N e w b u s i N e s s : A g u i d e t o l i f e o N t h e f r o N t - l i N e

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Introduction p2

What is the role of new business p3

People and resources p8

Who am I selling to? p15

How can I get into new business p20

The credentials/chemistry meeting p27

The pitch p31

New business glossary p36

Top tips on what makes an agency successful at new business p39

c o n t e n t s

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I n t r o d u c t I o n B Y t H e J o I n t c H A I r s

o F t H e I P A n e W B u s I n e s s G r o u P

New business is rarely predictable. That’s what makes it so brilliant. Whatever the economy,

it’s always been (and always will be) one of the primary concerns of agency management.

It’s how agencies grow, it’s how some become famous, and it’s how clients seek out

a ‘better deal’ when their current relationship has gone a bit sour.

The nature of new business has become more competitive, more hotly contested, often

more convoluted, and probably less profitable than it used to be, which can put pressure

on those on the front-line, especially those in the new business role.

This new guide aims to simplify some of the elements involved in the often weird, wonderful

(and occasionally lonely) ways of new business. It’s been produced by 12 experienced

practitioners from the IPA New Business Group and, it covers a wide range of disciplines

including media, creative, digital and direct marketing.

The eight articles contained in this guide are their personal perspectives covering the

nuts and bolts of the role of new business. It includes tips on how to make new business

successful, plus everything from the credentials meeting, to who you need to know,

to pitching, plus some of the basics like managing tenders - including a glossary of

terms for those who need a little help sorting their PPQs from their PRPs.

It’s intended to whet your appetite and it’s intentionally lighthearted (that’s why we

developed a guide not a book). But if you’re hungry for more, we recommend the

annual IPA training programme – taught by the same group of people across a

two-day intensive programme.

For more information on this please contact training@ipa.co.uk .

In the meantime… happy reading.

H e l l e n W e I s I n G e r – M A r k e t I n G d I r e c t o r o F F A l l o nM A r k r o B I n s o n – M A r k e t I n G d I r e c t o r c s t

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Chapter 1Is it new business, marketing, PR? Scoping out the job spec?

How can you make it easier for yourself?

W H At I s t H e r o l e o F n e W B u s I n e s s ?

B Y P A u l k I r k l e Y , B u s I n e s s d e v e l o P M e n t d I r e c t o r o F J W t

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Paul spent the first 10 years of his career at the Ogilvy Group working

on accounts such as Ford, Siemens, Philips and Boeing. In 1994 he

joined the fledgling creative start-up, BLSW London, where for five

years he ran Mitsubishi Motors, Linda McCartney Foods, Shepherd

Neame and the India Tourist Office. Since joining JWT in 2000, he

has worked on numerous accounts including Jaguar, HSBC, Cadbury

and Shell. He became Business Development Director in 2006.

Paul lives in Muswell Hill with his wife and two young daughters.

P A u l k I r k l e Y

B u s I n e s s d e v e l o P M e n t d I r e c t o r o F J W t

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New business is probably one of the most misunderstood roles within an agency. Often

shrouded in mystery, secrecy and senior management involvement, it can be a strange,

twilight world of all-nighters, late night feasts, arguments, tears and champagne.

Whoever you ask in an agency will have a different view of the role of new business. Winning

pitches; generating leads; getting on pitchlists; marketing the agency; filling out tender

documents; talking to intermediaries. The list is endless. And that is often a daunting

situation to find yourself in.

Personally, I’ve always thought that there was a big clue in the title: new business. Generating

any business that doesn’t exist yet. There. Easy.

Of course, ‘yet’ is the magical word. Believing in the ‘yet’ is what makes a good new business

team a great new business team. Because without this belief, the essential winning passion

is not there.

S c O P I N G O u T T h E r O l E

Working in new business can encompass a wide variety of responsibilities depending on your

level and I’ve listed the main ones here. remember when you are taking on a new business

role to think very carefully about these and avoid taking on too much. Depending on how you

frame your agency and how you and your team approach the ‘not yet’ question will determine

which of these tasks are priorities.

The reality is that the role differs by agency but it’s likely to include a varying amount of

marketing, Pr and specific pitch activity itself.

n e W B u s I n e s s - W H At ’ s I t A l l A B o u t ?

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Some of the key responsibilities include:

M a r k e t i n g

Updating biographies of relevant staff.

keeping credentials up to date.

Updating any agency brochures.

Case histories – identifying and writing.

Organising the most appropriate work to showcase.

Organising and updating showreels.

Website – ensuring this is up to date and reflects the agency. including links/references to your agency.

pages onthird party sites such as the iPa agency List, www.allourbestwork.com, and Brand republic.

P r

Holding regular meetings with account teams to ascertain any Pr opportunities.

Writing press releases; speaking regularly to the trade press; developing press packs;

assembling a Pr book for reception/website.

Developing an agency newsletter; managing the (e)mailing of it.

Monitoring trade press and key nationals.

Updating directories.

Organising any parties/events.

O t H e r r e S P O n S i B i L i t i e S

Writing the new business plan.

Developing a new business strategy, this should address the agency’s positioning,

core proposition and brand identity.

Liaising with intermediaries.

Managing and forecasting the new business budget.

identifying any organic growth opportunities from existing clients of the agency.

new business prospecting.

Managing each pitch process.

Completing and submitting rFis/rFPs/tenders.

arranging/managing pitch feedback sessions.

representing the agency at industry functions

Managing the agency database.

ensuring that all partners (agencies/networks/group companies) are kept

up to date with agency developments.

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M a k i n g i t e a s i e r f o r y o u r s e l f

every agency has a different approach to new business strategy. some people talk of the

‘numbers game’ – the people who believe that the more meetings you have the more you will

convert to happy clients. some people believe in highly targeted approaches of prospects they

genuinely believe they can help.

Whatever your agency thinks, the first thing to do is to be honest about the situation you find

yourself in. identify the strengths and weaknesses of your agency and think hard about how others

(agencies, clients, prospects, the trade press, intermediaries) view it. think about how you can

accentuate your strengths and minimise your weaknesses. in short, identify your credentials.

identify the kind of new business you want. avoid the prospect wishlist. instead look for easier

wins such as new projects from existing clients and prospects who you believe will add value to

your agency. Prospects who build on previous success stories. Prospects you know your agency

would be a good fit with.

