Peter Levitan & Co.

The New Business of Advertising

New Business

Ad Agency Pitch Killing Mistakes

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Last Batch: Ad Agency Pitch Killing Mistakes

images dohThis is the third installment of my list of 16 ad agency pitch mistakes made by, um, you Ms. Ad Agency CEO, Business Development Director, Creative Director and other pitch team members.

This list is in my book, “The Levitan Pitch. Buy This Book. Win More Pitches.” Amazon is holding your copy for you right here.

I’d like to reiterate what I said in part one of the series:

This expert list is one of the last chapters in the book. I consider it a coda to my detailed advice on how to nail a presentation. In this case, I wanted to see what people who have listened to thousands of hours of sales presentations from what should be the best presenters in business (advertising, digital, PR and media agency executives) had to say about mistakes that occur all too often.

“All to often”. Yes, I know it’s crazy. Have you made these pitch killing mistakes? According to these consultants…. You do.

Debbie Morrison: Director of Consultancy and Best Practice, ISBA, thegoodpitch.com, UK

In terms of things agencies do wrong in pitch presentations, the biggest howler I have come across which instantly alienates the client, is disharmony in the agency pitch team!

Either the session is dominated by one senior person and no other agency team members ‘dare’ or are given the chance to input. Or there have been times I’ve experienced in pitches when there has been obvious hostility between agency team members resulting in open warfare during the pitch presentation! Highly off putting and results in an instant de-listing in most cases!

Dan Pearlman: CEO/Managing Partner, Bob Wolf Partners/TPG, California

In answer to your question:
Most agencies don’t pay enough attention to the chemistry and culture aspects of their pitch. Where do the philosophies and values of their firm align with those of the client? [Read more…] about Ad Agency Pitch Killing Mistakes

Ad Agency New Business & Speed

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Ad Agency New Business Needs Speed

Contact 40I am writing up an agency positioning recommendation for an agency client. To get there, I am looking at a lot of agency websites and agency descriptions. I have to admit that I just got sidetracked by yet another ad agency Contact page that goes off the rails (see past thinking on Contact pages.)

I just visited the website of San Francisco’s Forty Forty agency. Nice website (as in it delivers a bold, “we are creative” message.) However, their Contact page makes two key mistakes; it looks like virtually every other agency out there (most Contact pages look alike) and…  Forty Forty’s page has a big gaff I have to highlight. They seem to not want to get back to a new business client quickly. Here is what they say.

New Business Inquiries

Fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you as quick as we can.

Huh? “As quick as we can”? Shouldn’t they sound active and hungry and interested in new clients? This might just be a poor choice of words. But, they have that damn form (why a form?) and then don’t go down the road of being speedy. If I were an interested client, I’d rather see an active message like: “Looking for a new agency, call our CEO Bob Johnson at 415-555-1234 today.”

The Speed Drill

Act like you want the call – now. Sound very interested and like you really want to hear from new clients. Tell the prospective client that you will get back to them TODAY.

Make your Contact page friendly. Friendly is a good thing. This is especially critical in a situation where your website may be the determining factor in whether or not a client will contact you. Contact — is not a given. You need to earn it.

While you are at it, sound and look different from other agencies.

 

 

The Business Of Marijuana & Advertising

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The Business Of Marijuana & Advertising & Publishing

LRG JI’ve written a bit about the burgeoning marijuana industry and the new business opportunities for ad, digital, social and PR agencies (see a link to articles at the bottom of this post.)

In Portland alone, there are over 35 medical marijuana dispensaries and each one has driven incremental business for a wide range of suppliers including landlords, contractors, interior designers, security firms, lawyers, accountants, venture capitalists, safe companies (each dispensary has at least one), package and graphic designers, ad agencies and publishers. I have a good take on this business because I am an investor in two medical marijuana dispensaries.

To give you an example of how crazy this business can be. Here is what I did yesterday (and why.)

I was in Vancouver, Washington meeting an illustrator friend for lunch. I then went to take a look at two fully recreational marijuana shops. This means  that you can just walk in, prove that you are over 21 and then a buy marijuana as you would cigarettes or wine. What was massively interesting was that one of the stores (on Main Street, literally) had 22 customers at 2PM on a Thursday. There weren’t 22 customers buying wine at a single wine shop at 2PM.

Later in the day, I was in the back room of a Portland marijuana shop photographing the store’s ‘joint roller’ and getting a couple of artisanal ‘art’ joints (like the one above). Yes, joints.

So, now the why…

In case you are wondering, I am not at all a big stoner.

But, I am starting a small publishing entity that will cover this huge and growing market. I am currently shooting photographs for two small books (“Joints” and “26 Dispensaries”). I will add other small books (imagine portraits of bud tenders) and apparel based on a new brand that will be coming to a browser near you. All of this will eventually be used as Kickstarter rewards for the funding of a large book on the industry.

I will keep you posted on my progress.

Marijuana Links & The Start Of A Discussion About This new Billion Dollar Industry

Here are the articles I’ve written on the subject. 

 

7 More Ridiculous Ad Agency Presentation and Pitch Mistakes

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7 More Ad Agency Search Consultants On “The Single Worst Presentation Mistakes”

mistakes 12 cartoons #2Here is Part Two of a list of ad agency sales presentation and pitch mistakes from some of the most experienced people ever to sit on the buyer’s side of a B2B sales presentation table. This list, and the next three parts are from my book, “The Levitan Pitch. Buy This Book. Win More Pitches.” The poster on the left has all of my top 12 agency presentation mistake cartoons. These are all in the book.

Don’t miss Part One of the series and its first 6 mistakes… it is right here.

Mind Blowing.

As you will see from this series on agency presentation and pitch fails, most agencies make these mistakes. Yes, it is hard to step up and say that you and your team also make these kinds of mistakes. But, according to my agency search consultant friends, and their zillions of hours sitting across the table from you, you are in fact making these mistakes.

Pete Bogda: ABA Consulting, Inc., Texas

The common/worst mistakes that agencies make is not starting with the folks who will be on the client team, but load the room with agency top brass and/or stars. [Read more…] about 7 More Ridiculous Ad Agency Presentation and Pitch Mistakes