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Podcast Guest Proposal

Peter · December 6, 2023 · Leave a Comment

A Podcast Guest Proposal – The How To

I’ve been on over 100 podcasts as both a guest and interviewer. I love being a guest because I can “borrow” the host’s audience. I get eyeballs and links back to my website and LinkedIn profile.

To be a guest you need to have something to say, hopefully different. In my case I have a new book to promote. How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency. Yes, check it out.

Back to My Podcast Guest Proposal

Here it is. Note that it says who I am. Delivers a why interview Peter. Discusses my marketing energy that will help promote the podcast. And, provides some links to help the host figure out who I am.

Here you go… The Proposal

Peter Levitan – An Experienced Podcast Guest

Peter Levitan is a leading marketing industry consultant on the art and science of running advertising, digital and PR agencies. His client base is global.

Why Interview Peter.

Peter has been on over 90 podcasts. He gives compelling interviews. And knows how to promote shows.
Peter’s new book, “How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency” was recently published.
Peter’s “The Levitan Pitch. Buy This Book. Win More Pitches.” is considered a marketing agency pitch bible.

Peter’s History.

During 16 years at Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Worldwide Peter ran business development across Europe and the USA, was EVP Management Director in London and New York and was GM of the Minneapolis office. His client base was Fortune 500.

He was CEO and a founder of two major Internet startups during the dotcom boom. Advance Publication’s New Jersey Online was an early leader in online news (it was named the best online newspaper by the Columbia Journalism Review).

Peter’s natural language intelligent bot company ActiveBuddy (and its famous SmarterChild) beat Siri, Alexa and AI. The company was sold to Microsoft in 2006. A recent TechCrunch article on SmarterChild.

From 2002 to 2012, he owned Citrus Advertising in Portland, Oregon. His clients included Nike, Harrah’s Casinos, Dr. Mareins, Legalzoom, Montana Lottery, the U.N., and multiple healthcare and financial services accounts. He sold the agency in 2012.

Peter has advised over 100+ advertising, marketing, design, and PR agencies on their business practices.

Accomplished Author, Thought-Leader, Speaker, Podcast Interviewee.

He has spoken at the 4A’s, the Association of National Advertisers, Newspaper Association of America, Radio Advertising Bureau, international and regional advertising orgs, HubSpot’s Inbound, and at marketing universities in Mumbai and Delhi.

Peter has appeared on dozens of podcasts. Including Mitch Joel’s “Six Pixels Of Separation”, “HubSpot”, “Ponderings From The Perch”, and “Agency Management Institute”.

Potential Podcast Promotion Energy.

Peter is an accomplished thought-leader with 850+ blog posts. He has over 5,000 Followers on LinkedIn and 4,000+ newsletter subs.

He knows how to promote podcasts.

He did 40 interviews for his Covid-era podcast “Advertising Stories”. He produced and hosted his first marketing agency podcast in 2006.

Potential Interview Topics. Really, Just Name it.

Peter can talk about today’s challenged agency world, inbound and account-based marketing, and sales; marketing agency management; buying and selling agencies (he did this 3 times); personal branding (underutilized); and digital entrepreneurship. He has written three books and two photography books on the early-stage cannabis industry – Jointlandia and Potlandia.

He also has a zillion funny and instructive stories.

Peter is a native New Yorker, has lived in eight cities and now lives as a digital nomad in San Miguel de Allende, which is considered Mexico’s coolest town.

Logical Links.

Website: https://peterlevitan.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterlevitan/

“Kick-Ass” book landing page.

Photography: https://peterlevitanphotography.com/

Want to talk or need more info on podcasting or how to write your own Podcast Guest Proposal? Give moi a shout. peter@peterlevitan.com

Ten Important Questions For Your Advertising Agency

Peter · October 31, 2023 · Leave a Comment

Ten Questions Every Advertising and Digital Agency Has to Answerer to Lead the Market

**But First… Some Pain. The Why I Wrote: Ten Important Questions For Your Advertising Agency**

There is a high degree of fear, doubt, and uncertainty in the Advertising Industry. According to the 2023 RSW/US New Business Report:

“This year (2023), 58% of agencies report obtaining new business has been harder, or a lot harder, compared to the previous year.”

“38% of agencies said the number of opportunities for new business decreased this year, versus 26% last year.”

As an ex-agency owner and the Director of Global Business Development at Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Worldwide, I know these facts are insane and worrying.

Frankly, only kick-ass agencies will survive.

Here Are Ten Questions (and Thoughts) That Will Kick-Start Your Agency’s Success.

These are food for thought. This is where I start with my advertising agency consultation clients.

