Insights

6 Critical Elements Of A Sales Pitch

Peter · January 18, 2016 · Leave a Comment

6 Critical Elements of An Ad Agency Sales Pitch

If there is one thing you must do when selling a BtoB service (as in your ad agency’s services; a tech solution; a great media or creative idea…) it is making sure you understand the needs and motivations of the person you are selling to when you craft your sales pitch. Sounds obvious, right? Believe me, after interviewing a wide range of clients and ad agency search consultants for my book on pitching I have to say that many agencies do not follow this golden rule. We are simply not spending enough time really thinking about the buyer and her perspective.

A Sad Ad Agency Sales Story

I had this lesson hammered home at my first media to agency pitch when I moved from Saatchi & Saatchi New York to launch the brand new newspaper website NJ.com. I figured I’d start selling the new fangled idea of internet advertising to my friends at my old agency (this was 1996). I knew the agency inside and out and had worked with its Executive Media Director Allen Banks for years. My pitch included a hockey puck graph of projected Internet usage and a discussion of digital advertising that touted our news website’s newfound ability to track how website visitors viewed and interacted with online advertising.

Sounds like a great digital media pitch, right? Was Allen smiling? No. His reaction?

“Are you f*cking kidding me? We have made a fortune not really knowing how, when and for how long consumers have been looking at our ads. I manage hundreds of millions in advertising media placement. Knowing how much of it doesn’t work will kill our golden goose.”

My point in telling you this story is that I didn’t really think through Allen’s motivations and potential objections before I delivered my early online sales pitch about tracking and analytics. I had only thought about how wonderful the Internet advertising solution was. By the way, Allen was right. The Internet sure seems like it killed some parts of the golden advertising goose.

Here’s some more advice from the world of sales…

Yes, some of these 6 elements may seem obvious (and yes, I am repeating myself) — however, I know for a fact that not everyone in your agency truly understands these simple rules. Many of your colleagues, even the folks on your new business or creative idea pitch team, probably do not have much direct sales experience.

Think like the client. The presentation (it’s a sales presentation!) must be written from the client’s perspective. What are they asking for, and what do they need and want to hear? You want to win them over, not your colleagues. This is the key reason why you have to learn about the individual clients, and if you have time, create personas for any new to you decision makers before you ever meet them.
Involve them. Don’t make the presentation one-sided. Try to involve the client in a discussion. You might be able to motivate the stone-faced clients by asking them a few questions at the right time.
Answer their questions. If the client has specific questions, stop talking and listen. Make sure you answer the question and confirm with them that you have. Think all agencies do this? I know for a fact that they don’t. Sometimes in the heat of the pitch, agency presenters will consciously or unconsciously deflect and even ignor the client’s question so that they can get on with their scripted presentation. This can be a major lost opportunity for dialog and might put off the client.
Deliver value. The client has invited you into their world. Return the favor by giving them something of value in return. In most cases, this might be a serious insight or a creative solution. This is your chance to demonstrate why this client couldn’t possibly live without you.
Be dynamic. Clients want agencies that are passionate about their work and ideas. Show your passion, and find a way to show passion for the client’s brand and/or quest. In a new business pitch, you might want to actually ask for the job.
Be different. Again, if you are in a new biz pitch, know that the other agencies that are pitching are good, smart and could probably do the job. You have one chance to look and sound different. Think very hard about how you will stand out from the pack.

6 simple rules. They work.

Head over to this link to see my post on the 12 worst mistakes agencies make when pitching. You’ll like the cartoons as well.

David Bowie & A Rather Useful Infographic

Peter · January 14, 2016 · Leave a Comment

David Bowie & His History Via Infographic

Like you, I was saddened to hear of Bowie’s death. It was particularly hard since I had listened to his latest album that morning c/o Spotify. It’s another good / smart / thought-provoking one.

Lot’s been written this week. But, we all love infographics (or, at least, we did last year) — so, here is one that explains Bowie’s career. It is from the Economist’s obit.

Pinterest Advertising Agency Directory: Help Please

Peter · January 13, 2016 · Leave a Comment

I Need Your Help: Should I Continue Updating The Advertising Agency Directory?

A couple of years ago I created a Pinterest directory site that lists advertising agencies – the ones I could find. I did it as a way for prospective advertisers to easily locate and compare agencies and as a thought-leadership-oriented-business-development-lead-generator for my consulting business.

As you can see, the directory organizes agencies by city (primarily major cities) and uses a screen grab of the agency homepage and a brief description to help visitors see the range of agencies in each town.

