Courting Clients - Cupid's Pointers for Wooing Prospects

Valentine's Day is a fine occasion to pass along a few tips for how agencies can become more attractive to prospects. To spark a mutually beneficial business love fest, agencies need to be accessible, knowledgeable, attentive and devoted to following up. Here are four ways to win marketers' hearts, minds and yes, wallets.

1) Be Easy to Reach

Playing hard to get is considered de rigueur in some circles. But some agencies make themselves almost impossible to connect with. Ask agency search consultants what drives them nuts and they will tell you it's filling out a form on an agency website to get information. If you really want to get hired, use a real person's name and email address and respond quickly to any and all inquiries. And list your agency's phone number in a prominent spot on your website, right alongside your credentials and case studies.

2) Research

If you've handled an account in the same business category as your client prospect, be prepared to share as much of your knowledge and success as client confidentiality allows. If you're pitching in a new category, syndicated research can bring you up to speed quickly. Be sure to check out the client's website, latest press release and any materials you can get your hands on, so you'll be empowered for a productive conversation.

3) Listen

Okay, you've got lots to talk about and show off, as many suitors do. But listen to the prospective client first. Be patient. You can't explain how your agency is their best fit if you do not understand what they are seeking to accomplish in the marketplace. Ask about previous agencies they worked with (not specific names) and have the client explain why those relationships went wrong. This will give you even more ammunition to pitch to their sweet spots. And never badmouth ex-clients. Take the high road. It's not crowded up there.

4) Leave Behind, Follow Up

Always go to pitches bearing leave-behinds: Not flowers and candy but a PowerPoint presentation, a brochure, case studies, whatever. Call and send written thank-you notes the day after to supplement the follow-up email thank-you messages. In this digital age, hand-written communications carry extra psychic weight. Above all, if you say you will deliver a proposal within 36 hours, deliver it in less than 36 hours. Show your desire. This is a courtship, after all!

If your pitch process is not wowing prospects or winning the business, don't lose heart. I can give your pitch a makeover that will position your agency as a real catch and a keeper, so client prospects will be chasing you. Just ask...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Win more pitches by getting out of the commodity business

Most agencies position themselves as unique when pitching new clients. Yet, I'm always amazed how many agency pitches look and sound the same.

Branding. Digital Marketing. Advertising. Public relations. Social Media. While necessary functions, these are ALL commodity services.

I'm sure your agency claims to do it all better.

The reality is that prospective clients don't care about your agency or the litany of services your agency provides. They care about their problems.

If there is no pain, there is no change.

Client prospects will simply not leave their agency and jump into bed with another one unless they feel the new agency can do something their current partner cannot.

Marketers are under pressure from a million directions. Understand and solve their problems, and your agency will become indispensable.

This strategic selling philosophy is often absent at agencies, whom are primarily focused on pushing their list of services.

So, how do you get out of the commodity business and on your prospects' radar as their ideal solution?

The best way to get to that place is to first understand the real table-stakes.

If you don't know your prospect's pain points, you will not win the business. Period.

What are the client prospects' greatest pressures and challenges? How are those pain points related to the rest of the organization, from marketing, through sales and the c-suite?

What problems does your agency solve? Do you change brand perceptions? Increase sales and market share?

Sell solutions, not services.

Focus on how you can solve your prospects' problems and you'll win their hearts and their business.

Biggest Mistakes Agencies Make

As an agency search consultant, I'm always asked what are the biggest blunders that agencies make in new business pitches. Does your agency win most of the time? Here's some advice on how to avoid common pitfalls and create a better connection with prospective clients:

Thoughtful Timing
Starting late always happens. Traffic delays. Technology troubles connecting a laptop. Lengthy introductions. Somehow 20 minutes disappear and the CEO's phone goes off. She leaves the room and you don't see her again. Time is valuable. Start promptly. Assume a third of the meeting time should be allocated to capabilities and experience and a third of the time focused on getting to the heart of clients' challenges. Assume the last third may evaporate. If you have it, use it for thought-provoking conversation. Always arrive early. It's easy to fill 15 minutes. You might even snag time with the client prior to the meeting, a more optimal time for chitchat. Make the most of your face-to-face opportunity.

