If your ad agency focuses on adventure travel marketing or travel/tourism, you should watch this episode of Marketer’s Edge.
Hurtigruten Group is the world’s leading adventure travel group.
Formed of three main business units – Hurtigruten Expeditions, Norwegian Coastal Express and Hurtigruten Svalbard – they offer unique small-ship and land-based adventures from pole-to-pole.
Why Advertising Agencies Should Watch This Episode-Storm talks:
The most challenging problem in her marketing career and how she solved it.
The difference between marketing high-end travel excursions and products like toys and technology.
Experiences from former jobs that she applies to her current role at Hurtigruten.
What Hurtigruten Group is and what she does as their SVP Global Marketing.
How Storm differentiates the Hurtigruten brand in a crowded travel and cruise market to capture her target audience’s attention.
How content offerings have changed in the travel/cruise space over the past decade.
Advice for marketers working remotely and far away from their parent company.
Advice to marketers considering bringing an agency on board for the first time.
Advice she would give to an agency attempting to win business from her.
If your agency or PR firm is struggling with new business, contact Lee McKnight Jr. at lee@rswus.com for a conversation. That’s our sole focus at RSW/US.
In episode 5 or our agency interview series, we talk with Corey Morris, an 18-year veteran, achiever, and leader in the digital marketing. SEO, and technology industry and has become a community builder as well, finding great value in helping others succeed.
That applies to his role in leadership of Voltage, in the Kansas City community, and well beyond.
In addition to serving as President & CEO for Voltage, he has served on the global board of directors for SEMPO (now part of DAA), lead the SEMPO Cities program, founded the KC Search Conference, is a VIP contributor to Search Engine Journal, a member of Forbes Communications Council, and recipient of KCDMA marketer of the year.
About Voltage: Voltage is a digital agency partner for expanding your marketing and design capabilities.
Our team has the expertise to create award-winning strategies that change the way you do business, all the while providing a refreshing experience that makes you feel valued and confident in our services.
The Nerdery of SEO
Some key highlights from our interview:
Would you rather: answer an RFP or watch 1991’s Cool As Ice, starring Vanilla Ice, 10 times in a row?
The transformation from Voltage Creative, a full-service creative shop, to what they’ve become today.
The struggle with positioning and dropping the full-service language as the agency evolved.
Voltage’s point of difference?
The purchase of the agency, what it looked like, and the hardest part of the process.
Thought Leadership and how Corey got into writing for Search Engine Land and Search Engine Journal.
Advice to agency principals or new business leaders on creating and keeping up with content –
What AI means for SEO (it won’t die) and what to do about it now.
The strangest/weirdest/oddest thing a client ever did or requested.
And one piece of advice to a client/marketer to make their agency relationships more effective what would it be?
https://www.rswus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Cut-to-the-Chase-with-Corey-Morris-President-and-CEO-Voltage-Ep.-5-What-AI-means-for-SEO.png8461503Lee McKnight Jrhttps://www.rswus.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Updated-RSW-logo-2021.pngLee McKnight Jr2023-07-12 14:10:262023-07-12 14:10:26Cut to the Chase with Corey Morris, President and CEO, Voltage | Ep. 5-What AI means for SEO
Jeff is an entrepreneur with three decades of strategy, growth and marketing experience building and leading teams with an emphasis on innovative marketing enabled by new technology.
If you’re interested in attribution and planning, you should watch this episode of Marketer’s Edge.
Provalytics is the next generation of attribution & planning for a cookieless world.
Provalytics is the best solution for marketing leaders who need proof on what’s working, what’s not and where to place their next bet. It was built for the ambitious marketer who needs to scale without worrying about cookies, privacy, and walled gardens.
Why Advertising Agencies Should Watch This Episode-Jeff talks:
Provalytics and his role is in the organization.
The differences between C3 Metrics and Provalytics.
Tips building your personal brand.
Whether Jeff has used marketing agencies in the past and if so, what services he used them for.
