Value is created outside the agency

May 8, 2012 | Author: Tim Williams

Agencies want to capture more of the value they create for their clients; in other words, earn more for what they do.  The first step is to understand the nature of value, including how, when, and where value is created.

The truth is, almost all agencies are looking in the wrong place for...

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Mammals with money

April 23, 2012 | Author: Tim Williams

During a positioning discussion with an agency in the eastern U.S., I asked a pretty common question “How do you define an ideal new business prospect?”  I’ve heard some pretty weak answers to this question over the years, but none as honest as “Mammals with money.”  Hilarious, but sadly true for...

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Don’t just hack at the branches of new business success - work on the root

February 29, 2012 | Author: Tim Williams

New business success is not about having a better prospect database, sending more mailings, or making more phone calls. It's about having a relevant and differentiated value proposition. A focused positioning strategy. A compelling brand story. A clear understanding of what you're really selling.

“Does new business have to be this difficult?”  It’s a question Ignition increasingly hears from agencies around the country and around the world.  Business development is in fact much harder than it used to be.  And it’s not just the economic recession that’s causing the problem.

And why...

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Build your own case

October 6, 2011 | Author: Tim Williams

Nike. Apple. Starbucks. Weiden & Kennedy. TBWA/Chiat/Day. RG/A. Great brands and talented agencies. But why must they – and others like them -- be referenced ad naseum by ad professionals when building a case for the value of branding and marketing?

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In new business, stop focusing on the agency (or the client) and instead focus on the consumer.

August 11, 2011 | Author: Tim Williams

Agencies fret about how much time they should spend talking about agency capabilities in a new business presentation.  Answer: Not at all; or if you do, talk about capabilities dead last (that way if you run out of time, you’ll be cutting something that most clients don’t care to hear anyway).

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