Daunting Decks
Credentials and connection are equally important. If you're spending most of your time presenting your deck instead of making conversation, you're doing something wrong. It's a meeting - not a read-a-long. Keep the energy focused on you and not the screen. Use the presentation as a show-and-tell to highlight relevant experience through "eye-candy" -client logos, screen shots, results-oriented statistics-stuff that has a wow effect. Keep the presentation short and limit the text. For an hour meeting, don't exceed 30 slides and make sure you get through it in 20 minutes. Anything else that feels necessary should be glossed over and used as a leave behind, or put in an appendix. Take the time to create chemistry.

Presenting Pizazz
Your agency may talented, yet selling this experience requires entirely different skills. Agency principals are not always the best presenters. The same goes for junior folks. Not everyone has charisma. If team members don't present well, it's best for them to lead the post-capabilities conversation and ask smart questions; this keeps the focus on their strengths. Clients like to meet the day-to-day team that will be working on their account. Everyone in the meeting should have a role, or they are just and taking up space and sapping energy from the room. If presenting is not your team's strong suit, get coached on how to do it better. Best practices can be trained.

Building this relationship boils down to being present and making a meaningful connection. Proper planning can make or break your next pitch.

Is Your New Business Pitch Working? - Tips for Agencies

As an agency leader, you own the message that goes out to prospects and the marketplace. If you're using the same pitch for the past few years, it may be worth revisiting it. The agency landscape is constantly changing.

Do you win the majority of pitches you pursue? Do you get feedback on the pitches that don't close and know exactly what happened? Do you know how your competitors are pitching?

Very few businesses can claim that their new business pitches are working perfectly. Most agencies do not get productive feedback. Chances are you're operating in a vacuum.

I'm always amazed how differences in presentation content, delivery and style can affect the energy level in the room and make or break a meeting. A presentation, such as PowerPoint or Keynote, is one of the most poorly utilized tools in a marketer's arsenal.

Here's a few Smarti tips:

Don't:

* Hand your audience the presentation in advance. There's a natural temptation to flip through and read ahead; they will not be focused on what you are saying.

* Treat a presentation deck like a read-along. Your audience can read and doesn't need you to do it for them. Use the bullets as a guide to make a bigger point.

One cannot actively read and listen simultaneously; visual cues take priority.

Do:

* Utilize slides for relevant pictures, screen shots, dramatic visuals and examples that highlight and add color to the discussion.

* Pump up your presentation skills. Learn how to hold your audience's attention.

Your best asset in a presentation is YOU.

Along with capabilities, chemistry and conversation play a huge part.

Granted, some people have more charisma and present better than others. The good news is that pitching best practices can be trained.

An outside perspective can be helpful to identity issues you're not seeing.

Need some help? With the benefit of reviewing hundreds of pitches and proposals each year, I can let you know whether your approach will stand out and make ears perk up or tune out.

If your pitch process is not wowing prospects or winning the business, don't lose heart. Smarti's business development development consulting services can take your pitch to the next level so clients will be captivated by your proposal ;-).

Courting Clients - Cupid's Pointers for Wooing Prospects

Valentine's Day is a fine occasion to pass along a few tips for how agencies can become more attractive to prospects. To spark a mutually beneficial business love fest, agencies need to be accessible, knowledgeable, attentive and devoted to following up. Here are four ways to win marketers' hearts, minds and yes, wallets.

1) Be Easy to Reach

Playing hard to get is considered de rigueur in some circles. But some agencies make themselves almost impossible to connect with. Ask agency search consultants what drives them nuts and they will tell you it's filling out a form on an agency website to get information. If you really want to get hired, use a real person's name and email address and respond quickly to any and all inquiries. And list your agency's phone number in a prominent spot on your website, right alongside your credentials and case studies.

2) Research, Research, Research

If you've handled an account in the same business category as your client prospect, be prepared to share as much of your knowledge and success as client confidentiality allows. If you're pitching in a new category, syndicated research can bring you up to speed quickly. So can websites like marketingcharts.com. Be sure to check out the client's website, latest press release and any materials you can get your hands on so you'll be empowered for a productive conversation.