Do You Update Your Business Plan? How hard do you look at and possibly adjust your business plan? How will you generate maximum revenues and profits moving forward? Do you adjust? Do you understand your Total Addressable Market (TAM)? I have a one-page business plan guide in my book, “How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency.”
Have You Defined Your advertising agency positioning? This is a tough and hard look at your primary brand proposition. Stand out. be clear. Be compelling. Be an expert. Expert agencies win more clients and get bought faster.
Do You Have a Competitive ++ Sales Oriented Website? This is one of the first places that anyone sees your agency. How do you rank vs. your competition? What do you say (fast!) that will get a prospect to pay attention and want to dig in? In many cases, you only have around five seconds to make me pay attention, decide you are right for me, and stick around vs. the other 3,999 advertising, digital, etc. agency websites. Your website is a sales tool. Sell!
Is Your Business Development Plan A Winner? How have you managed your plan over the past year? My blog has 850+ blog posts discussing how to market your agency. Plus, I’ve written two advertising agency “guide” books just for you on this rather critical
Have You Perfected Account-Based Marketing? You do this, right? If so, how? I am blown away by the number of new, smart, easy-to-use AI-based marketing tools designed to energize and streamline your marketing. Ask me about them.
Are You a Thought Leader? Are you an active and efficient thinker, blogger, LinkedIn guru, or podcaster? How do you look on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok? Are you perceived as a category thought leader? What do your analytics tell you?
What Is Your ‘findable’ quotient: Can I find your advertising agency if I search for you or your expertise? You should be everywhere I might search for you. Your competition will probably be there.
How Is the Client List? Does your client list look powerful to an outsider? Do you know how to position your client list for business development? Do one or two clients account for too high a percentage of your revenues? If so, go out and get new clients. And love the one you are with.
Got Intellectual property? Do you have any IP? Something that will differentiate and add sustainable value to your agency? You can do this. I know how to make this happen by hyping your current client-facing systems and licensing white-label tools.
Do You Manage Your Creative Vibe? How does your creativity stack up, and how do you prove it? I am talking about the vibe of your creative ideas, use of media, and just plain methodology to help clients stand out.

One More BIG One. Man Bites Dog.

Is your agency, as in, for example, #digitalagency Unignorable? If you are, um, ignorable, you will not win. It is that simple. I concentrate on how to make agencies UNIGNORABLE.

Dog bites man, isn’t unignorable. Man bites dog is. What is your breakout message?

Here It Comes – An Unignorable Offer

Take me up on my free Godfather offer. This is an offer you can’t—or rather, shouldn’t—refuse.

Need a starting point? Let’s talk for 15 minutes—just 0.25 on the timesheet— to discuss your agency’s issues & opportunities and how I will help you build a more powerful advertising agency business development program. You will leave the call with at least one powerful business development idea. I guarantee it.

Here is my calendar: www.calendly.com/peterlevitan

Smart Advertising Agency Lead Generation

Peter · October 14, 2023 · Leave a Comment

Unignorable Marketing Program Delivers A Smart Advertising Agency Lead Generation System

This is a thought starter for how to deliver on and support the promise that your advertising agency can make a client, its services, or its products unignorable. Deliver an unignorable message to develop a smart advertising agency lead generation system.

To prove your point and demonstrate your unignorable belief system your advertising agency will need to think about how to express its own marketing messaging in an unignorable way. Your advertising agency will need to tailor its promise based on its own skills and history.

You have to walk the talk.

Now, consider this…

“My brain is full.”

It is common knowledge that we are bombarded by 24/7 news, social media content, incoming alerts, messaging and emails, digital notifications, and multiple forms of advertising every day. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people and brands and sales messages want our attention.

“My brain forgets”

Even worse than message bombardment is the fact that we can hardly even remember the messages that we want to remember. Neuroscientists tell us that, at best, 90% of what we hear and see will be forgotten. These scientists have even invented the Forgetting Curve chart to help us to visualize how much does not sink in.

Marketing clients understand the high cost of this cognitive problem and are looking for marketing techniques, systems, platforms, and efficient solutions that help deliver sales messages that get noticed and are memorable. These clients are looking for marketing communications agencies that can offer marketing that cannot be ignored.

I call it getting to being Unignorable.

Unignorable delivers smart advertising agency lead generation.

What is the definition of Unignorable? The online dictionary Merriam–Webster defines “Unignorable” as being – unable to be ignored: not ignorable.

According to me, the opposite of being Unignorable is to be ignored. Being ignored is a marketing disaster. A waste of everyone’s time and money.

Your Advertising Agency’s Must-Do Approach to Delivering Unignorable Marketing.

OK. How to express your advertising agency’s solution to current and future clients? [Read more…] about Smart Advertising Agency Lead Generation

Sweet Amazon Reviews

Peter · October 8, 2023 · Leave a Comment

When You Write A Book You Will Love Sweet Amazon Reviews

Yes, a Duh.

So, here are a couple of nice, um sweet Amazon Reviews for my latest book on how to run an advertising agency.

Michael Gass

A Dynamic Guide to Ad Agency Success

Verified Purchase

“How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency” is a dynamic guide that navigates the complex terrain of agency growth with zest and practicality. Peter’s passion for the industry and his genuine desire to share his experience and expertise shine through.

One of the book’s standout strengths lies in Peter’s emphasis on differentiation. He adeptly navigates the reader through the critical process of uncovering an agency’s unique value proposition and positioning it effectively in a competitive market. His chapter on creating a compelling pitch is particularly insightful, offering a treasure trove of tips and strategies to win over potential clients with persuasive presentations.

