Why Agency New Business Is Like A NYC Cab Driver

Why is agency new business like a NYC cab driver?

Stop and Start.

Stop and Start.

It no longer bothers me, but I’ll never forget my first cab ride in NYC (and Chicago, you’re right there too, don’t want to leave you out)-lightning speed along the lines of the Millennium Falcon with the hyperdrive fixed, and then face-melting brake application, about every 30 feet or so.

It’s a talent, really and I found myself slamming on my back seat student-driver instructor imaginary brake many, many times.

And when it comes to agency new business-agencies, I decree you guilty.

And not just a few of you, the majority of you.

With all good intentions (and you know where that road leads) agencies start new business programs, new clients come on board (Yay!), you stop the new business process (we’ll get back to that!) and a few months later: “Damn, we need more clients, probably should have followed up with that prospect sooner.”

(Shameless plug coming-) I mentioned in my recent webinar, The Definitive Guide-The 4 Agency New Business Tools You Need To Succeed  a certain mantra when it comes to new business:

Start Small.

I know, you want to go BIG!

It’s in your agency DNA, right?

Well, too many agencies fall prey to new business paralysis-trying to do too much when there’s no way they can achieve it as quickly as they would like.

A good article from Inc. recently titled First 5 Steps to Achieving Great Things presents 5 fundamentals of success.

It can easily be applied to agency new business.

And I apologize for getting all Tony Robbins on you, but take a breath and take these to heart as you attempt to resuscitate your new business program, again.

 

1. Prioritize.

First things first. If you want to achieve something great, best decide what it’s going to be.

As my mother used to say, “If you aim at nuthin’, you’ll hit it.”.

2. Plan ruthlessly; execute relentlessly.

The highly successful leaders I work with distinguish themselves from the merely competent by one thing: They have a plan, they work the plan, but they aren’t trapped by the plan.

The answer? Once you start implementing, don’t stop until you’ve finished. Adapt on the fly, improvise as best as you can, but unless something truly horrendous will happen otherwise, keep going.

3. Get out of your inbox.

Leaders in thrall to their inbox, once only apparent when you visited someone at their office, now, you can see it everywhere: peck, peck, peck; on airplanes, at lunch, during rest

Here’s the thing: if you’re in thrall to your inbox, you’re working to other people’s agenda, not your own (a view I was intrigued to see shared by one surprising individual).room breaks. Any where, any time there is a minute to spare.

4. Get out of your office.

You truly want to achieve great things? Get the heck out of your office.

Not just because it removes you from all the interruptions and distractions that being in your own environment makes you subject to, but because it takes you out of the comfort zone of maintenance activities.

5. Review, revise, adapt, push on.

It’s day two. You’ve made a start on your great project. What to do today? Try this formula I arrived at in achieving one of my own big goals: Review what you did yesterday; revise anything that looks a little off; adapt your overall plan as necessary, and most importantly, push on.

‘Nuff said.