His previous experience as a chiropractor and magician, and how that led him to his current position.
The founding of 1st Approach, a branded entertainment agency focused on convergence of technology and growth marketing where he served GlaxoSmithKline, Kimberly-Clark, Sony BMG, Black & Decker, Forest Labs and more.
Jeff’s work with multi-touch attribution leading to C3 Metrics, a leading multi-touch Attribution platform with clients including JP Morgan, US Bank, Hertz, Nestle, Peapod, Carhartt, Edward Jones and Fender.
Advice he would give to marketers thinking about bringing a new agency on board.
And lastly, if an agency was trying to win business from him, the advice he would give them.
If your agency or PR firm is struggling with new business, contact Lee McKnight Jr. at lee@rswus.com for a conversation. That’s our sole focus at RSW/US.
https://www.rswus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Marketers-Edge-Interview-With-Jeff-Greenfield-Attribution-and-Planning.png7131262Lee McKnight Jrhttps://www.rswus.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Updated-RSW-logo-2021.pngLee McKnight Jr2023-06-07 10:29:432023-06-07 10:29:43Marketer’s Edge Interview With Jeff Greenfield: Attribution and Planning
What Are The Benefits of the RFP Process for Ad Agencies
Cher Scholl is a new business director here at RSW, and recently, Cher and I traded emails on the RFP process and the increased amount of RFPs she’s seeing.
Interestingly, this topic came up in episodes three and four of our Cut to the Chase agency interview series (shameless plug). Those agency owners had alternating views-one steadfastly against, the other open to them.
As a general rule of thumb, we don’t chase RFPs for our agency clients, but there are multiple exceptions.
In her post, Cher gets into what she’s seeing on the business development front, and provides a counterpoint to never, ever doing another one. -Lee McKnight Jr./VP of Sales
It seems my social feeds are starting to bloom with more company posts inviting agencies to participate in their RFPs.
And while some agencies prefer to avoid the RFP process I figured it was a great time to talk about this apparent increase, and the benefits for agencies who choose to participate in them.
Benefits of the RFP process for ad agencies
1. Streamlined Agency Selection Process
One primary reason for the surge in RFP usage is the need for a streamlined agency selection process.
As our world is moving at a faster pace the traditional methods of evaluating potential partners, such as referrals or unsolicited proposals, can be time-consuming and may not yield the desired results.
RFPs provide a systematic approach, enabling organizations to evaluate vendors based on predetermined criteria and compare their proposals side by side, saving time and effort while ensuring a fair and transparent selection process.
2. Enhanced Collaboration and Communication
Another reason they’re becoming more prolific is because they encourage effective collaboration and communication between the company and agency.
When crafting an RFP, the company outlines their specific requirements and expectations providing vendors with clear guidelines to follow.
Additionally, RFPs often involve multiple rounds of questions and answer sessions, enabling agencies to seek clarifications and provide further insights to facilitate a deeper understanding of the project and help establish a solid foundation for a successful partnership.
3. Increased Competition and Competitive Pricing
RFPs also bring increased competition to the market.
The competitive nature of the RFP process encourages agencies to put forth their best proposals, offering innovative solutions, competitive pricing, and value-added services.
4. Transparency and Accountability
In an era where transparency and accountability are paramount, RFPs offer a transparent and accountable procurement process.
By adhering to a standardized evaluation framework, they minimize bias and ensure fair treatment for all vendors.
This transparency fosters trust and strengthens business relationships, providing a solid foundation for successful partnerships.
As businesses strive for efficiency and improved outcomes, RFPs offer a structured approach to procure goods and services, allowing organizations to identify the most suitable partners.
By embracing RFPs, businesses can maximize their chances of securing quality solutions, establishing long-lasting partnerships, and driving overall success.
I get asked this question a lot. The biggest reason most agencies want to avoid the RFP process is the time and resources required to prepare a comprehensive and compelling proposal.