Develop your strategy. Decide what you need to do to attract these prospects. Do you need to

revisit your agency’s collateral? your agency’s reel? or do you need a CrM strategy to develop

an ongoing relationship with them in the hope that when they announce they are reviewing your

agency will at least be known to them.

interrogate your Pr and marketing. is your profile as good as it can be? What’s missing? What’s

wrong with it? Develop a strong relationship with your trade press representatives – they can

influence your agency’s profile disproportionately. identify the key people within your agency who

should be building their profile and work with the trade press to help them achieve this.

Create your own content. agencies generate huge amounts of content but rarely exploit it.

in addition to the communications you develop for your agency think about organising events

that prospects would value.

Build relationships with the intermediaries. they are responsible for the majority of the major

account moves and if they don’t know what your agency is doing at the moment neither will

the prospect they are meeting today. remember, people buy people. the more successful

relationships you can build the more likely you are to be successful.

so, there’s no easy single answer to the question, as the new business role differs so much by

agency, and can be characterised by massive highs and soul-sapping lows. However, if you

remember the ‘not yet’ rule i think you’ll go far.

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Chapter 2P e o P l e A n d r e s o u r c e s

B Y l A u r A H o l M e , M A r k e t I n G d I r e c t o r o F d r A F t F c B

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Laura is a native Canadian who got lost after leaving Leicester

University and ended up in London where her career in advertising

began as an account handler. That was almost 20 years ago. In 2001,

she made the move across into new business, and never looked

back (well, maybe once or twice). Since then, her career has been

focused on new business and marketing for a range of agencies

across the communications mix including CDP Advertising, Leo

Burnett, Wunderman and Proximity London, as well as running her own

new business consultancy. She has recently joined Draftfcb as their

Marketing Director where she will be working with the management

team to position Draftfcb in the UK and work with the team to help

grow the agency’s business.

l A u r A H o l M e

M A r k e t I n G d I r e c t o r d r A F t F c B

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You are the person in charge of selling and promoting the agency. It’s simple. You have

two things to promote – the people in the agency, and the work of the agency.

So how to do this? You need to build the new business library or armoury to provide you

with content for written responses for RFIs, think pieces, press releases etc, so that you are

familiar with the agency in order to give it an ‘elevator sell’ to everyone you encounter whether

it is a new business intermediary, a potential prospect at a seminar, or a journalist during your

weekly phone call with them. You should also keep your agency credentials, brochure, and

website as up-to-date as possible.

Creating your armoury or toolkit, and keeping it as up-to-date will make life so much easier

for you; it will ensure you are able to produce the most relevant and powerful responses

and presentations, and will enhance your reputation within the agency. If you are asking for

information twice, and always making last minute requests, the already fragile reputation of

a new business person will be damaged (thus making life even more difficult for you!).

s o n o W Y o u k n o W W H At Y o u r o l e e n tA I l s

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w h at a r e t h e b u i l d i n g b l o c k s o f t h i s n e w b u s i n e s s

l i b r a r y ?

Agency philosophy and USP – positioning statement, five points of pride,

what makes your agency stand out against the competition?

Clients – top 10 clients, value of accounts, tenure, scope of work.

Processes – how your agency works, systems and methodology, quality management.

Tools – a list and description of your proprietary research, planning,

information and measurement tools.

Financial information – statutory accounts, turnover, company registration,

registered address, Vat registration etc.

Awards and accolades – set these out in a table detailing the past three years , include both

creative and effectiveness awards.

Policies – health & safety, disaster recovery, csr/environmental, equal opportunities.

Agency partners for complementary disciplines- who and how you work with them on client

business. (Quite often, clients will want to know that you can collaborate well with other agencies

so could ask for detailed examples of these working relationships.)

Case studies – short-hand versions in PowerPoint to cover background and challenge, strategy

solutions, creative and results, as well as word versions so you have a narrative description.

People – biographies, cVs and pictures of key personnel. at a basic level standard version

biogs and cVs. then develop a bespoke template with a bit of personality with details of people’s

greatest personal and business achievements, interests and hobbies.

Experience database – details of key personnel and their sector and brand experience. a lot

of rfis ask for both the agency’s experience as well as individual’s experience within a sector. in

addition to being able to populate this section, it also allows you to select the most appropriate team

for a pitch.

all of this is standard information, which you should have at your fingertips. Please refer to the iPa

industry accredited standardised request for information (rfi) template at www.ipa.co.uk, and

use this to gather together the necessary details.

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w h o a r e g o i n g t o b e t h e k e y p e o p l e w i t h i n y o u r a g e n c y

w h o c a n h e l p y o u w i t h t h i s ?

your CFO or Financial Controller can help you pull together not only the basic financial

information but you can engage them at the early stages of a pitch to develop a relationship with the

procurement client, and develop a commercial proposal including the agency’s preferred contract

terms. with an increasing emphasis on the commercial aspects of a pitch, it makes sense to involve

these guys early on with your plans. nb: if they are aware of pitch activity, you can then have a

sensible discussion about pitch requirements and budgets.

your friendly HR or Facilities team can help you with pulling together the necessary policy

information you need for rFis, and if your aspirations are for public sector or government work,

then you may want them to work with you to gain iso14001(the internationally accepted standard

that enables companies to reduce their environmental impact, whilst maintaining profitability).

your Head of Creative Services is a handy person to have on side for those more detailed

proposals which will need to include production processes and timing plans.

Client Services Directors or Managing Partners are the key to unlocking those very precious

campaign case studies. set aside a fortnightly meeting with them to talk about upcoming

campaigns (to pr), in order to write up case studies. these are key to making sure you have

the most relevant work to share when a request for credentials or an rFi comes up.

For regional and international pitches, make sure you have a friend in new business for EMEA

and from your HQ to gain facts, figures and case studies. or if your organisation doesn’t have

these people, then make sure you know your counterparts in key markets.

and last, but certainly not least, in this world of very healthy competition, nothing differentiates you

more, or impresses a client more than a poV or think piece on the issues in that client’s sector.

it’s fairly impossible to predict the future so you are unlikely to have an off-the-shelf opinion or write

about for every possible industry sector, so make sure you have a very good relationship with your

Head of Planning, or a Senior Planner who you can call upon to turn around a miracle in a

short period of time.

