Agency New Business: Put On That Damn Sales Hat (Chapter 9-Expected Is Easy)
This is Part 9 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 9: Expected Is Easy
The principle of going beyond the expected applies to all phases agency new business-not just when in front of your prospect.
It starts with communication to prospects prior to a meeting.
It continues when you’re in the meeting.
It needs to be part of your process in follow-up after a meeting.
It’s important to maintain value when you respond to RFIs and RFPs.
And it’s critical that you surprise your prospects when you’re in a pitch.
Key is pushing yourself.
I tell folks who work for me it’s easy to do what’s expected.
It’s only value-added and “going beyond the expected” when it hurts.
It’s counsel we give our RSW/US clients and it’s counsel I give to agencies involved in searches on the RSW/AgencySearch side of our business.
What “hurts” is not doing what everyone else is doing.
What “hurts” is not just copying and pasting from one RFI to the next.
What “hurts” is thinking about how to relate your work to your prospect’s work.
What “hurts” is offering ideas to help the prospect see the value you bring to the table.
What “hurts” is making the time to prepare and remain on top of it from the start.
More than likely everyone else is following the rules, either because they don’t know any better or because they have no time to do more than is expected…or because they’re simply lazy.
Leo Burnett went beyond the expected….
In his valediction speech to his employees he focused on the importance of maintaining the “beyond the expected” principle and said to them that as soon as the apples that sit on their reception desk are just apples for eating and not symbolic of the value that they represent…then it is time for the agency to take his name off the door.
So be like Leo…not like everyone else.
It’s all part of putting on that Damn Sales Hat!
From the start of the process…all the way to the bitter end.
Make it hurt!!
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.