In order to craft a winning RFP agencies must allocate significant time and effort to research, strategy development, and proposal writing, diverting resources from ongoing client work.
So why should you participate in the RFP process?
Show Off Those Skills
Participating in RFPs can bring several benefits for agencies. First and foremost, it provides an opportunity to showcase their expertise, capabilities, and creativity to potential clients. RFPs allow agencies to present their ideas, strategies, and solutions in a structured manner, highlighting their unique selling propositions.
Learn Some Things
Moreover, the RFP process can also be a valuable learning experience for agencies. It prompts them to thoroughly analyze client requirements, conduct in-depth research, and develop tailored proposals. These efforts can contribute to honing their skills, expanding their knowledge base, and improving their overall service delivery. Additionally, agencies can gain insights into industry trends, market demands, and competitive landscapes through the RFP process, allowing them to refine their offerings and stay ahead of the curve.
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner
Winning an RFP can lead to lucrative contracts and long-term partnerships, boosting an agency’s reputation and revenue.
I Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watching Me
You never know who is sitting in on these proposal reviews. I’ve had a few agencies not win business with their submitted RFP for the company who released it, but they did win business with another company or brand under that umbrella that saw their RFP during that process and learned they would be a good fit for them.
I have also had companies not be happy with the winning agency and relook at the runner ups in the RFP process to give them an opportunity.
Repurpose RFPs And Win Some More
Rather than treating an RFP as a one-time document, companies can view it as a valuable resource that holds immense potential.
By carefully analyzing past RFPs, businesses can identify recurring needs, emerging trends, or common challenges faced by prospective clients.
This information can serve as a blueprint for creating future winning RFPs.
A great practice for Agencies to do is create two folders for their submitted RFPs.
One folder for winning RFPs and the other for lost RFPs.
In each folder be sure to categorize them by industry if your agency works with multiple.
Also include the scope of work from the company as well as the submitted RFP.
Not only is this a great way to see why certain RFPs were stars of the show but it allows you to repurpose those carefully thought out, time consuming winning masterpieces for future RFPs.
Doing those simple steps in the beginning can save you a lot of time in preparing future RFPs so you don’t have to pull resources and time away from ongoing client work.
It Never Hurts To Ask
I encourage my agencies to ask for the winning proposal.
Seeing the competition and why their proposal was selected will help you better understand what to do on future RFPs and keep you ahead of the game.
Balance opportunity and risk
While there are many benefits of agencies participating in these rise of RFPs you must balance opportunity and risk.
On one hand, winning an RFP can be a game-changer, opening doors to new clients, projects, and revenue streams.
It can establish an agency’s credibility and position in the market, leading to long-term success.
On the other hand, unsuccessful bids can be disheartening and time-consuming, with no guarantee of compensation for the agency’s efforts.
Agencies should carefully evaluate each RFP opportunity, considering factors such as the client’s reputation, project scope, budget, and alignment with their expertise to determine if it is a strategic move for their business.
All in all, the more you can participate in, the more you will learn, and the more business you could win.
https://www.rswus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Benefits-of-the-RFP-Process-for-Ad-Agencies-1.png621502Lee McKnight Jrhttps://www.rswus.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Updated-RSW-logo-2021.pngLee McKnight Jr2023-06-01 13:01:242023-06-01 13:02:58Benefits of the RFP Process for Ad Agencies
If your ad agency pursues clients in the agriculture industry, you should watch this episode of Marketer’s Edge.
Alforex Seeds is more than a seed company.
It represents the culmination of 100+ years of innovation and focus, combining the legacies, the products and the R&D strength of longtime leaders in alfalfa and forages.
Alforex incorporates heritage, innovation and focus to provide you a new perspective on alfalfa and forage crops; perspective to help you get more from your acres and find out how good you can really be.
Alfalfa and forage are what they do best because that’s all they do.