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w h at s h o u l d y o u u p d at e r e g u l a r ly ?

agency credentials (with up-to-date stats, accolades, key biographies and case studies).

Consultants’ overview forms – make sure you are maximising your chances with the new business

intermediaries by updating your profile forms and showcases.

agency showreel (with the latest and greatest work).

all our Best work website at www.allourbestwork.com this site can be also accessed from both

the Ipa and Marketing society websites and is regularly promoted by the Ipa.

aar reel (review this at regular intervals if there are personnel changes, or out-of-date work, or if

the aar advise you that it is no longer performing well).

agency brochure (again, you’ll know when it no longer reflects the best the agency has to offer).

website (review monthly to update case studies, add news, new clients etc).

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w h at p l a n s , a n d r e p o r t s d o y o u n e e d t o c o m p i l e ?

weekly status report and calendar – it is good to keep management up to date with all of your activities.

not only is it a good discipline to make sure all of the plates are spinning, but it’s good to have visibility

of your activities with senior management. consider organising into sections of rFis/rFps, credentials/

chemistry stage, pitch, prospects, pr, collateral, consultants’ activity.

annual report – it is definitely a good idea to keep tabs of every single new business opportunity

that comes into the building or your inbox. capture the source of the opportunity, the names of the

personnel (for your database), what stage you got to, and the narrative. you can use this to populate

your database, and also measure your new business performance between stages.

marketing strategy and plan – a detailed document should be developed, shared and approved by the

senior management so that you have buy-in to all of your activities. this template will provide the right

direction for the year. it will also allow you to develop a detailed annual budget allocating the right

proportions to each area. For some agencies, there may be more of a focus on reputation management

so more will need to be spent on entering awards, generating pr coverage, and for others, it will be

about generating leads with more emphasis on subscriptions and marketing to the new business

intermediaries, and a heavy prospecting programme.

now that you have got yourself set up, organised and prepared, give yourself a large pat on the back

and remind yourself to keep things lively and as up-to-date as possible.

now you are ready to hunt and gather.

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Chapter 3W H o A M I s e l l I n G t o ?

B Y J u l I e M c k e e n , G r o u P M A r k e t I n G d I r e c t o r o F t B W A u k G r o u P

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Julie is Group Marketing Director of TBWA\, encompassing the

marketing efforts of TBWA\, TEQUILA\, Agency.com, Staniforth PR

and STREAM; their brand entertainment agency. Named a ‘Face to

Watch’ by Campaign, Julie started her career as a trainee graduate

at Grey in 1997, before moving to DDB London in 1999. There

she worked on a range of accounts including Sony, The Guardian,

Unilever, and Johnson & Johnson, moving four years later to LoWE

London. As Group Head at LoWE, amongst many pitches she ran

Unilever’s European personal care and foods businesses before

being lured full-time to the dark arts of new business by TBWA\.

Julie was educated in the UK, France and the US and graduated

from Sheffield University with a First Class Double Honours degree in

French and English Literature. She lives in London with her husband

and son, Alfie.

J u l I e M c k e e n

G r o u P M A r k e t I n G d I r e c t o r o F t B W A u k G r o u P

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The short answer to this question is everyone. The skill of a good new business person is to

always be selling, but in such a way that the recipient of this sell is none the wiser that they’ve

been sold to, walking away with simply a better understanding of the agency, its work, people

and culture.

However, as my media planning brethren will tell me, ‘the world’ isn’t a helpful target audience

to aim for, so for the purposes of this essay I’ll try to focus on the people who really count in

converting your natural charms into hard cash for the agency and, ultimately, to you.

We’ll start with the obvious one: existing clients. Obvious, but often overlooked and I’ll admit

to a good deal of overlooking here myself. Our clients are forming an opinion of our agencies

every day, every single time they come into contact with us. But that barrage of contact can

become routine when the key team are wrestling over an endline or the layout of a press ad

or costings on a media schedule.

The trick for a new business person when considering utilising our existing clients is to

educate, interest and hopefully entertain them. Let’s be honest - there’s a relatively small pool

of good, senior clients out there and they’ll make their way around a number of big important

campanies and brands in their careers. How many times have we heard that a pitch is going

to be a stitch-up because a newly-ensconced client has called a review which everyone

knows is going to land in the lap of their previous agency (or even the one before if they’ve

been really smart)?

So consider your existing client base as a bedrock target for your activities - just enough

information to be useful and even entertaining, but not enough to be annoying. New

campaigns you’ve launched - from the global network not just your agency; well-packaged

case studies; speakers and events; think pieces or published books and articles; and even

news of key hirings. Don’t expect the account handlers to remember to do this - they’re mired

in the everyday and frankly will thank you more if you package up agency news in interesting

bite-sized chunks for them to share with clients of all levels. You’ll make them look good, and

in return the agency will shine. You never know, it might even make the work better - seeing

something brave and fantastic from another of the agency’s clients can have a startling effect

on a risk-averse traditional marketer.

W H o A M I s e l l I n G t o ?

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The contact with clients shouldn’t end there; don’t let them moving home result in a lost relationship. Past

client relationships – both of individuals and of companies – can be a good source of growth too. Maintain

your lists and try to keep them tied to the apron strings as long as possible whether they’ve moved their

account away from you or the individuals have moved on to another company. Either way, perseverance

might just pay off and those people might shift from the ‘maintain’ list to ‘pursue as a live prospect’ list

quicker than you think.

I need hardly tell you that prospective clients are part of the deal when you’re wondering who you are

selling to in the new business role. They don’t want a cold call, nor do they want an elaborate studio-job

landing on their desk with some obtuse pun linking the name of their brand with what you can do with it.

