Thunderclap

OK. So, you’ve read a bit about how much big agency experience you should get . Then, you might pondered what a big agency can throw at a pitch and why this can help you. But you didn’t read about another thing to consider: your function in new business at agencies of this size.

So, here are three typical roles, ordered from least to most valuable in the eyes of senior management. And, well, folks that hire new business professionals.

Producer
You’re the go-to person. You take the lead on RFP responses, credentials presentations and finals. You develop the pitch schedule, arrange the meetings, research, participate and lead the internal meetings. You have “the football” – the deliverable. It’s part project management, part strategist and part thankless. Being a producer is typically how most people get started in the new business department. Or, they take part in a pitch at their agency. And then, get hooked!

Marketer
You help make the bits & pieces that tell your agency’s story. This list is endless: website, blog, social media, whitepapers, agency thinking, events, partnerships, credentials, etc. Typically, you plan and execute elements of the new business program that last beyond a single pitch. This kinda stuff ultimately increases the number of phone calls your agency earns.

Prospector
Rolodex-grower and relationship builder. You’re working it. One of the proactive faces at the agency that gets the proverbial fish in the boat. These are typically more senior people, capable of having conversations with directors of marketing and CMO-types. This could also include search consultants, a key target for big agencies.

Of course, your mileage may vary. But the above are the basic functions of a new business department of any agency. Not just the bigs. The bigger the agency, the more compartmentalized the functions become. At FCB Chicago (now DraftFCB), we had a five-person team. Ultimately, it became a boss, a prospector and some marketers/producers. At a 150-person shop, you might have a boss and a producer. At a 50-person place, it’s one professional doing a whole lot of juggling. Lots of variations here.

But ask just about any agency principal, and they’ll say they need more pitches. Which means marketing or prospecting.

So, you career-minded folks…

Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is to be valuable across the functions. Smarties may be paid for producing, for instance, yet contribute to agency marketing…AND build their network. So that over time, your personal network produces leads for your agency. But we digress!

Hope this gives you a perspective. Happy career-ing.

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Oh, almost forgot. A bit on general new business experience and what it can do is here. Now, yours truly has gotta hop. There’s producing, marketing and prospecting to be done.

So, you’ve read a little bit about why it’s helpful to have some big agency new business experience as you build your career. Here’s part one on this topic. And, here’s a bit that explains some of the general benefits of working in new business. (For agencies of any size.)

But as is sometimes the case with this hastily written and occasionally helpful blog, I forget a point or two. Today’s few hundred will explore a bit more about why big agency experience is helpful.

Better competition
The very best new business theater story I have comes from pitching a $20m dollar piece of business at FCB Chicago. We won the business because we knew the prospect better than anyone else (and reflected that in the pitch.) We were up against Leo Burnett, Ogilvy and a couple of other alphabet soup agencies. These were and still are excellent competitors that forced us to bring our best game. Every time. Welcome to the bigs, baby!

More resources
This is closely related to the above story. But back in the day, we invested heavily in new business. There were FIVE people on our new business team. No expense was spared with regard to decision-maker research, consumer / category / company / competitor research, travel, pitch theater, freelance, etc. And we had all the access to training and new business resources imaginable. All the bells and whistles. Wisely used, these resources increased our closing ratio and gave us competitive advantage.

A couple of watch-outs connected to this idea.

Watchout#1: Bigger agencies don’t necessarily expose you to better quality pitches.
Could big agency new business experience help you develop faster as a professional? (Due to the competition, increased resources and sheer number of smart, successful peers that are bringing with them ideas and best practices from other alphabet soup shops.)

Meh. Your mileage will vary.

Watchout #2:  you don’t NEED this experience to build a successful new business career.
Our industry is changing rapidly and “the bigs” aren’t nearly as important as they used to be. Digital and social media, for instance, could be considered pretty important…perhaps even a higher priority if you had this kind of hole in your resume.

Anywho, hope this post was one of the more helpful ones! Should you have any specific questions, feel free to contact me. Thanks. And, happy career-ing?!

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Today, yours truly wanted to offer up some perspective on the value of big agency experience as it relates to your new business career. The advice comes from a practitioner – someone who’s worked in full-time new business at agencies large and small. And as a recruiter. Every so often, yours truly is retained by a shop to find said staffer. Great projects, by the way, as people with these proven, demonstrable skill sets are very hard to find. And I happen to know a few…!

So, big agency new business experience. The advice?

Get some. But maybe not too much.
It never hurts to have ANY big, alphabet soup agency experience on your resume. It looks great, suggests competence and professionalism, and commands more money.

