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5 Things Ad Agency CEO’S Need To Do

Peter · May 13, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Just 5 Things (To Start)

A few years ago, long after Google’s AdWords started to eat ad dollars, I asked a few ad agency CEO’s if they had ever placed an online Google ad. The unanimous answer was… no.

Two nights ago, I asked a similar group if they had ever used a CMS tool like WordPress. The answer… (OK, getting better) was about 30%. (Um, that might be a bit optimistic).

30% is good but not great. I think that this lack of CEO curiosity and hands-on experience is a significant problem. How can CEO’s talk social media, digital media and advertising disruption if they haven’t used the disrupting technology themselves?

So, what should these CEO’s do? Pick a rainy weekend day and play with the Internet.

Go Forth And Tweet

Open a Twitter account, create a simple profile (look at mine for example @peterlevitan) and seriously post for a couple of weeks. Find out what is involved in creating this real-time marketing tool. It isn’t that difficult and you can even use a publishing system like Buffer or a RSS reader like Feedly.com to automatically Tweet about websites that you find. It couldn’t be easier. Use key words and hash tags to drive views (these are those #’s that can look like #advertising for example if you want to actually target Twitter users that follow advertising.) If after a couple of weeks you love it, sense that you might want to participate in your agency’s Twitter feed then work on your Twitter plan. If you just wanted to see what Twitter felt like, then close your account and now your can truthfully tell people that you really get Twitter.

Blog On

Ask your blog meister to show you how to create blog posts using your CMS system. CMS stands for content management system, but you already knew that. You’d be surprised how easy posting is. The hard part is doing it with consistency and having an actual agency blog strategy that results in a blog that drives agency business. This process should help you gain insight into the strategic opportunities that an agency blog offers. Ask yourself if your agency blog is targeting prospective clients, your industry, your staff or…. well, given how much time blogging takes, figure just who is the target audience after all?

Place A Google Ad

Ask virtually anyone in the agency to take you through the process of creating and targeting a Google AdWords text ad. Google AdWords was the major source of Google’s $42.5 billion in 2012 ad revenues. You really should understand all about this advertising channel. The only way to really get a handle on it is to place an ad. A suggestion. Pick a prospective client and target them. See what happens.

Try Facebook Or LinkedIn

Both Facebook and LinkedIn have very easy to use self-serve advertising tools. Within minutes you could create and place a targeted an ad for your agency that links back to your Facebook, LinkedIn or agency website. You’ll see what works by using their analytical tools. The dry cleaner down the block does this. You can too – believe me.

Go Geek

Speaking of analytics, I’ll assume that your agency website uses an analytical tool like Google Analytics. There is a lot of learning residing in your traffic data. Take a look who is visiting your website, where they are coming from, if they are using a computer or mobile device (this can be surprising), what keywords they used to find you, how much time they are spending on the website and so much more. Its strangely addictive and very revealing and you’ll be on your way to becoming an SEO genius.

There are more things that you, and I mean you, could be doing. But, just start here and you’ll sound brilliant at lunch with your colleagues or next agency network meeting.

By the way, I can help you figure out your social media strategy. Well, what I mean is help you create a plan that uses social media to actually drive agency new business. Talk to me.

OK, OK… Here Is Oner More

Guest blog on high traffic websites to get your agency and yourself out there much fur=ther than you could on your advertising agency blog.

I did and it got me: more new agency clients; speaking gigs; fame and cash. Here is a post on why guest blogging is for you (even if you use a ghost writer).

The Advertising Resource List…

Hey, go here to see lots of online resources you can use to grow your business and personal brand right here…

2 Reasons Ad Agencies Fail At New Business

Peter · May 7, 2013 · 1 Comment

You would think that most advertising agencies want to grow and understand that marketing is the way to get what they want. My discussions with ad agencies indicate that less than 50% (and I am being kind) have comprehensive business development plans to create new business programs. This is a major FAIL that is easily rectified with some brain + elbow grease

But, wait… there’s more: the super smart folks at RSW/US report that …

From our report, “79%+ of Marketers say it is “very important” to come to an initial meeting with thoughts about their business and/or smart questions to show they have interest. ”

And, get this:

And yet: “Only a little over 12% of Marketers say that Agencies “always” come to the table prepared in a way that isn’t about the Agency.”

