August, 2016 | Agency ADvisor

Know When to Walk Away – And Know When to RUN!

August 29, 2016 / No Comments

Have you ever heard of the song from Kenny Rogers called “The Gambler?” The song is about gambling – on the outer surface. However, I believe it may have many deeper messages than what you see at first glance. Here are a few lines that makes me think about client relationships and agencies.

“You’ve got to know when to hold ’em

Know when to fold ’em

Know when to walk away

Know when to run”

There are times – especially the lean times – the the advertising/design business – that we take on business just because it is cash flow. It sure is nice to have the cash, but are we really helping or hurting the business?

Pursuing business is both arduous and time consuming. Winning the business can be rewarding and the additional income is always a plus!

However, for the sake of keeping a healthy shop, we sometimes need to learn to walk away from potential new business. Sometimes, we need to know when to RUN! Continuing to pursue mismatched clients can be harmful to the maral as well as the bottom line of our shop.

Here are four signs to be on the lookout for that may let you know when it is time to fold ‘em and run!

Too specific directions given about layouts, typefaces, colors,size and shape. Another major indicator. This client is going to be a micro-manager of your work. You no longer are the specialist,but the one who just implements what the client sees as the right way.If it works, they will take the credit and explain that you just implemented their ideas. If it doesn’t work, you will get blamed.
This is their first attempt at working strategically.In other words, they are marketing virgins. These types of prospects are not hard to spot. They will shift their focus and their goals back and forth. They are the type that will ask you to throw as many balls in the air at a time and then see how many you can catch.
It absolutely has to be done right now.If this happens while you’re pitching the business, do you really think it’s going to get better? Do you really believe that this is the only time this client needs something yesterday? Yes, all clients will need this expediency from time to time, but if they are looking for it at the prospecting stage,before warned!
There are more than more of the clients’ people than the agency at the first meeting. This is a huge billboard that thereis not one decision maker, but a committee. What this means to you if you pursue the relationship is missed deadlines andchanges in the scope of projects midstream.

If you decide to walk away from a prospect, do so tactfully. While the relationship with this client/contact may not be a fit right now, there is always tomorrow. You never want to burn any bridges – you may choose to cross that bridge someday.

Instead, compliment them for the decisions they have made. Let them know you believe they are currently in good hands and ask if you can check back in at a later date.

Your goal should be to do business with companies and people who want to build quality relationships with you. Those who appreciate your professional advice and creative executions. There are many new business opportunities to seek. Have patience until you find the right prospects with whom you and your agency want to work.

What are your “Run Away” client experiences?

Demystifying Traffic Management Systems – Part 1

August 22, 2016 / No Comments

There’s no doubt that agency management software is mandatory in today’s Marketing/Creative Industry. No other tool will track a jobs progress, monitor employee workload, create and aggregate multiple project schedules, track budget for various projects, and safely store documents and images – all at the same time.

Agencies struggle in a pile of unopened emails and missed deadlines because they are not utilizing a traffic management system to their benefit.

I have heard many reasons why agencies do not use these systems (like Advantage and Workamajig). In this post, I will demystify just a few of these for you.

1. A traffic management system will solve all of our workflow and process problems.

You must define your process. If you do not know what your processes look like, your system will not know either. Remember, computers are only as smart as the user. They do not know what you do not tell them. Briefly, this means identifying every type of project that enters your shop and then breaking them down into phases and into detailed steps that need to be accomplished to complete the phase.

2. I do not have time to use a Traffic Management System.

If set up correctly when you begin, a traffic management system will work almost automatically. This means creating templates for every “size” of each job. These should identify all of your typical steps and time frames. By doing the heavy work initially, you are making it easier to manage projects as they come in. These templates allow you to tweak schedules for individual situations.

3. If I buy a Traffic Management Systems, it should be ready to run our projects.

There are no industry standard templates available for sale to the highest bidder. You have heard that it is about the journey and not the destination. We all get to the same result – the finished project. How we get there is what makes your agency unique and efficient. Focus on how you can do it better with your culture, clients and staff.

4. Once I set up our system with templates, I will not have to do that again.

Your templates are never finished. This is the most dynamic part of what we do – how we do it. Technology is always changing. We always find ways to become more efficient.

5. We have tried other Traffic Management Systems, and they do not fit what we do. We are different from any other agency.

Traffic Management Systems are efficiency tools: just as a socket wrench is a tool. However, if you try to use a socket wrench designed in metrics on a non-metric socket, it will not work. If you try to use a Traffic Management System designed for someone else’s workflow, it too will not work. Getting it set up for your agency in the beginning is critical to its success.

