You CAN win more new business!

The books all state that the president of the agency has to do new business. The 4A’s state that you must have $10 million in billings before you can hire a new business professional. This can cause a rub if your agency falls below that level — or if you’re a president who can’t find any more time to do new business. What’s a leader supposed to do?

Tips To Win More New Business:

Tips To Win More New Business

Growing an agency is a puzzle to many.

1. Lead Right! Agency senior management often finds themselves working “in the agency” rather than “on the agency.” At most agencies, senior management is trapped into the role of being the number one skill player. That’s like a football coach trying to run with the ball. Get off the field and let your agency advance the play. Set expectations and train your staff.

2. Position Right! Agencies have been out positioned by the consultants and the brand specialists. Agencies are forced to deal with lower level functionaries on the client side in conference rooms while major decisions are made at the CEO level in the boardroom. Reposition your agency with a consulting side and an advertising side. Set your firm up for long-term growth. Run around client-side junior coordinators that don’t have the brains or the talent to give your creative staff solid direction.

3. Grow Right! New business must be focused on lead generation. New business is the lifeblood of the business and leads are the heartbeat. Your new business effort needs to be split into winning the opportunity and winning the account. Find and identify hundreds of clients who are unhappy and want to change their marketing communication company.

4. Prospect Right! Selecting your list of prospects is one of the most important decisions your firm makes. Work hard to discover the right prospects without spending all of your time searching and sorting. Locate the best prospects quickly and efficiently by “raking” the market – strong outreach that nudges a wide range of prospects on a regular basis. Ensure your team understands how to move from simple awareness with best prospects to a solid relationship, a critical transition in the new business cycle.

5. Close Right! The number one objective on any prospect first visit is to move them firmly towards selecting your agency. You need to close the account quickly, often within 48 hours, certainly within 7 days. This is a critical mindset your people need to adopt before representing your firm at an important first-meeting with a prospect. Never forget that the most important step in closing an account begins with the first visit you make on that account.

Want to get your agency growing? Order in a DayOne right away. It’ll bring clarity to your efforts, consensus to your management team, and peace of mind to you that you are getting serious about new business and taking positive first steps.

DayOne is a one-day new business assessment and planning session conducted by a senior consultant from Sanders Consulting Group at the agency. It’s one-third evaluation, one-third reporting, and one-third new business planning. It’s the most important new business day in an agency’s life.

More Ideas For Growth:

New business is a business process that must be managed if your agency is going to grow. Never forget why firms don’t grow and what the real barriers to growth are. We can show you the new business traps you must avoid and what steps you must take to be successful.

Great marketing firms, strong in many key elements of the marketing communication spectrum go out of business every day because they don’t understand new business. New business is vital to your firm’s long-term future.

To schedule a DayOne retreat at your agency, call Sanders Consulting Group at 412.897.9329 or email [email protected]. New business help is just a click away.
 
Great puzzle photo by AtypicallyStrange