Take it from me, there are a whole bunch of print services companies and conference venues who’ll do

this at least as well and land on your prospect’s desk relentlessly alongside your DM venture, morning and

night. Apply the same principles as those for clients or indeed anyone: is it useful? Is it interesting? Is it

entertaining? It doesn’t have to be all three, but two is a good start! It goes without saying that in order to

be able to answer that question, you need to have done your homework on what’s keeping that particular

prospect awake at night, and if you haven’t, don’t guess at it - no opinion on your agency is a better

starting point than a bad opinion of you.

Now, let’s move onto that thorniest of all relationships to bottom out - the press. Journalists are not to be

feared but to be embraced by the new business person. They are frequently a source of leads and gossip,

and chances are they’re usually right. They can, however, smell the pungent essence of manure from a

thousand country miles away, so think very carefully before spinning them a yarn. It’s worth also saying

that in most agencies of all descriptions, those at the very top of the tree love nothing more than a cheeky

off-the-record word in the ear to the marketing press, which frankly they might not get round to telling you

about (or decide explicitly not to).

So if there’s an innocent-looking phone number popping up on your screen and a familiar voice asks you if

rumours that you’ve lost Acme Products’ account or your Creative Director has flounced out dramatically

declaring himself never to return to the money-grabbing world of advertising, take heart and take a breath

- it’s absolutely fine to tell them you’ll call them back, talk to the right people and get the story straight.

But honestly - if it’s true - you’d be well advised to confirm it. They’ll be much kinder on you if you let them

break it than if you deny it to the high heavens for the official line to appear first in their rival magazine a

day later.

It goes without saying, however, that tricky situations like either of those cited above are considerably

more easily handled if you’ve built up a good relationship with your press contacts to start with. Even if

you have a separate PR function, it is worth you having a weekly catch up with the main titles about new

business, taking them out to lunch and talking them through some of the wider themes of your agency’s

output and opinions in environments where they feel less ‘sold to’ than when the PR person (or you!) is

sending specific mail packs with quotes and jargon writ large. Journalists on the whole love a good gossip

and it’s tit for tat - don’t sell your best mate down the river when they’ve got a confidential new job, but use

your nous to become another ‘ear on the ground’ for them and you will be rewarded with pitch tip-offs from

time to time.

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Think about how you can help them write interesting articles too. Is there a piece of new creative

work (or which is actually a few months old but has a results-driven story to it), which you could

help them tie together with campaigns from other agencies, or a trend in the market to write an

opinion piece? Are there specific areas they’re interested in which you have staff who could

help them to look good, emerging technologies, data or trendspotters for example? Really

understanding what makes each journalist tick and what makes him or her look good will inform

your strategy for targeting them more efficiently.

Thirdly, (and unjustly posited here I must admit) there are the various intermediaries / pitch

consultants. There are a number of these companies you’ll come into contact with and details

of them are found in the appendix of this guide. Intermediaries are employed by clients looking

to review their agency arrangements - assessing and improving them, or more interestingly for you

in new business, helping them through the pitch process and selecting a new agency partner.

Relationships with intermediaries vary depending on which sector of the marketing mix you

represent but it’s possible for 60 per cent of your pitch opportunities to come through these guys

so getting to know them personally is critical, as is helping to build up such a compelling story with

them that if asked off the cuff by a client what your agency does or represents, it will spill out of

them as if you had written the press release yourself. Needless to say, the same thinking applies

here in terms of what you share with them - new work, new thinking, new news and sometimes just

a chat about the market and what’s going on. Always invite intermediaries (as per journalists, not

necessarily all at the same time mind you) to events where you have interesting speakers, or even

just a pub quiz or a band night where they can get to know the key people at your agency in a less

‘salesy’ environment.

A final audience to bear in mind: your staff. You might have 300 people - more if you include your

global network - who are out in the pub every week (often more!) talking to clients, mates in other

agencies or in related fields about their week at work. Try to keep them updated with what’s going

on, or force your management team to do so, and make it easy for them to sell you. If you’re part

of a network, make your local agency the jewel in the crown and your bosses will thank you for

making them look good.

So to sum up, clients, former clients, prospective clients, journalists, intermediaries and staff are

all influencers in how people view the culture and utility of your agency. Use them well and be

reciprocal. Moreover, if you can’t hand on heart say that whatever piece of work or information you

were about to give them ticks at least two of the useful, interesting and entertaining boxes, just

don’t tell them. Go make something that is.

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Chapter 4H o W c A n I G e t n e W B u s I n e s s ?

B Y r o B I n B o n n , M A r k e t I n G & s A l e s M A n A G e r o F r A P P

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After a successful but dull stint selling computers, Rob joined the

marketing community as Sales Director for a new-media start-up,

winning new business from the likes of Sony Playstation, DEFRA and

the V&A Museum. After the agency succumbed to the burst of the

dotcom bubble, he became New Business Manager at the marketing

communications agency Clear, where he helped the agency build

relationships with clients including VisitBritain, Philips and L’Oréal.

Seeking pastures new, Rob then moved on to direct marketing

independent Hicklin Slade & Partners as New Business Director

with a brief to formalise their new business process and help grow

the agency. He helped them pick up new business from clients such

as Norwich & Peterborough Building Society and P&O Cruises,

gain further revenue from existing clients such as Diageo, and also

increase their success rate of getting on major pitchlists. In 2007 Rob

moved to RAPP as their Marketing & Sales Manager, reporting into

the Global Marketing Director for RAPP Worldwide. He has helped

them secure accounts from clients including AIG, Eurostar, UNICEF,

Skype and Viagra. He lives in sleepy Dorking with his wife, daughter

and two cats.

r o B I n B o n n

M A r k e t I n G & s A l e s M A n A G e r , r A P P

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If you’re a millionaire, you can stroll into a travel agent and choose whatever exotic, glamorous

and wonderful holiday you please. There’s none of the saving up, researching and compromising

that the rest of us have to do. And finding new business opportunities is no different.

Yes, it would be great if pitches grew on trees and we could pick and choose the ones we

want, but where’s the fun in that? The chase makes it more worthwhile, right? Er… possibly.

Anyway, unless you’re fleetingly the hottest agency in town on the hottest of hot streaks, finding

opportunities takes a fair bit of work.

Here are a few guiding principles to help you get on more pitchlists, manage expectations and

generally keep your pecker up while you’re at it.