FYI for you thought leaders worried about the time required to thought lead: this directory was very low-cost endeavor as I had an assistant in the Philippines build it using my template and instructions.

The Help Me Please Part…

Today the Pinterest advertising agency directory has well over 1,000 Followers and I get some incoming every month from agencies that would like to be listed or have their information revised. I am going to keep the directory up – why not. However, I am just not sure if I want to maintain it beyond adding agencies that request a listing. I am not sure of its value for the ad industry – as in agencies and clients seeking an agency.

OK, one clear value for you agencies. This is a great way to study your competition in just one place. Agencies change / revise their websites every couple of years. The directory provides some great ideas worth, um, contemplating.

My questions to you.

You can answer by adding a comment below or by emailing me at peter@peterlevitan.com. Thanks.

Do you think that this advertising agency directory via Pinterest is valuable to advertisers and you?

Were you aware of it?

Any other thoughts? Things that I could do to enhance the advertisier experience?

By the way: If you are not listed, would you like to be?

That’s it. Thanks for your help.

Keep It Simple Stupid

Peter · January 5, 2016 · Leave a Comment

KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid Is One Of My Mantras

Too often advertising and digital agencies overstuff their messaging with the goal of telling future clients that they can do anything that the client needs. It goes from the idea of the full-service agency (we do ads, TV, radio, brochures, websites, SEO, content, social, PPC, and on…) to we do digital (PPC, SEM, landing pages, mobile, social, content, analytics, remarketing and on). This kitchen sink approach tends to overwhelm the agency’s messaging, reduces any sense of focus and is often perceived as mission impossible by clients who do not think that a mobile agency can also be an expert at programmatic buying and eCommerce management and — pick more.

That’s Why I Preach: KISS

Keep your agency brand positioning focused. Keep your messaging focused. Keep focussed on business development. Focus your social media and thought leadership. Focus on the type of clients you want and can get (that isn’t every client in the universe).

Speaking of KISS — Tim Ferriss’s weekly broadcast email turned me on to this story from Rhode Island’s late George Germon – a very special chef and restaurant owner. I had the pleasure of dining at Al Forno, his fantastic Providence restaurant. Read on to get a taste of the power of simplicity.

George Germon On The Power Of Simplicity

George Germon (co-owner of the famed Al Forno restaurant) recounts an experience that he says he’ll never forget. “I was visiting some people in England who had a four- or five-year-old daughter. They weren’t around, but I was in the kitchen and the little girl pulled a chair over to the stove and started heating up a pan, saying she was going to make tomato soup,” he remembers. After getting the little girl’s assurance that her parents allowed her to do so, Germon says he watched her heat some butter in the pan, then take out a knife and cutting board and chop some tomatoes. She cooked the tomatoes in the butter for about 3 minutes, and then added a little salt and a little cream.

“Would you like some?” she asked Germon, who politely replied, “Sure!” Once he tasted it, Germon says he was absolutely floored. “It was unbelievable,” he says. “I couldn’t believe that something tasted as good as it did with so few ingredients.”

Al Forno’s menu features a potato soup that’s equally simple. “It has just four ingredients: potatoes, onions, butter, and water. That’s it,” says Germon. “And when our cooks first made it, they kept asking, ‘What’s the next step?’” Johanne Killeen remembers, “They found it impossible to believe that anything wonderful could result from four ingredients!”

So… What’s your tomato?

Do You Like Flying?

Peter · December 23, 2015 · 1 Comment

Do You Like Flying? Willing To Pay For Less Pain?

“Why Airlines Want To make You Suffer” is a ‘sweet’ article from the New Yorker on how your airline works hard to make you uncomfortable so you buy the longer leg room seat and check your bags. Extra fees rock.

But the fee model comes with systematic costs that are not immediately obvious. Here’s the thing: in order for fees to work, there needs be something worth paying to avoid. That necessitates, at some level, a strategy that can be described as “calculated misery.” Basic service, without fees, must be sufficiently degraded in order to make people want to pay to escape it. And that’s where the suffering begins.

Is this why marketers are ranked just ahead of Congress by American consumers?

So, What Pain Can Advertising Agencies Build Into Thier Service To Get More Bucks?

Hmmm…. grade your AE’s, ECD’s, responsiveness, efficient media buying and charge more for the best? Or, charge on a sliding scale for your Big Strategic and Creative Ideas? More for Tweets based on reTweets? More for more Likes? What other types of pain can you deliver to have clients pay to get better services?

Just trying to learn from United.