3) Listen, Listen, Listen

Okay, you've got lots to talk about and show off, as many suitors do. But listen to the prospective client first. Be patient. You can't explain how your agency is their best fit if you do not understand what they are seeking to accomplish in the marketplace. Ask about previous agencies they worked with (not specific names) and have the client explain why those relationships went wrong. This will give you even more ammunition to pitch to their sweet spots. And never badmouth ex-clients. Take the high road. It's not crowded up there.

4) Leave Behind, Follow Up

Always go to pitches bearing leave-behinds: Not flowers and candy but a PowerPoint presentation, a brochure, case studies, whatever. Call and send written thank-you notes the day after to supplement the follow-up email thank-you messages. In this digital age, hand-written communications carry extra psychic weight. Above all, if you say you will deliver a proposal within 36 hours, deliver it in less than 36 hours. Show your desire. This is a courtship, after all!

If your pitch process is not wowing prospects or winning the business, don't lose heart. Smarti's business development consulting services can take your pitch to the next level so clients will be chasing you.

Happy Valentine's Day!

10 Ways to Woo Clients and Seduce Prospects

With Valentine’s Day upon us, now is the perfect time to think about how you can make that ideal prospect a part of your life. Do you wish that special client would accept your proposal and pursue that commitment you've been dreaming about? Have you been wondering why you didn't land that last new business pitch? Would you like to know how your agency can become more attractive to prospects? If you're looking for new clients and feeling a little lonely, don't lose heart. Here's some Smarti advice on attracting and keeping clients. It comes down to old-fashioned courtship –setting the right mood to convincing them that you’re a keeper. Following these ten steps will help you find the long-term and profitable relationship you’ve been looking for.

1. Make a good first impression: First dates are all about presenting yourself in the best way possible, and the same is true of your first contact with a potential client. The old saying is true: you never get a second chance to make a good first impression, so make sure that your first impression is sending the right message. That first contact, whether it happens in an email, over the phone, or in a face-to-face office meeting, should make you appear experienced, energetic, and professional.

2. Communicate openly: Being able to talk and understand one another is an important part of what makes a relationship “click.” You may have a great campaign to share with them, but hear what’s on their mind, first. Taking the time to understand the client’s will make them feel valued, while also helping you craft a targeted proposal.

3. Excite them: If the idea of working with you doesn’t make their pulse pound a little quicker, you’re doing something wrong. Throw out the hour-long, boring PowerPoint presentations and hit them with something that will really get their attention: a level of energy and passion unmatched by any other agency, as well as the skill, experience and resources needed to put that energy into action. Leverage exciting show and tell proof points. Make sure they know what they’d be missing if they don’t work with you!

4. Be genuine: Tell them what your agency excels at, but don’t feel the need to stretch the truth just to impress them. If your agency usually outsources certain services, feel free to leave those services out of your pitch. Be honest about expectations and don't make promises you can't keep just to win them over. You can only build a lasting relationship with a client if you’re honest with them from the start.

5. Don’t bring up the past: When it comes to bad relationships, you and your client have probably both had a few. Bringing them up painful ex-clients now can make you come off negative. Show your client that you’re focused on the future, and are ready to move forward and build a new relationship with them. Leave the past where it belongs: in the past.

6. Pay attention. If the client wants to point out the faults of the marketers who came before you, take notes, or at least mental ones. This gives you valuable specific direction into how to wow them with exceptional service. The old place never returned phone calls? Make it a point to check in regularly -- before they call you. It was a revolving door? May sure they have your contact information and know that you’re there for them.

7. Give them something to remember you by: With so much competition, finding a way to stand out from the crowd will make you harder to forget. Make sure the client has copies of your presentations, summaries of your proposals, and analyses of how you plan to meet their needs. When it comes time for them to make a decision, you’ll want to make sure you’ve given them something that makes your agency memorable. You want to be on their mind the next day…

8. Make future plans—and follow through: No one wants to be in a relationship with someone who can’t look past tomorrow. Make sure the client knows that you have a long-term vision for how your agency can help them. Thought-starters create intrigue—but don't give it all away too quickly. Fill them with anticipation for what’s to come.