Another highlight is Peter’s candid discussion of the often-overlooked nuances of running an advertising agency. He delves into important aspects such as financial management, pricing strategies, and client retention, providing a well-rounded perspective on agency operations that extends beyond creative prowess.

—-

Lee McKnight Jr.

If you’re a seasoned ad pro, or just starting out this is for you

Verified Purchase

“How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency” is a solid work that provides aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned advertising professionals with invaluable insights and actionable strategies for building a successful advertising agency.

I first met Peter at the Fuel Lines conference in Nashville several years ago and since then, we’ve been in touch, predominantly on business development topics.

If you don’t know Peter, go to his LinkedIn profile to view his bona fides, which include an impressive run at Saatchi & Saatchi.

One of the most valuable aspects, IMO, of “How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency” is Peter’s emphasis on two aspects of the industry, business development, and client relationships/management.

He emphasizes the significance of understanding and addressing clients’ needs, maintaining open communication, and delivering exceptional results fundamental to building trust and fostering long-lasting partnerships.

And in regards to business development strategies, he provides practical tips for branding, networking, and promoting your agency effectively.

As someone who has experienced the challenges of establishing a business in a dynamic industry, Peter’s advice is not just theoretical; it’s rooted in real-world experiences.

“How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency” really is a must-read for anyone aspiring to thrive in the advertising industry.

—-

Rainewrites

The best book I’ve read on building an agency

Verified Purchase

Peter Levitan has delivered the go-to guide for building an agency. I expected HOW TO BUILD A KICK-ASS ADVERTISING AGENCY to be like most of the other agency books I’ve read—a waste of time and money. Instead, I found it to be smart, accessible and entertaining. It is filled with substance! Peter’s knowledge and experience are indisputable, yet he shares his own missteps and what he learned with wit and grace. My only “complaint” is that this book wasn’t around 10 years ago when I opened my agency.

So I bet You Want to Write Sweet Amazon Reviews.

Don’t be shy. Buy the book (and while you are at it… my book on pitching better… The Levitan Pitch. But This Book. Win More Pitches., learn how to run a more successful marketing agency, and smile.

12 Advertising Agency Pitch Mistakes

Peter · September 6, 2023 · 2 Comments

12 Advertising Agency Pitch Mistakes

Here are my 12 favorite advertising agency pitch mistakes. Delivered as a ‘must do’s’ cartoon series – see below.

Now that my new book How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency is on the market (and doing well, thank you – buy it) I thought I’d revisit a core message from my first advertising agency advice book.

The fact is that way too many agencies continue to make avoidable mistakes – especially in the world of Zoom-like meetings.

One of the biggest mistakes is that advertising agency leaders do not recognize the importance of interpersonal chemistry. The agency pitch consultants I interviewed for The Levitan Pitch book all told me that many agency selection decisions are made by the client determining that they LIKE the agency and its people. This is because way too many agencies are kinda look-a-like. OK, and sound alike. Work on YOU, INC.

Here they are… The 12 Advertising Agency Pitch Mistakes

I’ve purposely served the pitching mistakes up as advice, as things to do. Why? As you will see throughout my paperback and eBook, The Levitan Pitch. (especially in the interview section) many advertising agencies, pitch leaders, and team members, make these crazy mistakes. According to the 18 agency search consultants interviewed in the book, these pitch mistakes are made all the time. Agencies make them despite knowing that they will lower their batting average. This is quite baffling.

Here are five of my all-time favorites:

The agency hasn’t worked at being distinctive. There might even be a fear of being “too” different. Strange, but true.
The agency hasn’t done a good job of planning the flow of the presentation. They haven’t approached the pitch as theater.
Agencies often leave their best presenters behind because it is someone else’s turn to go to the pitch. Huh!?
The agency presents way too many strategic and creative ideas.
The big one: the agency spends way too much time talking about themselves and not the client. Here is an example from the book:

“Agencies spend far too much time talking about themselves and not enough time addressing the problems of the client. Clients want to hear solutions to their problems, not how great the agency thinks it is. Best advice to agencies – focus on the client, demonstrate real understanding of their issues, unearth commercial as well as consumer insight, keep it simple, and make it memorable!”

C/O Brian Sparks, Managing Director: Agency Assessments International, UK and Ireland…

How did we all get to this not-so-special place? I think that some of the primary issues haven’t been addressed:

The speed at which agencies start to work as soon as they are invited to pith an account. Rarely do they stop and think through the entire process before all hell breaks loose.
Most agencies do not have a clear methodology for how they are going to run pitches. It is almost as if they are starting with a blank page every time they are invited to pitch for new business. I recommend a few things to do to manage the pitch including having a standard agency checklist. You can see one in my Pitch Playbook.
Worse, most agencies don’t even have a master business development plan.

To help resolve this dilemma, I offer my 12 deadliest advertising agency pitch mistakes as counter-intuitive must-dos illustrated by a series of cartoons from my friend Steve Klinetobe.