I T ’ s A T o u g H g I g

In such an over supplied market, lead generation and the completion of RFIs, tenders, proposals

etc is a highly competitive game. All agencies should appreciate that even getting to a shortlist is

a major triumph.

The phrase ‘lead generation’ mostly conjures up thoughts of unproductive cold calls, generic

and unsolicited mailshots, and countless untargeted emails clogging up the world’s inboxes.

And that’s just the client’s perspective.

This is what you’re up against. Clients who’ve never met you already hate you. Anything you say

they’ve probably heard before. And they’re unlikely to be in the market right now. oh, and your

agency CEo doesn’t care about any of these barriers to success.

The situation’s not much better when you’re completing an RFI. Although the client has actually

requested your epic submission, never forget that he or she is wading through a deep pile of

them. At this stage, the deadline is approaching fast, the day job is calling and s/he’s literally

gagging for a reason to bin your effort. so no pressure then.

so from this cheery assessment – if you’re still reading – the only way is up right? That’s the spirit!

H o W c A n I G e t n e W B u s I n e s s ?

23

T h e s e c r e T o f s u c c e s s

The central principle in unearthing opportunities is empathy. success comes from understanding

the mindset of the people you’re addressing; when to approach them, when to wax lyrical and

when to shut up and listen. The name of the game is getting people onside, or avoiding getting

hung up on, or binned.

Most people hate cold calling. And with good reason. It can be like pulling teeth – for both parties.

But by genuinely appreciating the client’s mindset, you can make calling work. By preparing well,

listening a lot and hardly talking at all, it’s possible to make great connections on the phone.

But forget that sales blather, remember you’re an equal (servility just embarrasses clients), and

acknowledge that, yes, this is a cold call. how can you frame your call as a benefit. Do you have

something of genuine interest to share? or maybe your call is saving them time in future (a great

one for PAs) as it will avoid you posting yet another unsolicited agency credentials pack.

It’s the same for letters/packs and emails (or events, or whatever else). Never forget that everything you

say needs to have a directly relevant benefit. And relevance comes in many forms – from experience

(this means audience and task, not just sector), to timing (e.g. recently joined, a law change, competitor

activity, share price), to basic good practice (right message, right person, right role).

Whatever you write, make every word work for you. Make one point and make it well. If you were

getting 20 plus letters a day, you’d appreciate people doing their homework and then getting to

the point, right? clients want to read about themselves, not your agency. A useful exercise is to

aim for four times more ‘you’s and ‘your’s then ‘I’s and ‘we’s.

When it comes to rfIs, empathy’s still crucial. Generally the client is desperate to find a reason

– any reason – to bin you and get closer to a shortlist. so give them something easy to read, not

haughty claims or dull business jargon. have a clear point of difference. show a bit of love, care

and effort. And relevance. Detail is everything. If you want to avoid a fast-track to the bin, don’t cut

and paste or include untailored content. And always proofread obsessively.

24

K e e p i t r e a l i s t i c

alongside empathy, realism is also your friend. Good new biz people know when to be the eternal

optimist, and when to be pragmatic. a healthy dose of sensible expectations goes a long way.

aside from appreciating what represents a useful return from your efforts, remember that you can’t

win a pitch at this stage (but you can miss getting on it), you can’t sell to someone who isn’t in the

market, and busy people don’t want to stop and chat – regardless of how fast you can talk.

a letter or email is normally a door opener, not a meeting getter. if 10 percent of people you follow

up with actually remember getting it, you’re not doing badly. and as for cold calling, yes, talking

your way onto a long list is great, so is arranging a hot meeting around a real, specific need. But

these are the exceptions. Your main aim is simply to agree to speak again. that’s it. clients are

hardly ever in the market, so your job is to be in the right place when they do.

remember that clients are busy people – the tone of their greeting tells you when they’ve no time

to spare. so don’t just plough on; acknowledge it and agree a better time. they’ll appreciate it. and

that makes it a very successful call. always remember that it’s only over time you earn the right to

gently probe and diagnose issues. interrogating like the Gestapo on a first call is just plain rude.

Your rFi responses also benefit from a healthy dose of realism. clients are rightly cynical, so don’t

take liberties. Buzzwords are annoying, superlatives are laughable and unsubstantiated claims are

meaningless. answer the question in the first paragraph. then if the client actually wants to do

more than scan, tick a box and move on, then he or she can do so.

also bear in mind that doing rFis well takes time and skill. so make sure you share the load. Get

people used to contributing and make them feel valued. and file every single detail away, these are

your raw materials for next time.

25

P e r s o n a l i t y g o e s a l o n g w ay

the last driver of success in finding new business opportunities is personality. samuel l. Jackson’s

character in Pulp Fiction was right – personality does go a long way. the people you contact,

especially on the phone, probably won’t remember your agency name. they’re unlikely to remember

much of an introductory chat. and it’s doubtful they’ll remember your highly nuanced, finely crafted

agency proposition.

But if you come across (in print or in person) as, how to put this delicately, a bit of a plum, clients

become like elephants – you get hard-wired into their memory banks, put on their lifelong blacklist;

readily accessed as a toxic anecdote that starts “you’ll never believe what this agency idiot said to

me the other day…”

especially on the phone, get your cheerful, breezy personality across; that’s what they’ll warm to,

not a long-winded explanation of your agency and its experience, followed by a random question

about whether they might like to meet. think of it as the speediest speed date ever; you’re not

looking for marriage or even a definite date. it’s all about first impressions and getting enough

credit in the bank to avoid being immediately discounted. sure, it won’t work all the time and

you’ll come across some grumpy people, but you can’t win them all, nor should you aim to.

once again, the importance of personality also holds true for rFis. a bit of human warmth eases

the pain for a client reading 20 similar submissions at 9pm, with a cold pizza next to them and an

irritated other half at home. the right tone can be hard to define, but getting a sense of your agency

across, as well as reflecting something of the client business, means you stand out, and it helps

avoid getting the elbow. it’s the same with look and feel. Unless your submission looks as beautiful

as your wedding album, other agencies will be ahead of you.