9. Don’t wait a few days. After your first contact, don’t give them too much time to cool off. Be sure to send a nice thank you note, expressing your desire to work with them. Call them back soon to see if they have any questions, and to share some new ideas you may have had. Make sure that they know you’re thinking about them, and that you value the opportunity to earn their business.

10. Make them feel wanted. In the end, your perspective client can choose to do business with any agency they want. It’s up to you to show them why they should pick you. That means showing off your industry experience and past accomplishments, understanding their needs, and explaining to them why your agency can help meet those needs better than anyone else.

Once you’ve won the business, be sure to keep the romance alive so the relationship thrives!

Is your team in need of a makeover? Is your pitch now wowing prospects or winning the business? Don't lose heart. Smarti’s business development consulting services can improve your new business presentations and take your pitch to the next level so clients will be chasing you.

Worth It

Working with a client the other day, I learned part of what brought him to me. His in-house team had already spent a year and invested thousands of valuable hours seeking someone to handle PR and marketing for the company. This initially appeared as the most economical route since the company operates in a niche industry that required someone already familiar with it and likely already known within its circle. However, after a lengthy, extensive search, none of many the applicants made the grade.

Talking to him, I knew that underneath everything he said was a question: Are you worth it? It didn't take long for me to begin answering that question—that challenge.

With Smarti’s resources I was able to quickly introduce him to qualified candidates. Soon, it was down to just two. The first was willing to work at a lower hourly rate and therefore spend more time on the project given the budget. The second had more experience, but had a higher hourly rate and was, therefore, more expensive. Was he worth it?

To settle the matter, my client set up a test. He asked them to each write a blog post with some basic information. The first applicant asked for the deadline and delivered his post promptly at the end of the week when the deadline arrived. The second applicant, however, presented his post the following day. It was clear that the second, with his higher rate, wasn't the sort to "milk the clock." More than that, his post demonstrated an ability to understand the industry and his audience. He was a quick study and didn't need a week to show he "got it."

The efforts of both candidates were good and equal to their price, but the second was more worth it. As you might guess, my client, his challenge successfully answered, chose to hire the second, more expensive, applicant.

We all want value for our money, but that doesn't prevent us from thinking about the price. We need reassurance that our investment will return a commensurate value. Clients want to know they are getting what they paid for and more. They need to know it’s worth it.

L'Oreal created a hit when it matter-of-factly stated, "Because you're worth it" and made a virtue of spending more for perceived value. In dealing with clients, agencies have to do the same. More so, they have to go on and prove it. Nobody has a monopoly on their service. There's always alternatives, there’s always cheaper; the challenge for marketing agencies and experts is to show they’re worth it.

Savvy clients realize that saving money isn't always the best way to meet marketing objectives. The cheapest option might appear more attractive, but spending a little more might be the best way to get your money's worth.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

It's certainly easier to absorb information from a picture, than it is to read all about it. Infographics are visual representations of information, designed to easily present complicated information.



Apparently businesses that publish infographics increase their traffic by an average of 12%.

While effective, they are not so easy to create. So, I was delighted to find this resource from HubSpot:
A Free PowerPoint Template to Help You Design Infographics

Of course to download the free template, you’ll have to fill out a form and share your contact with them. They will contact you, so be warned.

Regardless, you may find the templates helpful in creating your own infographics. Use them to improve your presentations. Hope you find it helpful.

Courting Prospects

Thinking about a special client to make your marketing mate this Valentine's Day? Before you spend all that effort on a complete makeover, let me offer a few tips that will have them courting you:

Make that first look count. That first contact, whether by phone, email or an office meeting, tells a potential client more than you think. An energetic voice, a well-worded email and a well-run office send a powerful message.

Encourage clients to talk. Clients appreciate agencies that can listen. Of course they want to know about you, but you need to know about them first. Give them the chance to tell you about themselves and their needs. In the end, you'll develop a better relationship that allows you to present a targeted proposal that's more likely to hit the mark.

Excite them with what you offer! Don't put them to sleep with an hour long PowerPoint presentation. Allow your energy and passion to show. Make sure they understand that you've got ideas, skills and resources unmatched by any other agency. Make sure they know what they'd be missing without you.