Why Advertising Agencies Should Watch This Episode-Doug talks:
The “Agriculture’s Brighter Side Video Contest” launched by Alforex Seeds back in 2021
How the sales portion of his job informs the marketing side
The varied marketing assets they create for the sales team
Hie experience working with different marketing agencies
Advantages of using an agency vs an in-house team
What kind of company Alforex Seeds is and the marketing challenges they face
His 30 years in the industry, the biggest changes and how those changes have influenced the way he markets
How Doug differentiates Alforex Seeds from other competitors
What value manufacturers (like Alforex) need to provide to farmers
How he builds awareness for both farmers and dealer-distributors
What kind of content they most often post
What role influencers play in this specific space
How important branding is to both farmers and dealer-distributors
The importance of category experience when searching for a marketing agency in the agriculture industry
Advice he would give to marketers thinking about bringing a new agency on board.
And lastly, if an agency was trying to win business from him, the advice he would give them.
If your agency or PR firm is struggling with new business, contact Lee McKnight Jr. at lee@rswus.com for a conversation. That’s our sole focus at RSW/US.
If your agency pursues clients in the sustainable food, food retail, or foodservice space, you’ll want to watch this episode.
A bit of background: Pure Flavor® is a family of greenhouse vegetable growers who share a commitment to bringing A Life of Pure Flavor™ to communities everywhere.
Their passion for sustainable food and greenhouse growing, strong support for our retail & foodservice customers, and focus on engaging consumers is built on a foundation drawn from generations of growing expertise.
They are the next generation of vegetable growers, inspired to put quality, flavor, and customers first by providing greenhouse-grown vegetables from our farms that are strategically located throughout North America.
Why Advertising Agencies Should Watch This Episode-Chris talks:
How Pure Flavor effectively differentiates itself at shelf and in-market, with “all things organic” being so top of mind in our economy culture.
How he supports the business from a marketing standpoint – whether monies are primarily used for retail support, like point of sale and special in-store promotion work?
Their “Live Deliciously” magazine – how it’s distributed and its effectiveness in driving the business and building his brand.
The gap that the owners saw in the market when they started Pure Flavor in 2003.
The brand names that sit under the Pure Flavor umbrella, their creation, and managing all of them within such a large portfolio of products.
Any advice he would give to marketers thinking about bringing a new agency on board.
And lastly, if an agency was attempting to win business from him, what advice he would give them.
A little bit about Chris:
A bilingual, global marketing leader with more than two decades of international experience developing award winning brands through strategic leadership.
Enthusiastically seeks out and creates relationships with likeminded partners to create impactful engagement opportunities.
Passionate about navigating to smooth water to differentiate, no matter the topic or application.
Business Development is hard – you send that intro email, and are lucky to see a response to even a fraction of those.
Here are 3 techniques to help you push through the intro email dead end:
Play to Your Strengths
Remember: Prospects are People
Be Mindful of Spam Filters
Download this one-pager at the bottom of this post.
As we point out in this eBook header,
New business is hard – you send hundreds of emails, and are lucky to see a response to even a fraction of those.
So we created an ebook called RSW Tune-ups, a visual guide to driving more new business in 2022.
We’ll ultimately be releasing it in full, but we’re starting by releasing individual agency new business one-pagers, designed to cover different business development challenges advertising agencies are faced with.
Download the first, Building Awareness here, the second, Targeting The Right Prospects, here, and the third, Executing An Ad Agency New Business Refresh, here.
Below a few techniques to help that first intro email stand out.
1. Play to Your Strengths
Choose one core strength or capability that you can speak to.
Yes, your agency may specialize in multiple areas, but choose one for the introduction email.
A good way to help you identify your core strength is to think back to your current list of clients and ask yourself (and your team), what do our clients love
about our agency?
2. Remember: Prospects are People
You often see subject lines like: “Can I get 15 min of your time?”, or “Let our agency help you!”.
No one is going to read your email if they don’t open it first, and a broad or sales-y subject line isn’t inviting.
Remember… you’re reaching out to an actual person.
If YOU would open and read your email based on the subject line, chances are they will, too.
