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Work From Home Work Peaks

Peter · October 31, 2022 · Leave a Comment

How Many Work From Home Work Peaks Do You Hit A day?

work from homeNow We Have — Triple Peak Syndrome.

Triple Peak is yet another new term related to work from home. What’s Triple Peak?

From Microsoft: “Microsoft found that its employees had peak work periods before and just after lunch. The pandemic and work from home changed that. Microsoft found that its people added another work peak between 6 and 8 PM.

Findings from Microsoft and its researchers suggest that the 9-to-5 workday is fading in an age of remote and hybrid work and more flexible hours. That pattern was first spotted early in the pandemic, when Microsoft Teams chats outside the typical workday increased more than in any other time segment, particularly between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Newer data suggests the trend is here to stay. Traditionally, knowledge workers had two productivity peaks in their workday: before lunch and after lunch. But when the pandemic sent so many people into work from home mode, a third peak emerged for some in the hours before bedtime. Microsoft researchers have begun referring to this phenomenon as a “triple peak day.”

Flexibility is good. Endless work hours are not.

A Management Cure. Today’s new workplace requires management consciousness and communication.

WTF Takeaways From Ad Age Small Agency Conference

Peter · August 10, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Ad Age Small Agency Conference: Stating The Obvious… Way Too Often

Ad Age Small Agency Here are some smart, yet painful, takeaways from The Ad Age Small Agency Conference. I am not surprised at what the speakers say. But also a bit horrified. I mean, what you are about to hear are what I would consider no-brainers for how to run an advertising agency.

No Brainers… That is my What The Fuck. Am I being too dramatic? I don’t think so.

The issue is that these expert takeaways and advice should be ingrained in all advertising, digital design, and PR agencies. Clearly these takeaways are not. But, YMMV. I include some thoughts and links to “helpful’ thinking. Mine.

Not Speaking Client Language. From Mirren:

Brent Hodgin, Mirren’s Managing Director, is focused on language. As in client language.

“Clients are focused on growth and revenue and most agencies are focusing on brand reputation and positioning,” Hodgins said. “And that is a gap.” Awareness “in and of itself is not an end benefit,” he said, because you can grow awareness and still not move one product off the shelf.” He added: “When you don’t use the language of your client … it’s like you are an outsider trying to be an insider.”

The Levitan take. Hey, agencies are selling services to a prospective client that wants stuff. Figure out what stuff they want (gee like more sales and customers and the right analytics + KPIs) and talk their language. Do the upfront research.

Get past typical agency “branding” talk to talking about “sales”. Like ROI.

Some “CLIENT” language from my pitch book:

Here is a quote from an interview I did with Ian Beavis who has been EVP Automotive at Nielsen and ex auto CMO (Kia, Mitsubishi.) He has been pitched by dozens of agencies (and ran the Toyota account at Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising, as well)

Levitan: A final question. Agencies have a hard time creating a competitive agency brand positioning. Any insights and advice you can give to the agency world on how to be distinctive in this highly competitive category?

Beavis: You rarely hear of an agency being a business solution provider, as it just doesn’t sound cool or creative. A good agency solves a client’s business issues and is a partner. Very few qualify and even fewer truly embrace this challenge.

Clients want agencies that understand business objectives and business results. They want to hear that you get it. That’s it, folks. This WTF is about not doing the research to learn what that prospective client wants.

Agencies Have a Serious Branding Problem. From The Martin Agency.

[Read more…] about WTF Takeaways From Ad Age Small Agency Conference

Digital Agency Work From Home

Peter · July 15, 2022 · Leave a Comment

digital agency work from homeI just read a study about the new world of work from home + work-life balance from Beamery – “the leading talent operating system that helps companies attract, engage and retain top talent.” The study should keep any agency manager thinking about digital agency work from home up at night. I highlight the digital agency because of the digital management workload and 24/7 activity.