Show off your accomplishments. Give them reason to believe that the challenges you've faced with previous clients have given you the experience and strength needed to lead to success in reaching their goals. Give them your perspective as a market insider. Even if you've never dealt with their industry, you know yours and how to make that knowledge work for them.

Be honest about who you are and what they can expect. Don't make promises you can't keep just to win them over. You both want a lasting relationship and that can only happen when they see the real you.

Make future plans. Don't focus on just the moment, but draw them in to your vision of what a long-term relationship will look like. Let them know that initial plans are just that. There's more to come. Fill them with anticipation.

Don't talk about previous relationships that didn't work out. You've had them. They've had them. Your silence is proof that you learned from them and that you're moving forward not looking backwards. If they want to talk, listen without judgment.

Make them feel valued. Give them more than for what they asked. They want to know that you are going to give them your utmost attention and service.

Leave something behind. Make sure they have a copy of your presentation, summaries of your proposals, documents that provide an analysis of their needs and your ability to meet those needs. It worked for Cinderella, didn't it?

Be the first to call. Don't give them the chance to forget you and the impression you made. If they had questions, answer them as soon as possible. Call them with new ideas, just to let them know you're still thinking about them.

Looking for new clients and feeling a little lonely? Is your pitch now wowing prospects or winning the business? Don't lose heart. Smarti’s new business development consulting services can improve your new business presentations and take your pitch to the next level so clients will fall in love and hire you.

Of course, it also helps to have a friend to offer advice and make introductions. At Smarti, that's exactly what we do. Our business development service is here to help you improve your proposals and put you together with clients eager to hear them. Maybe we're not Cupid, but we do a pretty good job with business romance.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Is Your New Business Pitch Working?

When running a business, you are in charge of the message that you put out to your customers and the market in general. If you’re using the same basic pitch for the past few years, you should certainly revisit it. Do you continually monitor your competitor's websites and marketing messages? The competitive agency landscape is constantly changing!

Signs your new business pitch is working:
-Your sales reps successfully close the majority of sales that they pursue.
-You get feedback on the pitches that you do not successfully close and you know exactly what happened.

Chances are you’re operating in a vacuum.

Most businesses do not close the majority of prospects that they come across, nor do they get good feedback on why they did not close. It is also becoming increasingly difficult for most companies to keep up with what competitors are doing. Very few businesses can claim that their new biz pitches are working perfectly.

Because of these factors, it sometimes can be helpful invaluable to get an outside perspective on your marketing pitch. An extra pair of savvy eyes and ears can identity issues you're not seeing. Be sure to review your pitch every six months or at least once a year to make sure that its still competitive.

Seducing Prospects: Easy Ways to Woo Clients

Dear Agencies, Happy Valentine's Day! If you're looking for new clients and feeling a little lonely, don't lose heart. In the spirit of the holiday, I'm sharing tips to finding your marketing match. How to make a client fall in love with you comes down to old-fashioned courtship:

1. First impressions. How you present your agency-from the first email, to the office vibe, to how your proposal looks-speaks volumes. Details matter.
2. Be Sexy, not boring! Show how you're different, fabulous and why they need you. Keep new business presentations short and savvy and under a half hour. Don't use a PowerPoint unless it's got eye candy.
3. Be genuine. Don't embellish services your agency outsources and doesn't really provide. You want them to fall in love with what your agency does best -the real you.
4. Plans are exciting. Thought-starters create intrigue. Show them a vision of what a journey with your agency might look like. Do whet their appetite (but don't give it all away so fast.)
5. Experience is a turn-on. Industry knowledge gets clients excited. Show successes with clients facing similar challenges-even if it's in a different industry. It's about your track record of success achieving similar goals.
6. Be a good date. Listen. Don't do all the talking. Clients need to be heard. Let them talk and share. You'll be wiser and be able to develop a better proposal (and have a better relationship) as a result.
7. Don't over-share. Talking negatively about ex-clients and early career horror stories creates a negative vibe. Presenting too much too soon is assumptive and can backfire.
8. Be attentive. Show you care and how much you want their business. Make them feel wanted. Always over-deliver.
9. Bear gifts. Don't go empty-handed. Leave something behind for them to remember you: a PowerPoint presentation, a brochure or case studies. You want to remain on their mind tomorrow.
10. Don't wait. Call the next day. Send a thank you note. Deliver the proposal when promised. Be responsive and keep commitments.

