Start Those Ad Agency New Business Engines Now!

In our most recent survey on agency new business, agency executives appear a heck of a lot more optimistic about the current state of new business relative to last year.

48% of agency executives stated that obtaining new business was either a lot harder or harder than it was last year – a percentage more consistent with the numbers generated in 2008 (51% feeling it was harder/a lot harder than 2007) and 2007 (40% feeling it was harder/a lot harder than 2006).

Compare these numbers to the numbers posted in last year’s survey (65%) and while one could argue that we’re working off of a weak base, it is damn good to see things turning in the right direction. We’re seeing it among our clients (more of them closing business and more of us opening up the doors).

So bottom line is now is the time to crank it up – not only because we’re seeing the early stages of a slight awakening – but because this is the time of year when Marketers like to re-think and like to look.

And if you’re the type that thinks you can just passively wait for that next referral or networking opportunity, think again. The world has changed…and as we’ll talk in our next post, managing agency new business the old way isn’t going to cut it anymore.