How could this be possible? I’m flummoxed. Arriving prepared and looking interested and hungry to early client prospect meetings is critical. Image all the work that is required to get your in the client’s room in the first place and then to show up empty headed??? Here are the RSW/US charts:

If your agency is stalled go here, read about my programs and call me up. I can help you grow by planning a smart active agency new business program. I bet I’ve been doing it longer than your agency.

2 Pieces Of Advice For Ad Agency CEO’s

Peter · April 29, 2013 · Leave a Comment

The big idea is that your agency should be making things — for yourselves (and your clients.) It is simply too easy and you have the brains, talent and energy. What’s more, you will walk the design talk. One idea is futuristic and the other is simply something you should be doing anyway.

Here are two ideas.

1. Learn 3D Printing

Buy a 3D printer, experiment and be much smarter and on the ball than all the other agencies in your town.

My suggestion is buy the the soon to be released Form 1 from Formlabs. As Formlabs says,Form 1 is…”An end-to-end package. Printer, software, and post-processing kit that just works. Right out of the box.” Check out their video.

$3,300 puts you right in the middle of the 3D printer explosion. And, its so damned beautiful. Put it on that expensive front desk that really does zero for your agency’s street cred. Go here if you need to geek out on this big idea.

Make Some Tee Shirts

It’s summer. Need I say more?

I have a few more ideas. Most are about how you can make more money. Now, that’s a cool thing for an advertising agency to make.

Are Ad Agency Creatives More Creative When Drunk?

Peter · April 1, 2013 · Leave a Comment

The fabulous Advertising Week Social Club blog asked, “Do You Think Alcohol Makes You More Creative? We’re Putting It To The Test.” As Dave Birss writes…

There’s lots of anecdotal evidence that indicates a couple of drinks can help you creatively. For example, the first piece of copy I ever wrote was produced with the assistance of several pints of Guinness. It ran without any client amends and ended up winning a best copy award. (Conversely, a journey along the Absinth shelf almost got me fired for starting a fight with an Account Director!)

Then in the late 90s a spirit of temperance swept across adland in the UK. And at the same time creative standards seemed to drop. A lot of people suspect there’s some connection there.

As someone who went to art school, started in the New York advertising business in the fueled 1980’s, worked with dozens of creatives around the world and now lives in Oregon, home of craft beers and legalized drugs, I’d have to say that creatives…. Well, I won’t. But watch this video and stay tuned for the results.

SEO, Me and Advertising New Business (Or How To beat Out Goodby)

Peter · March 22, 2013 · 1 Comment

Yes, I am going to pat myself on the back. Why, because in less than a month my website is now on the first page of a search on Google for “advertising agency new business.” Why is this cool? Other than the fact that this is good for my business, allow me repeat myself… “in less than a month my website is now on the first page of a search”… OK. I’ll stop that. Also, why only two listings with a picture? Pictures drive higher click-throughs.

But, here is the main point. I am blown away at how poorly many advertising agencies manage their website SEO. The ones that do are obvious because when you search on related terms, terms that could actually lead to new business, they show up. How is it possible that advertising agencies, even digital agencies, can’t get SEO right? Or, is it that they don’t care? Possibly, if you are not a local agency or specialized (as in a mobile or healthcare expert) you asume that your new business will come from search consultants or awareness from an AdWeek article on your latest Facebook campaign. I guess if you are Ogilvy, search isn’t that important. But, having worked across the Saatchi network, I can say that the smaller offices needed a high SERP.

For me, the bottom line is that many agencies seem to design their sites for the creative directors at other agencies and not prospective clients. In these cases, SEO isn’t a critical objective.

Want more (I bet not, but, I can’t control myself…) Below is a screenshot of a search on “San Francisco Advertising Agency.” Note the Pinterest advertising agency directory. That’s mine. Also about one month in existence. But, I am especially hyped because I am listed ahead of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and they were founded in 1983.