After you've landed them, be sure to keep the romance alive so the relationship thrives. Happy pitching!

Making Power Points

PowerPoint is one of the most poorly utilized presentation tools in a marketer’s arsenal. I’m always amazed how differences in content, delivery and style can make or break a presentation and affect the energy level in the room. A face-to-face meeting presents an opportunity to engage and connect. So why do so many presenters miss the point?

I was recently watched an agency leader present a PowerPoint laden with heavy text and data-driven charts in a tiny font– virtually impossible to see from the back of the room. Staring at the screen in the front of the room, the presenter was commenting, “it is so obvious; the data speaks for itself.” (No, it didn’t.) No one had any idea what he was talking about, and he lost points.

PowerPoint is often used as a stand-alone document to serve as a leave-behind for review afterward. It’s not meant for that purpose. If the presentation stands alone so well, then why do you need to present it? Send an email. A better leave-behind is a company brochure, printed case studies and team bios, which are all easier to replicate.

Slides are meant to be talking points, an aid or “cue card” for the presenter, and a method to point out the main takeaway for the audience.

So, if that’s the point, why do so many presenters treat the meeting like a read-along? Your audience can read too, and doesn’t need you to do it for them. Important commentary will be tuned out. If tasked with reading, they are not listening, because visual cues take priority. It’s the same reason why it’s not wise to hand your audience the presentation in advance; there’s a natural temptation to flip through and read ahead. Your goal is to captivate and hold your audience’s attention.

It’s best to limit text to a handful of words—as much as you can read in less than 5 seconds. This way, your audience’s attention will remain focused on you. Use the slides for pictures, screen shots, dramatic graphs that highlight what’s being said. Use text sparingly and you’ll see how much better you can get your point across.

Pump up your presentation skills. Your best asset in giving a presentation is YOU. Granted, some people have more charisma are just better presenters than others. Learn how to present, connect with your audience and hold their attention. But best practices and techniques can be trained; I’ve helped many people develop and deliver presentations with pizzazz.

The goal of the meeting is to get your audience interested and excited to take the next step. If achieved, they will ask for a follow-up meeting, proposal or an agreement to move forward. The purpose of PowerPoint is to get to that point.

Learn how to drive

Salespeople--especially agencies--get hung up on whether to make a formal or informal new business pitch. However, what it’s really about is informing. The bigger question they should be asking is what do clients want to hear about?

The catch is to be informing-in an informal way. An overly casual style can lead a potential client to take you less seriously. It doesn’t mean need to wear a suit and deliver a PowerPoint. What it means, it you carry yourself, articulate what you’re all about, what you’ve done for others, and what you can do for me. Command the situation. Drive!

A basic principle in sales of getting a desired action is “gentle leading.” If a doctor asks “Do you want a shot in the arm?” a likely reply is “No thanks!” How about if the Doctor said, “Now, I’m going to give you a preventative flu shot.” How would you feel then? Or, if a gym trainer asked, "Would you like to do another 2 sets?" A likely response might be, “No friggin way.” How about if it was phrased, “Now, give me another 2 sets.”

People want to be led. Or, at least see where you’re going. I won’t get into a car with anyone unless I ’m know the destination, or at least like the direction the car is going in and share a vision for the journey.

Clients want to understand the approach and what the journey would look like. Don’t over-recommend, go too far, or make any assumptions, as they can backfire. (Remember, they will always know more about their business than you do.) But, don’t be afraid to speak you mind and set a path. Lead gently, and show me the way...

What Clients Want in RFPs

When your agency is invited to respond to an RFP, do you get excited or cringe? While new business is the lifeblood of any agency, agency RFP responses drain resources and are poorly executed. I was recently cited in the PR Council’s The Firm Voice article, “What Clients Want in RFPs: Firms Can Win More New Business by Tapping Nine Hot Buttons in Proposals” and provided suggestions on how agencies can respond more effectively to an RFP.

