NEW BUSINESS SKILLS DAY: THURSDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2016

Are you a master juggler? Chances are if you’re reading this, it’s a safe bet that you are. Throw five balls at a New Business Director, and on a good day we’ll keep them all in motion, on a bad day? Well, we all have those. Too many balls, not enough hands, system overload – sound familiar?

So, where to start and get a handle on everything? The impulse can be to leap right into the centre of the action, careering around between the conflicting demands of short-term necessity (I need to get some meetings in now) and longer term Agency brand building and prospecting. And then there’s the collateral, the website refresh, content creation, social platforms, awards strategy – roll up for the juggling masterclass.

The good news is that it is possible to manage the seemingly impossible and hit (exceed) your new business targets. Successful agencies do it. What it requires is a cool head, clear thinking and a strategic approach, that starts with one simple question: what’s your goal?

Your goal is, of course, to deliver Agency growth, so before you commit to anything at all, you need to be equipped with a new business revenue target.

Once you’ve discussed and agreed the target with Agency management, you can start to structure and write your new business and marketing plan, start to plot a course.

Conducting a pitch audit over the past year or so will help shape your thinking, strategy and tactics. It focuses the mind on how many pitches you need to convert, together with the average pitch value you need to target. Set monthly/quarterly targets and track your progress towards them.

So how do you make sure that you have an ongoing flow of pitch opportunities to convert? Start with defining those clients you most want to win, that align with your Agency’s ambitions, financial and otherwise. Money’s important, of course, but there are additional things to consider – like fame and fun. Famous brands are likely to create more awareness of the Agency. Working with brands that have a good reputation is likely to be more fun.  

Make an A list, then formulate a plan around how to attract and engage them – we’re talking about creating a short, medium and longer term prospecting strategy. And we’re talking about in and outbound new business initiatives.

Now because we have all great ideas and lofty ambitions (and that’s a really good thing), we sometimes forget that we lack the time and resources to match them. So when we think about those WOW Agency events, the stream of valuable content, the PR campaign, the speaker platforms, and social media – we need to commit to the art of the possible.

Or in other words: do less, better. Do less and make it more effective. Two smart marketing initiatives can be far more effective than half a dozen quick appearances at conferences – for instance. Think of the big event idea then scale it down – it works.

And think about who else could be a willing participant in your ongoing juggling show. If you share your strategy and manage the process, devolving specific areas of responsibility not only helps you manage your time better, it also motivates others and develops their entrepreneurial skills. 

If you’d like to learn more about developing your New Business and Marketing Skills: 

Book your place on our New Business Skills Day: 3rd November

This ever popular Skills Day is packed with strategies, tactics and tips for creating a new business and marketing plan that you can action the very next day.

Our guest speaker is Tina Fegent, the industry expert on procurement. Tina will be sharing the inside track on how your Agency can effectively manage relationships with client procurement teams.

To book your place or for any further information please email phoebe@jfdi.uk.com