Posts

As we were developing the Ups and Downs of Agency New Business infographic, a colleague here at RSW/US who is a New Business Director, shared a “down” that relates closely to “Level 4” of the infographic: Manage the Meeting. This experience happened about five years ago, but was so painful, the memory still haunts. The […]

Two weeks ago we presented Part I of a two-part series about why a good new business proposal may be rejected. The post was based on the Harvard Business Review article, 5 Reasons Good Deals Get Rejected. In Part I, we addressed the first three possible reasons why even a terrific new business proposal maybe declined: You […]

As if rejection isn’t bad enough, this is the first of a two-part series on the topic. This Harvard Business Review article, 5 Reasons Good Deals Get Rejected, refers to situations outside the realm of the agency new business proposal specifically, but the reasons DO apply. The article does a great job describing the “why” […]

  First, the technicality: it was a bridge keeper that Sir Lancelot faced in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Yet, this is a scene that has come to mind more than once over my career as I’ve worked on getting past gatekeepers. Granted I never met any who required me to provide the correct answer […]

  Seasonal habits die hard.  It just feels like agency new business planning should be in the air! Years ago, as a Consumer Marketing Manager for top household cleaning products, spring brought flowers, birds returning from winter homes, and the hatching of the business planning process for the upcoming calendar year. It’s highly likely that the […]

…it would be worth peeling back a layer.   A data point that stood out in the RSW/US 2016 New Year Outlook Survey was 34% of Marketers indicating plans to increase spending somewhat or significantly in traditional media.    It was noteworthy for two reasons: This is the first time in recent years that Marketers indicated […]

Harvard Business Review recently published this article: Don’t End a Meeting Without Doing These Three Things. These “three things” at the bullet-point level are: Confirm key decisions and next steps Develop communication points Gather session feedback Considering this article through the lens of agency new business, each recommendation is relevant.  Still the context needs to […]

In his timeless book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey identifies the first habit as “Be Proactive”.   Always true in agency new business, it’s particularly important to remember when times are comparatively good: to be ultra-proactive – to make hay while the sun shines. In this recently posted video, RSW/US Owner and President, […]

Tim Williams for survey

  Is your firm practicing the Confirmation Bias? That’s the question Tim Williams, Founder and Managing Director of Ignition Consulting Group, asked himself when considering agency responses to survey questions he provided for the recent RSW/US Thought Leader Survey. Over two-thirds of agencies believe their positioning is unique relative to other firms.   However, when […]

Per Adweek, Publicis Groupe CEO and chairman Maurice Lévy spoke at the 4A’s Transformation conference and said, amongst other things: “I am convinced that existing ways of agencies and particularly holding companies have to come to an end,” Lévy said. “We must invent new strategies and new ways of doing business.” And Adweek further explained: in […]