The study, “Employees Have Upper Hand in Pandemic-Induced Power Shift, According to New “Beamery Talent Index” sheds some number light on this management and employee issue. I am into this big time right now as I am currently writing the definitive digital and advertising agency management book. Clearly, the new world of managing an agency in the post-pandemic universe (it’s over right?) will be a critical element of the book. I found Beamery during my research on the HR side of the business.

Beamery and the Digital Agency Work From Home Issue

Here from the research – some major findings:

Two-thirds of U.S. and UK workers who experienced more work flexibility during the pandemic want employers to prioritize work-life balance moving forward and three-quarters acknowledge they are now being heard – but still – half are looking for a new job.

Of the 5,000 employed adults surveyed in the U.S. and UK, almost three quarters (72%) are confident in their ability to find a new job, half (53%) are considering leaving their current role within the next 12 months, and 23% are actively looking for a new job. The majority (81%) say the pandemic gave them time to make that decision with some soul searching leading a quarter (26%) to change their career path and goals.

In fact, more than a third (37%) actually think their work-life balance was better during the worst of the pandemic and 42% want flexible working opportunities returning to the office. In their current roles, 45% of office workers say they will be returning to the office full-time, whilst just 29% will have flexibility as to when they go in. For organizations looking to reassure and retain staff, it’s optimistic to see that almost three-quarters (71%) think their employers clearly understand what matters to them in a post-COVID workplace.

The Key Is Being A Conscious Employer

This finding is worth repeating: “For organizations looking to reassure and retain staff, it’s optimistic to see that almost three quarters (71%) think their employers clearly understand what matters to them in a post-COVID workplace.” [Read more…] about Digital Agency Work From Home

Is Your Advertising Agency Findable?

Peter · July 14, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Is your advertising agency findable?“Is your advertising agency findable?” This is one of three key questions, and mucho critical points, I make when I start to help an advertising agency plan its business development program. First things first. The other two questions are: “do you have a new client referral plan/program” and “do you have a system for how to grow business from current clients?” Want to know how to do that? Ask me.

So, Is Your Advertising Agency Findable? Your First Issue.

You should have clear objectives for your business development plan. And, the right marketing plan. And, run that plan 24/7. And do you have a smart process to align the agency and make stuff happen? But, the first thing (after having the right positioning and core marketing tools like a great/effective sales-oriented website and LinkedIn presence, etc.) is to make sure that a prospective client who is actually looking for an agency like yours can find you. Yes, a duh.

An idea (a good one)… go ahead and play client and see if you can be found. If you are a Tiktok specialist, will you be found? If you specialize in hospitality, will you be found? If you are the best agency in London, will you be found? You get the idea, right? Yes, a duh. But, go ahead and try to find you.

So, Let’s Get On With It. Is Your Advertising Agency Findable? Are You Everywhere A Future Client Might Look – For You?

This question was driven home today when I examined the Roth Ryan Hayes** agency search consultant website. I noted that they ask advertising agencies that want to be found by clients to list themselves in the WINMO database. A database used by both prospective clients and search consultants. Roth Ryan Hayes asks agencies like yours to enter into the agency information database right here. Just do it.

Need a list of advertising agency search consultants? Search my website.

What else can you do to be found by that client that is looking for YOU?

Some other examples:

  • Are you on the first page of a relevant Google search? Probably not. What can you do? Do the content thing and manage your SEO. OK, if not listed on page one (and this might take a long time), consider running a Google ad that targets that future client, it’s CMO, and its category. Test a message that breaks through the clutter.
  • Gee, how about that crazy advertising thing. See what London’s LONDON Advertising has done.
  • Be in all related marketing services directories. Clutch? Agency Spotter? WINMO?
  • Optimize your LinkedIn presence. Pay for LinkedIn Navigator. This optimization goes for your company and all leadership and employee individual profiles. By the way, does everyone use the same, or similar, language to describe the agency? Do you look like a team?
  • Are there client industry lists you should be on? Or, write for industry websites like hospitalitynet.
  • Does the industry press know that you are a go-to expert on your expert thinking and category experience – always ready to give an educated sound bite? I know that a good PR maven could sell you guys.
  • Are you speaking at the right industry conferences? No Cannes ain’t what I am talking about. That is ad agency navel-gazing.

