Ann Arbor Ad Club Presents: Agency Mistake #21 January 13, 2011

Ann Arbor Ad Club Presents: Agency Mistake #21

The mistake: not understanding how to “date.”

Many agencies have no prospecting program. They just depend on referrals and luck. That’s a strategy equivalent to “sitting on the bench and hoping for a home run.”

And for those that do have one, it usually involves aggressive selling. But professional services are bought, not sold. Selling hard doesn’t work. Prospect contact should be all about civilized “dating.”

Back in the Mad Men era, prospect “dating” was social: dinners, shows, golf, etc. The prospect and the agency principals got to know each other. And, when the client decided to look for a new agency they turned to the people they knew well.

Today it’s hard to even get a current client to got out to lunch, let along convince a prospect to do so. Which is why developing a new form of ""new business dating"" is so critical to grow an agency. Check out “how to date.”

Robb High has won over $1+ billion in new business while CMO/head of new business for Young & Rubicam and COO at Kirshenbaum & Bond. He is also an agency search consultant who has watched over 150 agencies participate in competitive reviews. Over the past four years he has worked with over 500 small-to-mid-sized MarCom firms of all disciplines to improve the effectiveness of their new business programs. "

Date: Thursday January 13th, 2011 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM
5:30 - 6:00 mix and mingle
6:00 - 7:00 presentation
7:00 - 7:30 mix and mingle

Website: http://www.a2ac.org/v1/events

Contact: Kim Kachadoorian - Ad Club PR - [email protected]