26

L e t ’ s g e t c r a c k i n g t h e n

so there you have it. not a how-to guide as such, but hopefully some useful thoughts on the

right sort of mindset to make your life easier when getting your agency onto the client’s radar

and ultimately a shortlist. When you’re finding and developing opportunities, enjoying doing it

and avoiding the pitfalls will help you fill the pipeline, keep your ceO happy and make some

lasting client contacts along the way. and who wouldn’t want all that?

empathy gets you heard. realism keeps everyone’s spirits up. and using your personality gets

you remembered and makes you feel valued and effective. Detail is everything.

You won’t get it right every time. no one does. But think about whether you actually got it wrong,

or was it just not your day? Be brutally honest with yourself, get a second opinion and don’t assume

that something that did or didn’t work this time will or won’t work next time. in the long run, your

intuition will be right more often than not.

rFi/rFPs and lead generations are two of the most challenging but essential parts of the new

business process. if you’re an expert and can get results in each of these disciplines, you’ll be

worth your weight in gold. and assuming that driving the growth of your agency gets you out

of bed in the morning, you can learn to love them both.

27

Chapter 5t H e c r e d e n t I A l s / c H e M I s t r Y M e e t I n G

B Y H e l e n W e I s e n G e r , M A r k e t I n G d I r e c t o r o F F A l l o n

28

Helen started her career in media, working for HTV as Sales and

Marketing Executive for Wales and the West Country. She switched to

agency side and joined Saatchi & Saatchi in Dubai where she worked

on British Airways and Xerox. An opportunity arose for Helen to swap

continents and move to Saatchi & Saatchi New York where her clients

were Delta Air Lines, Bell Atlantic and General Mills. In 1998, Helen

moved back to the UK and has been New Business Director at DKLW

and TBWA\London. In March 2003, Helen joined Fallon as Marketing

Director. Helen is married with three children.

H e l e n W e I s I n G e r

M A r k e t I n G d I r e c t o r o F F A l l o n

29

Hoorah, you can utter those words every agency CEO loves to hear, “We’ve got a chemistry meeting”.

You get a whole minute to bathe in the glory of his/her praise and then back to reality, time to crack on

and figure out what to do and say.

Remember that old adage “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” well, the creds

meeting is the same. It’s the first date. Just like when you are in the market for a new relationship, it needs

careful thought and planning but enough with the analogies.

S t E p O n E

Be organised. Who is coming in? What do they know about us? What should we tell them? How is

their business doing? What’s working for them, what isn’t? What (professionally) is keeping them up at

night? Who should attend from the agency? All these questions (and more) need careful thought and

interrogation. Stare at them hard.

If you’re dealing with a consultant then make sure you find out as much as possible from them to help you

put your best foot forward. If you have been dealing directly with the client, don’t be afraid to ask them.

It will make for a better meeting. As my father used to say, remember the five ps – proper preparation

prevents poor performance – so do your homework.

the more you understand them as people, and their business, the better equipped you are to assemble

the proposed agency team. pick people you believe the client will empathise with, pick people with

relevant experience. Don’t just select the people who are available but make sure that you pick the right

people – it sounds obvious I know, but pick the people who will see it through to pitch (if you get through

and even beyond). And make sure everyone knows who is doing/saying what. Don’t kill the meeting with

people overload. Fewer people make for a better meeting. Everyone needs a role if they are you going to

be in the meeting. If they don’t have one, ship them out.

Ensure everyone knows what is expected of them ahead of that meeting. As you would with

a pitch, rehearse.

Give them a point of view. You won’t be expected to get it right, after all you barely know their business

but you’ll get points for giving it a go and anyway, it forms the basis of a good discussion.

t H e c r e d e n t I A l s / c H e M I s t r Y M e e t I n G

30

S o t h e b i g d ay h a S c o m e

Remember while you’re busy thinking about the big stuff, make sure you don’t forget the little stuff. it’s basic

manners really but don’t keep the client waiting in reception too long, make sure reception is briefed and the

entrance is clean/tidy. make sure the technology is working.

be interested in your ‘date’, ask lots of questions. get them to talk about themselves and their issues. don’t

talk about yourself too much as it’s never attractive. you’re there to win their hearts. make them fall in love

with you and become nicely obsessed. they are doing this with probably about five other agencies and you’ve

got a 50/50 chance of getting knocked out, so don’t blow it. clients are always looking for reasons

to exclude rather than include you on their short list.

Finally, check where the client is going next and when so you can offer to book their cab.

Now, all that said, there is one thing that is really important. While you’re busy impressing them, they also

need to put their best foot forward. this should be a meeting of minds, you are testing them as much as they

are you. can we work together? is this the sort of client that we want? Would we be proud to have them on

our client list? Will we make any money out of them? do we actually like each other? if no, don’t be afraid

to bail. Spending money and time pitching for something you’re not that bothered about is exhausting and

demotivating for everyone. and expensive.

W h at N e x t ?

So a bit like the x Factor, you’ve made it to the live show but are you going to get to the next round. are you

through to pitch? did they pick us?

beyond the ‘yes’ you are hoping to hear, remember to ask for feedback from the consultants, or if there isn’t

one, directly from the client. good or bad, remember to ask what you did well and what you didn’t – it will help

you in the next round. every opportunity with a client is an opportunity to impress. clients will like that you’ve

asked the hard questions as well as the easy ones.

have broad shoulders and be truthful to the team. it’s better to hurt people’s feelings and give them the

praise when you win it.

Finally, remember the iPa is there to help. yes, with all the obvious stuff like the information centre and

legal services but also if a client is not playing fair and has too many agencies on a pitch list (three plus the

incumbent is the rule). Let them know and the director general hamish Pringle will contact them and (nicely)

explain to them the pitch protocol. he’s our very own big brother and he is watching.

above all, remember to enjoy it.

