are agencies to negotiate in order to […]

     
  • Power up your relationship building skills.

    Understanding People Pays Big Dividends

    A call came in from a small agency with a big challenge: how to better understand prospects to win some new business. The agency wanted to win the advertising account of […]

     
  • Four types of people; which one are you?

    New Business: It’s Not You, It’s Me

    Chemistry is that funny stuff in the space between people. It’s not about you or me, but what’s between us. That space is called Chemistry and it’s a driving force […]

     
  • "You're fired!"

    Companies Never Fire Ad Agencies

    People do. And people fire agencies every day for a wide variety of reasons. They justify their decisions in a variety of ways. In numerous industry studies, researchers have noted […]

     
  • Why Prospects Don’t Tell You the Truth

    Why Prospects Don’t Tell You the Truth

    What really happens when you ask a good prospect tough questions? A short time ago, I was training an agency on Spark (how to generate more leads and win more […]