Here are my top tips:

• Don't hold out—offer real, strategic insights. Each agency has a different approach, a different perspective on how to drive the client's business. Clients need to know yours. There's world of difference between sharing a strategic vision and giving away the store.

• Ask questions. You are not working on their account yet, so don't assume you have all the answers, or know the client's business better than they do. You don't have to have the answers—but you want to show you've thought through the issues.

• Carefully consider the case studies. Before you throw in the boilerplate, think about how relevant the case studies are to the client’s initiative. Is there any relevancy in areas such as industry, market share, and budget or brand recognition?

• Talk ROI—focus on business outcomes, not just PR outputs. Show value for the money. Be very clear about what the client is buying. For example, "What can they expect in the first 30 or 90 days? What will they get for the fee?"

• Focus on the frontline team—not figureheads. A common complaint among clients is meeting Team A, working with Team B. You can tout your management—but if possible, let the client see whom they'll be working with.

• Avoid sloppy mistakes. It happens to the top agencies in the industry. It’s embarrassing. Try having someone else who wasn’t involved in developing it proofread it last.

Persistence in Selling to Major Accounts

I was recently on CEO Entrepreneur Magazine’s panel, “Persistence in Selling to Major Accounts” along with some other consultants and authors. The big question on the table? How to draw the line between persistent and pushy.

I shared my winning formula, which revolves around: Tell, Touch & Timing:

-Tell: Craft a winning message that will wow them. Hit the 3Ws: Who you are, What you do & Why they need you. It should be short and savvy. Keep all email pitches to seven sentences and voicemails under 10 seconds.

-Touch: Connect through different touch-points, such as voicemail and email, even snail mail. Use other marketing tactics such as direct mail, newsletters and company press clips/news to stay in touch.

-Timing: Keep all communications at least 2 weeks apart. If it’s an active pitch or “hot” deal, still keep it to no more than once a week. They know how to reach you.

My sales motto: For a good harvest, plant your seeds, sow the field and never over water!

Business is all relationships. The challenge in follow-up is to be responsive but not annoying. People do business with people they like.

Rather than pestering about a proposal, spend the few precious seconds you have with the prospect carefully and make sure you have all the facts, such as the key decision makers involved, their timing and decision making process.

Effective sales involve solving your prospect’s problem. If you can communicate your company’s product or service and how it adds value and solves their problem, you’ll get the sale.

Don’t obsess over one deal. Focus instead on building a bigger pipeline!

I'll post the video on our website as soon as it's released.

Make Cold Calls Count

Yes, it’s tough business environment right now. And we’ve all got to try harder and be more effective. Are you trying to reach someone significant? When email boxes are overloaded, telephone call is quicker and more direct. (Cheap, too.) Cold calls can be an effective part of a sales strategy. So how come direct marketing principles are so often ignored?

Cold calls have always been part of our sales strategy, and it’s been an effective way to find new clients. I was recently talking to a colleague who was stunned when I told him my team leaves voicemails that get returned. His jaw dropped.

The key is to approach cold calls from a marketing perspective, and treat a voicemail as a carefully worded ad. Of course certain words flow better for some salespeople than others. I believe in different, strokes for different folks and variations are welcome, as long as it’s on message, and the delivery remains conversational. The pitch needs to be tweaked, edited and optimized regularly.

For a winning message that will WOW them, put the message in the medium and make sure the message is consistent with your brand strategy. Focus on how you're solving a problem. Tell your story in short and savvy way and keep it around 10 seconds. Be passionate, persistent and never give up. If you do it right, you will find the value in the volume.

It doesn’t cost much. But you’ll just need to make the time and effort on branding, messaging and training. The investment is worthwhile, and will make your calls count.

RFPS: Recipe for Pain?

RFPs (Request for Proposals) are usually a call for disaster. I was recently interviewed by PR Week for the article, "Firms' Proposals Must Adjust to the Times." I mentioned that we don't recommend an RFP until we already have a finalist shortlist, since they make an agency search a “commodity” exercise at the best, and a complete waste of time at the worst – for both client and agency. What’s the reason for the pitch? How will the decision be based? There's a ton of questions that go into the process. Many agencies can be easily eliminated (or better targeted) without wasting everyone's time.