31

Chapter 6t H e P I t c H

B Y M A r k r o B I n s o n , M A r k e t I n G d I r e c t o r o F c H I c k s M I t H t r o t t

32

Mark enjoys a portfolio career. For the last three years he has been

Marketing Director of media agency Maxus. He is also Marketing

Director of CST and, up to the end of 2008 had ran marketing and

new business at Albion for two years. Having spent many years in

advertising with agencies as diverse as CDP, EuroRSCG, Bates

and Publicis, Mark moved to JWT as their first Marketing Director in

1994 and remained there for seven years. Over recent years he has

held the position of Chairman of NABS and has Chaired several IPA

courses - including Stage 1 and Stage 3 and the IPA 44 Club. He is

a Fellow of the IPA. In 1999 Mark left JWT to enter the world of film

marketing and sponsored programming, joining Picture Production

Company. He also took on the role of Chairman of Beatwax, a

brands and entertainment company, following its acquisition by

PPC. In 2005 Mark moved into media, becoming Global Marketing

Head of Vizeum. Mark sits on the IPA New Business Directors

Committee. He is also on the Development Board of the Royal

Court Theatre. He is the Founder of Prison Radio in the UK and a

trustee of Prison Radio Association.

M A r k r o B I n s o n

M A r k e t I n G d I r e c t o r c s t

33

The funny thing about a pitch is that it’s only partly about the pitch itself. It starts as soon as

you get on the shortlist and it ends when the winner is appointed. Everything you do from

the factory visit to the tissue meeting contributes to the success of the pitch. And the pitch

certainly doesn’t end with the pitch.

All of which is both good and bad.

What is for sure, is that you should be very aware of the process from the outset. And to

make sure that everyone else is too, you should be very organised. And that means doing all

the practical things like writing a timing plan, booking rooms, working out optimum ways and

times of contacting clients, down to where is the best place to get pizza in the middle of the

night, but most of all it means that you need to create a team.

Because it is only as a team you will win the business. No matter how important one key

member of the team is, that’s ultimately what he or she is, one member of the team.

So let’s look at some of the basics of pitching in an orderly fashion. Getting organised

means first of all getting the right team in place. Checking they have all got the time and the

inclination. If there is one thing I have found it’s that generally people are enthusiastic about

being on a pitch team. And so they should be. It’s what it’s all about, the adrenalin of the

agency, the lifeblood of the place.

So once your team is in place, what next? We just mentioned a timing plan. But the first bit

of that plan should be your own time. You won’t be getting up to much socially for a while, so

clear the decks, let people know not to hold any surprise parties for you and only then start

organising the time of others.

Working back from the pitch date put in all the dates from rehearsals to getting the brief in, to

doing the filmed chats on the street, to getting your new outfit. Deep down you know it will be

a rush at the end but there is no excuse for thinking that at this stage. Make sure everything

has a time and a place. That way you will avoid hasty changes and have plenty of time to plan

those nice little touches. It’s no good saying “Oh we don’t have enough time for this.” The time

you have is the time you have to work with, so you just have to manage.

t H e P I t c H

34

One key element is to know who you are talking to. Who are you pitching to?

Will they like a bit of pitch theatre for example? Will they want to be wined and dined along the way?

Getting it wrong can be very bad indeed. One rather po-faced airline client walked in to the reception

of an agency pitching for their business and not even a half smile cracked their lips as they saw the two

receptionists done up as airline crew. Yet others love something that adds to the occasion. The detergent

client where the agency had turned the car park into a series of rooms and the client was walked from one

to the other, each room introducing a new thought and maybe a new member of the team. Even Sir Martin

Sorrell was in the living room to show Group commitment. Maybe you don’t have a handy car park and not

that many agencies have Martin Sorrell, but getting it right can pay off well.

All too often during pitches agencies get forgetful of what the pitch was about in the first place. How at

the start they got the client brief and moved on from there. But along the way they maybe forget some

key elements of the brief. Like we want a poster. Or make sure you include a plan for radio. Or the client

stressed the importance of his own staff being on board with the idea. It’s your job to bring people back

in line. To re-focus on the brief. And to keep going back to the brief and checking that the brief is being

answered. Ultimately there will be several ways to solve the client’s problem. Just remember that you are

offering up at least one of them.

In the pitch process, it may not come naturally to you, but you may well have to be ruthless. Ruthless about

people, things, times. You may have to be firm to say stop doing that and move on to this. You may have to

get rid of someone on the team who can’t present to save their lives.

Maybe change rooms at the last moment. I told one MD she was going on too long. She didn’t like that,

saying “But they need to hear it”. They don’t if you have bored them to sleep or it means that a colleague

can’t do their part of the presentation. Some things just have to be said.

Practice makes perfect. Well it makes it a lot better anyway. Make sure you schedule in plenty of time for

both a run through and a full length rehearsal. Some people proudly say “Oh, I don’t rehearse”. More fool

them and even worse they are letting down the whole team. These days invariably there is a time length

stipulated on a presentation. Rehearse and you will know if you are coming in on time. Fail to rehearse and

you will overrun, upset your client and not win the business.

Along with rehearsing it’s often a good idea to get an outsider to take a look at your presentation. You

will have been so immersed in the whole thing you may be too close to be able to offer an unbiased view.

These days the world and its mother are calling him or herself a pitch doctor or a pitch coach. Usually

blogging about it. Always negotiable. Certainly not hard to find.

And so, you have reached the actual pitch. Hopefully along the way you have got to know your potential

client pretty well, got a thorough understanding of their business, shared lots with them along the way so

that the client team will feel they have put something of themselves into your work. And bear in mind too

that a pitch is just as stressful for a client as it is for an agency. Maybe more so. Do appreciate though it’s

their brief, the client team hasn’t spent the previous few weeks obsessing about it like the agency has.

35

And you, in the meantime, will be attempting to give the perfect presentation. Pitch perfection

is difficult but there is no reason why you can’t come pretty close to it.

After all, the rewards for winning can be huge. It’s certainly worth the effort.

And to make that pitch perfect don’t forget that you in your new business role can add all sorts

of little things. Years ago I remember, at Saatchi’s, the new business guy rushing out of the

gents with his marigolds on. Last minute clean of the loos. Well yes that is a bit extreme but all

part of making sure everything you can affect will you make better.

And then you get to the end of the pitch and just as everyone heaves a sigh of relief and talks

of going off down the pub and an early night, your work has only just begun. Think about what

you can send as a follow up. And I mean beyond the Jane Austen heroine’s thank you so much

for coming in to see us. Pick up on points made in the meeting. Send them stuff, memories of

the pitch. Find a way of reinforcing info that maybe you felt didn’t get covered off sufficiently.