Agencies are like other professional service firms. The bigger places have bigger, better-known client rosters. But to get on the roster, there’s a pitch. These kinds of agencies have much more active transoms than smaller firms. Their phone rings due to the existing awareness, networks and relationships that come with a larger agency. (This is just one of the advantages of working in new business at a place like this.)

But an active transom is the rub.

The phone rings without them having to do much of anything. As a recruiter or agency president, I’m far more interested in new business professionals who have increased the pitch rate of an agency with little awareness. Or have helped their teams win more of what they currently earn. These folks have had to market their agency.

“Go to a smaller agency and make it bigger,” has been some of the best career advice given to yours truly. This was after, of course, I’d had the chance to work in new business for a big agency. (You can find out more here.)

Naturally, this is just one perspective. One could argue the changes taking place in our business suggest this isn’t nearly as important as it used to be. Related, crazy talk: some digital experience might not be a bad thing to have, either. But I digress.

There are plenty of very successful and happy new business folks who never work at a big agency. And there are some professionals who have spent their careers only working at big shops.

What say you? What has been your experience?

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Interested in more career talk? Here’s a nice post that discusses why new business should be a part of any professional’s career.

This might be a bit basic for many of you. But it’s being shared because it’s an essential new business skill as it relates to your agency’s experience, capabilities or expertise. By “spinning,” I mean, in a word, RELEVANCE. Tying an aspect of your agency story to a prospective client’s need. Here are some common links:

• Category / business segment?
• Marketing communication challenge?
• Target?
• Marketing challenge? (Think 4 Ps)
• Distribution / channel structure?
• (Specific retailer?)
• Internal stakeholder challenge?
• Media investment?
• Industry changes?
• Product/service life cycle?
• And on and on

Had an interesting discussion the other day with a fellow agency new business fan. He and I were talking about an agency positioning and its value. It sparked an idea you might find helpful as you think about your own agency’s position / elevator speech / description.

Here’s the thought: can one Hollywood-ize an agency positioning?

A common perception of how people sell Hollywood movie concepts to studio head honchos is to describe it in familiar ways. The new movie is combination of different movies. “Got a great idea, Mr. Meyer. It’s Die Hard meets The Hangover.” (Adding a cute Rudy from the Cosby Show – or a Harry Potter “Expelliarmus!” – is strictly optional.) Movies the producers reference are blockbusters. Or well-known, critically acclaimed flicks.

This should go without saying. But a version of this is happening right now in our business – when your clients ask for the next viral campaign. Inevitably, it’s named. (You’d see a name or two here. But we strive for evergreen content here at Thunderclap!)

So, might this work with an agency description?

• Could it be a combination of agency names? (e.g. Burnett meets Mother)
• Marketing communication disciplines? (like media buying meets sales promotion)
• Operating structures? (say, think tank meets hollywood agent)
• Businesses, even?  (maybe an ad agency meets logistics company)

Maybe. What’s interesting about this is that by naming something that’s already known, you enter that space. You tie yourself to something and get a sort of halo effect – even if you say you’re the opposite of something. You’re taking advantage of something someone has already built.

Of course, you have to have some proof behind your claim. After all, if you say, “Die Hard” and it’s really The Von Trapp Family, Part Deux, you’re in trouble. Three more related thoughts:

Gimme a benefit
In Hollywood, “blockbuster” means revenue. “Critical acclaim” is validation. How does that work in our business? To clients, tying one’s position to revenue is never a bad idea. Insert other ROI success metrics here – awareness, intent, loyalty, etc. Break out that sales funnel.

Realize your positioning’s greatest influence – early
My friend suggested that strictly from a prospecting frame of reference, a strong agency positioning will have it’s greatest influence in the early part of a given pitch. Your outbound efforts and the inbound invitation to pitch. Winning the business is a combination of a ton of factors that aren’t as related to positioning.

Finally, what might maximize the impact of your positioning – even without the Hollywood-speak – is depth.

Pay off your positioning throughout your business
Call it what you will. I call it the 6Ps: the different elements of a professional service firm – your product, process, place, price, promotion, and people. After all, we’re talking about how you describe yourself vs. what a client might experience and see when they go to your site or ask around about your agency. Should be some alignment there, right? This will help avoid a box office dud. Each P could be an opportunity to reinforce what makes your agency valuable to clients and staff.

You can find out more about the 6Ps on this blog here and here.

Some very smart new business gurus – folks like Michael Gass and Tim Williams – have got a lot of smart things to say about agency positioning. You’d be smart to check those guys out. (Oh, and give me a call, too! Happy to be of service!)

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