Agency New Business: Put On That Damn Sales Hat (Chapter 16: Impress, But Don’t Overwhelm!)
This is Part 16 of a 17 chapter eBook, “Agency New Business: Put On That Damn Sales Hat,” which you can download at no cost here.
The eBook covers everything from pre-prospecting preparation to working opportunities to close.
The majority of the eBook focuses on elements that agencies either often overlook, are too busy to consider, or are simply too lazy to pursue.
The agency landscape is changing rapidly and daily, not only for agencies, but for clients: doing things the same way won’t cut it.
We released “Put On That Damn Sales Hat” as an overall agency new business primer for marketing services firms, so they can put on their sales hat with purpose and confidence.
Chapter 16: Impress, But Don’t Overwhelm!
OK-so the presentation is over, the intro phone call is over or the first meeting is over.
Now the waiting begins…and it sucks!
If it’s a meeting or a call, the prospect gives you the age-old “let’s stay in touch.”
They really did seem to like you.
You seemed to impress them, and you felt good about your chances of doing business with them, but you’d rather being walking out the door with the equivalent of a P.O. right now!
So what do you do?
Do you sit around and wait for the phone to ring?
If you do, they will forget you!
Or do you keep it moving and continue to try and impress?
Wrote a post a while back titled “The Second Hardest Part about Agency New Business” and that’s where this kicks into gear.
So let’s get back to that prospect that told you to stay in touch…
You ask when you should re-connect and he suggests that you check back 3-4 months from now.
I say, don’t wait 3-4 months.
Every 3-4 weeks send him/her an interesting article, new work, or a post that you’ve crafted that is central to this prospect’s space.
Stay on their radar and continue to impress them.
Consider throwing some ideas out to them to show them you’re continually thinking about them.
You want to impress them, but not overwhelm them.
Don’t just call to call or don’t just email to just check in.
Keep the value up, keep yourself on his radar.
Always remember that the bottom line is the engagement doesn’t stop when the meeting or call or pitch ends.
This is just the beginning!
Mark Sneider
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.
