All the signs are right this time
You don’t have to try so very hard
If you live in this world
You’re feelin’ the change of the guard
-Steely Dan, Change of the Guard
In a previous post, I talked about the importance of patience in Agency New Business.
Randy Gunter of The Gunter Agency left a comment that I thought was worth posting here as a sort of follow-up:
Here’s another thing to remember when you are looking at prospective companies that would be a good fit for you: people change. We recently landed a new client that we have been pursuing for years, but it was a change in their management that prompted our landing the account. Two lessons: (1) Timing can be everything. (2) Don’t write anyone off, put them on the “check back later” list.
Interestingly, we had similar timing this week at RSW/US.
One of our new business directors got a meeting for one of our longest standing clients and had been pursuing that prospect for 3 and ½ years. (I know what some of you are thinking- no, it typically doesn’t take nearly that long.)
The reason for the not-so-sudden change of heart: a new marketing director that decided it was time to make a move outside for their marketing needs.
So Randy’s got a good point, but of course it’s all in the doing.
I mentioned to him in a follow up comment, that “check back later” list is all-important, so long as that prospect fits the parameters you’ve set for the ideal prospect.
It’s one area where agencies fall short-they don’t actually check back.
Don’t be one of those agencies.