There are more “Be found” ideas. Call me up.

Then, Yes, Then. Be Unignorable. Oh, That.

Ok, you are found. Then what? Is your positioning and messaging and branding UNIGNORABLE? Being found is cool. Being unignorably unignorable is even better. Do not waste that be found thing. Work it.

** From Above… 

Roth Ryan Hayes, founded in 1988 as Roth Associates, is a pioneer in the search consulting category.

The firm has forged a reputation as a trusted adviser to some of the world’s leading companies as they seek to optimize their agency resources and efficiently navigate the evolving media and marketing landscape. Today, RRH is a leader in the field of agency search, selection, and compensation, providing counsel on the intersection of digital innovation and business strategy to companies such as CVS Health, Aetna, Activision, Blizzard, Home Depot and many others.

Advertising Agency Video Marketing

Peter · June 30, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Advertising Agency Video MarketingLet’s start this talk about advertising agency video marketing as a core sales tool for business development in two ways. Then I will point you to a super-smart ad agency video series. The videos I’ll show are aimed directly at a client’s needs (strategic needs). These videos are well-produced, and sell the agency leader. A good thing. People buy people. The videos also leverage the power of LinkedIn.

OK, Some Bad and Good Advertising Agency Video Marketing

  1. The bad: I am continually amazed at how few advertising agencies use agency-oriented video to help them market their agency. If they do, it is usually a sizzle real. A ganged-up sizzle real that might do more for the creative department’s ego than a tool to sell a future client.
  2. The good: Every once in a while I see an agency getting video promotion right. In my mind, this means using video to introduce the agency and its story (quickly), super-smart thinking, a demonstration of agency culture and a look at the people who live inside that agency. Client-people like people so why not show your agency-people to help sell the agency – with some humanness?

Reasons To Use Video

The last truly “revelatory” thing I can tell an advertising agency is that video is a great marketing tool. Like, um, I know that you know this. But, then, why do so many of yous guys not use it for self-promotion? So, here are some reasons to use video marketing – now.

Most advertising agency websites have similar attributes (like the same old same old navigation – not bad – but the same old same old). Few, few, open up with a short but very sweet video to tell the visitor how wonderful (and different) the agency is. No not a sizzle real. A personal message. Not an “I am wonderful” message. A “this is who we” are message. And, even a “what we can do for you” message.

  • Clients buy people. Many agencies are GREAT, But, so is the next agency next door. Video will make you stand out and sell your story, soul, and grooviness. Soul is an element often missing from the advertising / digital agency website and general marketing experience.
  • Get the video out there – amplify it… Your video can run on your website, importantly in direct emails, on LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, and, of course, on YouTube (inside your effective channel).
  • !!! Google loves video. Video SEO rocks.
  • Video works especially well for your mobile viewers. They will thank you for this. Viewing a video vs. scrolling on a tiny screen will win you points.
  • Video drives social shares (like I am doing below).

Speaking of LinkedIn, it really likes videos. A lot. Some words on LinkedIn video from Hootsuite:

In one year, LinkedIn video posts generated more than 300 million impressions on the platform. They also earn an average of three times the engagement of text posts. Plus, early findings from LinkedIn’s beta program show that LinkedIn native videos are five times more likely than other content to start a conversation among LinkedIn members.

Impressive engagement stats aside, video marketing has been shown to boost revenue across social platforms. According to Aberdeen Group, brands that use video marketing grow their revenue 49 percent faster than companies that don’t.

Producing video for an advertising agency is cheap (or, at least cost effective). You do stuff like this for a living.

Ok, on to a very good example of an advertising agency’s video marketing.

Transom Design On LinkedIn: Advertising Agency Video Marketing That Sells

[Read more…] about Advertising Agency Video Marketing

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