3. Be Mindful of Spam Filters
Having links, PDFs, or attachments is a sure-fire way to get your e-mail booted to SPAM.
Keep them text-only initially, then you can send case studies and other content once you’ve begun that relationship.
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We’re an outsourced ad agency business development firm that works specifically with ad agencies, marketing services firms, and PR firms to find better qualified new business opportunities and get you closer to close.
RSW/US is headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, with experts in lead generation, targeted prospect list building, and content creation driving our ad agency business development programs.
https://www.rswus.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Business-Development-Challenges-For-Ad-Agencies-Pushing-Through-The-Intro-Email-Dead-End.png1265981Lee McKnight Jrhttps://www.rswus.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Updated-RSW-logo-2021.pngLee McKnight Jr2022-05-12 16:20:432023-03-29 09:20:463 Techniques To Push Through The Intro Email Dead End
In this episode of Marketer’s Edge we’re talking with Jerry Clum, CEO of Hommati, and the discussion focuses on starting a franchise business, franchise business common threads, and capturing the attention of agents and home buyers.
If your agency pursues clients in the real estate market or franchising, you’ll want to watch this episode.
A bit of background: Hommati provides innovative services and dynamic content such as 3D Tours, Aerial Videos, Ultra HD Photography, Video Slideshows, Augmented Reality designed to help real estate agents win more listings, sell more homes, sell them faster and often for a higher sales price. Each franchise is independently owned and operated.
Why Advertising Agencies Should Watch This Episode-Jerry talks:
Advice he’d give to fellow entrepreneurs looking to start a franchise business.
The franchise business common threads that carry through all of the businesses he’s owned and run.
Jerry’s predictions on the state of real estate sales.
What makes Hommati different from the other franchise businesses Jerry has run.
How a brand like Hommati captures the attention of agents and home buyers.
What Jerry sees as the advantages and disadvantages of in-house versus bringing in an agency.
Advice Jerry would give to marketers thinking about bringing a new agency on board
A little bit about Jerry:
CEO, Franchisor, Entrepreneur, Consultant, and cited expert in all areas related to franchising.
And Jerry’s got a great Zig Ziglar quote on his LinkedIn page:
“You can everything in life you want, if you just help enough other people get what they want!”
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You can also see our video series 3 Takeaways here. It’s our agency new business video series where we focus on one new business category and give you three takeaways to help improve your new business program.
If you’re looking for a more effective business development strategy, email me at lee@rswus.com. I would love to talk.
Or, if you’re not ready for that step, you can read about how our outsourced business development programs work here.
https://www.rswus.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Marketers-Edge-Interview-With-Jerry-Clum-Franchise-Business-Common-Threads.jpg523925Lee McKnight Jrhttps://www.rswus.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Updated-RSW-logo-2021.pngLee McKnight Jr2022-05-11 12:05:092022-05-11 12:05:54Marketer’s Edge Interview With Jerry Clum: Franchise Business Common Threads
You know sometimes you need an agency new business wake-up call-a jolt, a bucket of cold water just right in your face.
I’m seeing three sales trends that are not helping anyone gain any new business.
You need to watch this episode and share it with your team-let’s do it.
This is 3 Takeaways, your agency new business video series where we focus on one new business category and give you three takeaways to help improve your new business program.
We’re coming in hot and keeping it short-you’ll want to soak in all three of these takeaways.
We’re talking trends that agencies, and salespeople generally, need to stop embracing.
That first trend is:
Sales messaging or copy that gets way too specific, way too fast
. . .or that gets into the weeds, and overly technical, too quickly.
Your first takeaway:
A lay-person should be able to understand any initial lead generation outreach.
Whether that’s email, phone, or social.
Sometimes that seems counter-intuitive, because you may feel like you’re not giving your prospect the benefit of the doubt, but I don’t mean dumb it down, just don’t vomit minutia all over them out of the gate.
That was a terrible visual I just put in your head, let’s move on.
OK, the next trend is war and peace messaging.
