Striking the Right Emotions in Agency New Business?

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emotions

In a conversation with one of my New Business Director colleagues the other day about particularly successful clients, she reflected on the importance of “Thank You”.

She specifically recalled the AdAge article reporting on the new business panel discussion at their Small Agency Conference, when one panelist remarked: “I’ve seen when an agency won the account because of a thank you note.”

I could leave this post at that: the importance of common courtesy in agency new business and the difference it makes.

Still, a considerate thank you is part of something larger that gets a lot of media ink:  Customer Emotions.

Multiple recent articles discuss Customer Emotions and the science of leveraging them within marketing strategy for stronger customer bonding to a brand.  Just a few of these publications are:

 

All present research and recommendations with a tilt toward the consumer world.

However, recalling our 2015 Industry Outlook Survey, customer – that is – client emotion was highly apparent with regard to agency relationships.  The research, knowledge and recommendations of the HBR, iMedia and Entrepreneur pieces – and many more like them apply fully to the B2B world, and are fundamental to agency new business.

NYO Slide for 101615 post

In the AdvertisingAge article, Be Proud of Small, and Other Tips on Navigating the Pitch Process, panelist comments point to the emotional needs of prospective clients; the evidence of desires for respect, security, authenticity and appreciation reveals just a few.

The references linked here provide plenty of material as a start for strategic consideration to ensure your firm is striking the right emotions in agency new business overall.

But just looking at today, how far could a couple extra “thank you”s go – for current clients and prospects – from each of your staff members?

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.

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