Respond to any buying signals. Most importantly, keep in touch. Don’t let them go away with

any misconceptions. And don’t let them forget about you during the next two presentations they

see, where someone else is working just as hard as you to do a great job. Stand out from the

crowd. And win the business.

And don’t be disheartened. Keep going. If you don’t win the business you are the best informed

agency on that sector, so go for their competitors. Turn it into a more general presentation and

hold a breakfast for potential clients. Get it published as a feature in the trade press.

And don’t let go of the client.

Clients have a habit of turning up elsewhere. Or staying put and remembering you. And then

you can go through the whole thing all over again.

36

AAI – Agency Assessments International, intermediary.

AAR – intermediary.

Adforum - online intermediary which serves mainly other intermediaries.

AI - Agency Insight, intermediary.

AMMO - new business intelligence/info provider.

APA - Association of Publishing Agencies, trade body.

ASAP – the lowest urgency level in new-business: no deadline? Bottom of the to-do list.

ATL - above the line, aka traditional advertising.

Beauty parade – aka competitive pitch process.

Billets – media monitoring and repository of marketing communications.

Billets Haystack – media agency selection and management intermediary.

BIMA - British Interactive Media Association, trade body.

BrandIQ - new business intelligence/info provider.

BTL – below the line, aka direct marketing/sales promotion.

Casting - deciding on the best people to comprise a pitch team.

Chemistry meeting - early face-to-face discussion with client to discuss their brief.

CIM- Chartered Institute of Marketing: educational body.

CIPS - Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, procurement trade body.

COI - Central Office of Information: agency which acts for Government departments.

COMPAG - Communications Procurement Action Group, purchasing division of ISBA.

Consultants - aka intermediaries.

Creativebrief - intermediary.

n e W B u s I n e s s G l o s s A r Y

37

Creds - document of agency’s credentials.

Creds meeting - initial meet and greet with client to introduce agency.

CRM – customer relationship management.

DM – Direct Marketing.

DMA – Direct Marketing Association, trade body.eCRM – digital CRM.

Genesis – new business intelligence/info provider.

Haystack - intermediary.

IAB – Internet Advertising Bureau, trade body.

IDM – Institute of Direct Marketing, provides DM training.

Ingenuity – new business agency.

Integrated – creative and media; online and offline; advertising and direct marketing; or all or none of these.

Intermediaries – aka consultants, help match clients with agencies and run pitches. Be nice to them.

IPA – Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, agency trade body and professional institute.

ISBA – Incorporated Society of British Advertisers, client trade body that advises members on agencies.

ITT – invitation to tender.

JFDI – new business training company LLQ - long list questionnaire.

Man-marking — catering for each member of the client team during a pitch.

Marketing Society – membership organisation for senior marketers.

Matchmakers – see intermediaries.

MCCA – Marketing Communications Consultants Association, trade body.

MMS – Media Monitoring Service.

NABS – charity for marketing communications professionals.

NDA – Non-disclosure agreement.

New Business Manager – web-based new-business database and info provider.

NMA – New Media Age, digital publication.

Observatory – intermediary.

OJEC – Official Journal of the European Community.

OJEU – Official Journal of the European Union, source of public tenders.

38

Organic pitch – agency selection process for an existing client.

Oystercatchers – intermediary.

PBR – Payment By Results, aka PRP.

PDQ – pretty damn quick!.Pearlfinders – new business intelligence/info provider.

Pipeline – document showing upcoming opportunities.

Pitch – agency selection process or the final presentation itself.

PPA – Periodical Publishers’ Association.

PQQ – Pre-Qualification Questionnaire, typical first step in tender process.

Procurement – client department typically responsible for commercial agreements.

PRP – Performance Related Pay.

Rainmaker – new business agency.

RD2 – intermediary.

Reel – selection of best creative work, typically TV commercials. Often includes agency ‘talking heads’.

Review – the agency re-appraisal and selection process.

RFC – Request for Credentials.

RFI – Request for Information see the IPA/ISBA standardised format:http://www.ipa.co.uk/Content/Request-for-Information-RFI-template.

RFP – Request for Proposal.

RSW – Reardon Smith Whittaker, new business agency.

Salesforce.com – database package.

Showreel – see Reel.

SP – Sales Promotion.

Tender – aka a proposal or submission (or verb, to propose or submit).

Thomson Intermedia – media information, now part of Billets.

Tissue meeting – client meeting during a pitch process to discuss initial solutions.

TTL – through the line, traditionally this is above and below the line marketing combined.

WACL – Women in Advertising and Communications London, group for communications industry women.

For a full list of all the agencies in IPA membership see the IPA Agency List: http://www.ipa.co.uk/AgencyList.aspx

39

“Be authentic - be energetic - be different. If your people and ideas are good enough,

and differentiate sufficiently, the chances are that you will be successful.”

(Steve Williams, CEO, OMD Group UK)

“Any agency can be successful at new business, with the right people, effort and budget. What

makes a successful agency (that happens to also win new business) is a strong belief system, real

focus but also a determination not to win business at any cost.”

(Daren Rubins, Managing Director, PHD)

“Challenge the status quo and don’t be scared to be different.”

(Jonathan Allan, Managing Director, OMD UK)

“Chemistry meetings are crucial – you have at least four of them (chemistry, briefing, tissue, pitch).”

(David Wethey, Chairman, Agency Assessments International).

“Make every meeting count including those with one step removed eg with their other agencies”

(Kate Howe, UK President, Draftfcb)

“Really listen to the kind of agency that the client wants, and then become that agency.”

(Kate Howe, UK President, Draftfcb)

“Give something, don’t ask for something, above all make it bespoke.”

(Paul Phillips, AAR)

“Always be a meeting ahead.”

(Guy Hayward, CEO, JWT UK)

“Remember throughout that you’re only there to make the client’s business more successful - not

to talk about yourself.”

(Marco Scognamiglio, UK Group CEO, RAPP)

toP tIPs on WHAt MAkes An AGencY successFul At neW BusIness?

40

Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA)

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