Here’s your second agency new business wake-up call, or takeaway:
Unless you’ve already started conversations with your prospect, your first email should not be longer than three short paragraphs max.
I know many of you watching could contradict me with success you’ve had with longer emails, but it amazes me how many salespeople, how many agency new business directors, send scrolling, multi-paragraph emails on their first outreach attempt.
No one has time for it.
As I said, if you’ve started communication in some form with that prospect, you have more leeway.
But try this experiment-
Force yourself to write no more than 3 paragraphs at two sentences each in your next round of prospecting emails.
It’s hard, and you have to cut to the chase with really important, valuable information.
But it’s a good exercise to help you get more concise, and not just in your emails, but in video calls and phone calls.
And the last trend I call subject line Russian roulette.
And here’s you third takeaway to explain:
Don’t use “Meeting Request” as your email subject line.
Or any form of it.
It may work, if you like using hope as a strategy, but you’re most likely looking at an automatic delete.
It screams, I am a salesperson you don’t know.
64% of prospects make a decision to open emails based on subject lines.
So what do you think your prospect will do when she sees meeting request?
That’s a non-starter.
Thanks for watching 3 Takeaways-lots of new business content our site at rswus.com, just hit the resources drop down.
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🔔 Subscribe for more free content on how to help improve your new business program: https://bit.ly/2Mn0gXy
If you’re looking for a more effective business development strategy, email me at lee@rswus.com. I would love to talk.
Or, if you’re not ready for that step, you can read about how our outsourced business development programs work here.
https://www.rswus.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/You-Need-A-Cold-Hard-Agency-New-Business-Wake-Up-Call-3-Of-Them-Actually.jpg7201280Lee McKnight Jrhttps://www.rswus.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Updated-RSW-logo-2021.pngLee McKnight Jr2022-04-28 11:03:522022-04-28 11:06:03You Need A Cold, Hard Agency New Business Wake-Up Call-3 Of Them Actually
In this episode of Marketer’s Edge we’re talking with Julie Mann, the Chief Innovation Officer at Puris Foods, and the discussion focuses on food innovation at Puris (they’re very good at it), e-commerce, and Julie’s direct advice to agencies.
If your agency pursues plant-based foods. food ingredients, organic, or non-GMO sourced food, you’ll want to watch this episode.
A little background: PURIS cultivates a spectrum of pure, plant-based foods and ingredients from U.S.-based organic and non-GMO sources.
Their end-to-end system ensures a wholesome journey from seed to solution. PURIS™ is a family-owned company founded in 1985.
Their plant-based food system benefits every link in the chain of production with practices that nourish soil, the environment, and life on earth.
Why Advertising Agencies Should Watch This Episode:
Julie has advice for companies looking to start selling direct-to-consumer via e-commerce platforms.
She talks how Puris differentiates itself from the sea of other organic products on the market, and why they won the Fast Company award in 2021 for most innovative food company.
And what she learned from her long career at companies like Hershey that she’s been able to apply to her work at Puris.
Julie also describes what looks for when she’s shopping for new marketing service help.
And the advice Julie would give any agency trying to knock down her door and win his business.
My first professional and personal passion is plant based eating. I am a catalyst for better human nutrition, better understanding of the impact of shifting to plant based and how we can create a better world.
A close second is my extensive training in innovation and disruptive thinking. I have led several successful teams to breakthrough innovation and fundamental change. My talent is unearthing and championing innovative insights, combined with deep R&D expertise, to deliver the optimal innovation and disruptive products to change our world.
My third, but likely most important passion is empathy, people, communication, and transparency. I build teams that realize they CAN do more TOGETHER.
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You can also see our video series 3 Takeaways here. It’s our agency new business video series where we focus on one new business category and give you three takeaways to help improve your new business program.
If you’re looking for a more effective business development strategy, email Lee McKnight Jr., VP of Sales at RSW/US at lee@rswus.com.
Learn more about our outsourced business development programs here.