It takes an enormous amount of work to properly respond to an RFP. Some agencies-even in this climate-may not participate. Smaller or mid-size agencies with limited resources need to be super selective about whom to pitch and have to consider if they even have a decent shot at it in a sea of fierce competition.

Clients launching the process by a blanket RFP to a “long list” risk alienating some super stars that might be just the ones they need. Short and savvy RFPS will be more helpful and productive for leveling the playing field to a shortlist of viable finalists, all of whom are serious contenders.

If you must issue an RFP, consider the following best practices:
-Start with the right agency short-list
-Take the time to make the RFP short and savvy
-Only issue to firms you’ve met and are serious about hiring

Agencies need to remember that clients want thoughtful ideas for where and how you’d take their business. Don't bore them to death; rather show how and why you're valuable.

Best practices for agencies:
- Always get a meeting (or an at least a WebEx) to first see if there is a meeting of the minds.
-Don’t give a 3 hour capabilities presentation, do it in less than 30 minutes. Think shorter book, more brilliance.
-Focus on what the client is going to get for the fee. Return on investment has never been more top of mind.

To learn best practices and see the article, visit http://getsmarti.com/PR%20Week%20Clip.jpg

Losing Points with PowerPoint in a New Business Pitch

Most marketing agencies ask if they should do a PowerPoint presentation for a new business pitch. (Actually, most just assume.) However, even the savviest marketers are not the best presenters.

Many don’t realize how a PowerPoint can even hurt a meeting, right from the get-go. "Calvin Client, we just need a few minutes to setup…" (Calvin's focus returns to his Blackberry.) Another 10 minutes go by. "Darned internet connectivity issues! Ah, there we are. Dim the lights.” (Calvin stifles a yawn in the darkness and under cover, returns to his email.) Ironic beginning, as the point of the meeting is to develop a connection.

PowerPoints are boring and disengaging. (Yes, even yours.) Even the best multi-taskers in the room--focused and paying attention--can find it nearly impossible to listen intently to what they're hearing, while reading the screen simultaneously. Given the choice, your audience will unconsciously ignore you so they can see what’s in front of them. Wouldn’t it be better if they were focused on you?

The only reason to do a PowerPoint is for Show and Tell. If you feel you need a new business presentation (or one was requested,) use the slides for pictures, graphs, screen shots and creative stuff. Use text sparingly and you’ll see how much better you can get your point across.

If you want to show them something let it be something they can touch, such as creative boards, a book of media coverage or a novel that has "thump" power.

An initial face-to-face meeting presents an excellent opportunity to engage and connect. Save the details for a handout, case studies or a proposal—stuff they can read after the meeting. If they’re interested in working with you, they will. And you'll have their full attention.

Shake lots of hands and use hand-outs. You'll have more power, and score more points.

Suspicious About Spec Work?

So, you’re in a new business pitch and client requests spec work. Just hearing the words can make you wince. It’s a tough call. Are they just fishing for ideas? Are they really going to hire a new agency? Ask yourself, how much is on the table? What’s it worth to your team? What are the chances you have of winning, and importantly, do you have the resources and time to execute?

You want to participate in the new business pitch, while maintaining your best practices. Gently point out how the brilliant work in your portfolio was based on research, strategy and solid collaboration with clients. And, it would be remiss to whip something out without putting in the due diligence needed to inspire the thinking, and they deserve your best work.

Give some ideas? Absolutely! Clients are much more interested in how you think and the direction you’d take their business than anything else. Focus on strategy, big ideas, how you think and how your team would add value to their organization. But you don’t need to give away the store, nor should you.

Going too far is risky and can backfire. Work developed without adequate research, preparation and planning has a big chance of being (way) off the mark, and not necessarily indicative of what you could do if hired. We know that great work comes from solid strategy and a beneficial brief.

If they are requesting a lot of specific spec work such as a creative campaign, ask for a project fee and treat it like one. This way, you can dedicate your team, research, strategize and create the magic.

The client will respect you for it, and gets the work. Your team gets paid. Everyone wins. And the best part? You've already started working with them...