5 Ways To Stand Out From The Crowd

Agency New Business is tough business.

5-Ways-To-Stand-Out-From-The-Crowd

Many agencies make it harder than it should be by doing it the wrong way when reaching out to a marketing prospect.  As an example, you can have the greatest sales person in the world, but if they don’t understand your agency, or they pound and pound and pound, and don’t make their connection relevant, it’s a losing battle.

We do it differently here and so it’s always a terrific rush to get a note from a client describing how an RSW/US New Business Director has helped them succeed.

And when a client sends along a note they’ve received from a Marketing prospect telling them how their New Business Director made such a strong impression, that’s even more satisfying.

We recently had such a note from one of our clients. Here it is:

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Mark, I know that I mentioned that Catherine is doing a great job, but I want to elaborate.  She is persistent and meticulous with follow ups and reports, but best of all, she “gets” us.  She speaks in our voice and creates a positive image in the prospects’ minds before we walk in the door.

Yesterday at the end of the meeting, the prospect told me that he gets calls all the time from agencies who claim to be “the best creative… yada yada yada.”  He said he ignores the calls because they all sound the same.  Then he said (and I quote because I have it on tape). “Your company sounded different.  Cathy was good — very, very, good.  She got my attention right away and made me WANT to see you. I never take these meetings, but I couldn’t wait for you to get here.  You really impressed me then, and even more now.”

Thank you

Susan

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This brief note points out five ways a New Business Director can stand out from the legions pursuing your prospects. It’s important to understand: just doing one of these things is not likely to be enough.

Make sure your New Business Director can:

  • transmit your firm’s capabilities and culture with passion and authenticity.
  • be meticulous with communications and reporting.
  • follow-up persistently – pleasantly and with relevance.
  • hone in on prospect pain points.
  • illuminate concisely a path for “pain relief”, exhibiting how your agency’s experience is relevant to the prospect’s pain points.

Success with a new prospect begins with that first call. Make sure to make that first impression exceptional.

Mark is a 30-year veteran of the consumer packaged goods, advertising, and marketing service industry. Mark started his career at DDB Needham in Chicago prior to earning his MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Business School at Northwestern where he majored in Marketing and Economics. Prior to starting RSW/US in 2005, Mark was General Manager for AcuPOLL, a global research consultancy. Sneider worked in Marketing for S.C. Johnson and KAO Brands. Sneider has been invited to speak at numerous Agency events and network conferences domestically and internationally including the 4A’s, Magnet, NAMA, TAAN, and MCAN. Sneider has been featured in prominent industry publications including Adweek, Media Post, e-Marketer, and Forbes. When not working (which often seems like not often), Mark likes to run miles, go to church, and just chill with a hard copy issue of Fast Company.