Over the past 14 years I have heard of many obstacles for utilizing traffic management systems. This is just the first of many to come where I hope to help you solve any mysteries you may have.

Feel free to share your traffic management dilemmas here and I’ll do my best to help you solve it!

Thank You for the Past 14 Years

August 16, 2016 / No Comments

This week Agency ADvisor celebrates our 14th year of being in business. I am not one who typically gets overly excited about birthdays or anniversaries. It seems like they happen way too often and too quickly anymore. Especially birthdays. However, this one is different. I guess it is because I am more excited than ever on the direction and future of Agency ADvisor.

As I reflect back over the past 14 years, I first wonder where the time went. Then I reflect and am humbled by all of the great clients and wonderful people I have had the privilege to meet and work with over that time. I have walked through the doors of over 650 agencies in the United States and Canada during the past 14 years and have met thousands of wonderful people. Many I consider family. We have been lucky enough to have clients in every state, except for Rhode Island. I have survived countless canceled flights and delays. I have been snowed in a handful of times (some of you know I do not drive in the snow).

I think I can name every Marriott property in every major city. I cannot tell you how many times I have walked out of my hotel in the morning and not remember the color or make/model of the rental car I am driving. I am so grateful for whoever invented GPS and made it so easy on my iPhone. I no longer have to have printed MapQuest pages from the airport to hotel, to client, back to a hotel, back to rental car center. Texting while driving is a dangerous act. However, trying to read a printed map while driving in an unknown environment is near suicidal!

I am most grateful for our clients that have gone paperless, the 200 + that we have helped implement Workamajig, 150+ Advantage and other software products. Moreover, the countless agencies that are successfully growing from our partnership. One of the biggest rewards I receive is seeing the eyes light up when I make a return visit to a client, and they start telling me how much more profitable and streamlined they are from our collaboration.
In closing, I just want to say Thank You! Thank you for the support you have provided us over the past 14 years. The majority of our business comes from referrals, which is the biggest compliment we can receive. We could not have done it without each and every one of you!

Meet John Smith

August 3, 2016 / No Comments

Traveling has taught me many things. Like how to pack the most into the smallest space. How to sleep on planes. How to speed pack. However, I just experienced something that we all need reminding of … How to talk on cell phones in public.

This is not a story complaining about the ‘Chatty Cathy’ types of cell phone users. But a story about how using your cell phone can give

many strangers a lot of information about yourself and your business.

Today, I met John Smith. He doesn’t know that we met, but in the airport, he was on his cell phone giving out his name. I also now know his street address and that he lives in the same zip code as I do. He also has a Bank of America credit card, which, if I had wanted to, I could have keyed his account number into my cell phone.

I know that John is not happy with Bank of America and that he was contacted repeatedly by the banks representatives about, ironically enough, their identity theft protection package. I know that John declined the package (he apparently doesn’t need anyone helping him protect his privacy. I am now aware that his charge card statement reflects the cost for the identity theft protection, and that charge was for $90.

While learning a great deal about John Smith that I don’t need nor want to know, I had to think about how many times I have been on my cell phone in public. Sometimes, I am discussing my dealings with someone in an airport or some public place swarming with strangers within ear shot of my conversation.

John taught me a valuable message and I am passing this along to you. Remember when using your cell phone in public places to be aware that there are people around you. Individuals who may be the type to key in your credit card number for later use of their own. Those who may be friends of your ‘client from Hell.’ People who might work at a competing shop and just need to hear a little bit of your dirty laundry to take your big client away.

Five general rules to follow when talking in public places.

Don’t use names (both company and person) when having conversations in public places. If you need to do so, find a private area before making the call.
Don’t discuss any financial information. In addition to account numbers, don’t talk about billing rates, cost rates, salaries, or sales figures.
If you need to introduce yourself with first and last name, find a private place before you make the call.
If you are calling about a topic that makes you agitated, be sure to keep a gauge on your volume. Just because you are frustrated with the company/person/situation, doesn’t mean that everyone around you needs to know about it. Save that for social media!
Finally, don’t discuss work problems in public places (on or off the phone). Recently I was at lunch with an Agency Owner who was venting his frustrations about one of his employees. Since I had never met this employee, we were both surprised when the employee had been sitting right behind him the entire time.

I would like to thank John Smith for teaching me this lesson. Maybe I should stop by his house and share the lesson with him.

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