Agency of the Future

It Might Be Time To Start Your Own Ad Agency

Peter · September 22, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Yes Folks, You Can Start Your Ad Agency – And Succeed

Great article in the U.K.’s The Drum from London Advertising’s CEO Michael Moszyinski on what might just happen if you bailed from your ad agency and decided to go out on your own. Sure, it’s scary. Sure, you might not succeed. Sure you are putting your career on the line. Sure you’ll miss the other hundred’s of people you drink with at Ogilvy or Droga5 or 72andsunny.

But, you know you want to do it. You know that you can do a better job than the management of your current agency. You know that you have super special smart ideas that you’d like to share with high-profit clients. You know that your time may be running out. You know that you might even be able to steal one of your clients.

“Confessions of an indie agency start up: Seven years in”

Take a good read of Michael’s agency launch story on The Drum. It will be enlightening, repeat enlightening, and should get your entrepreneurial juices flowing. Here is a brief energizer from London’s history for you to get you packing up… [Read more…] about It Might Be Time To Start Your Own Ad Agency

I Am Worried About The Future Of Advertising

Peter · September 11, 2015 · Leave a Comment

I put some thoughts on the future of advertising on LinkedIn (a publishing platform that you should consider using for your agency).

I am concerned that the growth of ad blocking software; the shift to mobile where ads simply don’t work (yet) and the reduction of TV viewership by the under 30 crowd does not bode well for TV – which is still the leading advertising medium.

Head over to LinkedIn to see my thoughts. Agencies that crack this new code will win.

By the way, here are my 8 posts on the power of LinkedIn as a B2B marketing tool.

Google History & Your Advertising Agency

Peter · September 2, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Think About The History Of Google & Your Advertising Agency

Google launched in 1997. From Wikipedia:

Google.com registered as a domain on September 15. The name—a play on the word “googol,” a mathematical term for the number represented by the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros—reflects Larry and Sergey’s mission to organize a seemingly infinite amount of information on the web.

Google has become such a big part of our online and offline life that I’ve forgotten all that they have accomplished over the past 18 years. A reason to dig the Google history video. When Google launched, I was in my second year as an Internet publisher. I had fled advertising because I did not think that it had the juice of what I saw happening in the digital world. Today, the advertising industry is deep into this world. Is your agency juicing it up? Or, are you just riding along?

Watch the Google History video below. Then think about your business.

What is your mission?

What are your business goals?

What type of advertising, digital, branding, PR, whateva agency do you want to be?

What types of clients do you want? Do you deserve them? Yet?

Are you set up to make real money?

Are you delivering something different?

Are you planning to be different?

Do you have the right people onboard?

Should anyone notice you?

Are you using the social tools available to make you famous?

Do you have a cogent business development plan?

Are you famous or invisible?

If you made a video about your advertising agency… what would it say?

OK… Go… Evolve

4 million plus people saw this in the past 24 hours.

Some Sweet Free Consumer Research Tools

Peter · August 24, 2015 · Leave a Comment

I Love Free Consumer Research Tools

I wrote about the new world of free (or virtually free) consumer research on LinkedIn. I discussed how I used Google Consumer Surveys to answer the question, “Have you ever considered retiring in Mexico?” The survey took about 10 minutes to set up and less than 24 hours for me to get 500 responses from my target group of 45 to 65-year olds. Surprisingly, 13% of this target group said yes.

OK, OK, it did cost me $50. But, really 50 bucks for a real survey is virtually free. (Yes, I know that serious researchers will have lots of questions about how Google runs these but, go with the flow.)

Another Google tool I use often (it is especially valuable to prove points in new business pitches) is Google Trends. Google Trends displays search history across the Google world view. Need to convince your client that she should hire Khloe Kardashian for its next social media program? Let Google Trends show you our wonderful world’s interest in this highly talented young woman.

There’s MoreFree Research Just For You

I am sure you know about Survey Monkey. Here are a couple of newbies.

Typeform is an online survey and form builder. From Typeform:

Online forms are an integral, if often unflattering, part of any modern business. By matching your style, both verbally and visually, typeforms transform the way you collect data, so you can put your stamp on what you ask.

What if there was a medium that can be both your promo flyer and your application form? A single tool that builds all sorts of competitions, with the perfect looks for social media. That’s what a typeform is.

Time and resources for developing landing pages, microsites and product presentations are scarce. Your project deserves to make a great first impression, and be ready to interact with visitors from the off.

Free Survey Creator. Surveys… fast.

Tally creates instant polls. Here is an example.

Need Some Help?

I’ve written about the power of research in new business pitches and how-to maximize effectiveness in my book, The Levitan Pitch. Buy This Book. Win More Pitches. By the way… Buy the book and win more new business.

Who Would Invest In Your Advertising Agency?

Peter · August 18, 2015 · 1 Comment

Who Would Invest In Your Advertising Agency?

Sorry. Probably No One.

You are not alone. The vast majority of agencies are not worthy of investment. Would you invest in your competitors? Probably not.

OK, that’s them. What about you? Let’s solve this because a low-value agency to a prospective investor or buyer is a low-value agency to a prospective client. You are not alone if you are a me-too low-value agency. Unfortunately, it comes with the territory of the 2015 ad agency business model. The way out is to be different. Think you can’t do that?

G5 Did.

Way back in 2013, I wrote about Bend, Oregon’s specialist ‘advertising agency’ G5. I wanted to show you, Ms. Agency CEO, that there are advertising agency business models that actually…:

Attract high-margin clients. These are clients that do not need to be mega pitched and really want to love your expertise.

Are more efficient than your project-based approach

Are trully category specific. This is G5’s laser-sharp pitch: “G5 simplifies digital marketing by delivering best-in-class sites, search, and social for Apartments, Self Storage, and Senior Living properties.”

Are unique in a world of me-too agencies.

Leverage the power of digital marketing tech to help client’s grow the agency’s bottom line.

And… increase agency valuations. You do want to sell someday, right?

Way back in 2013 you had to take my word for it. Not anymore. I was right. This kind of agency attracts clients and investment.

G5 Raises $76 Million Investment Led by Peak Equity Partners