Here are some top line results from the analysis of our 2010 business development activity on behalf of our clients.
They summarise why a prospect will agree to meet an agency based on calling prospects who meet the agreed criteria of vertical market, size, spend, profile and location.
1. Rapport with prospect (this scored highly in those disciplines where there are neither discernible differentiators nor clear ROI, for example, creative or corporate comms agencies)
2. Direct relevant experience supported by case studies (this scored highly in all disciplines, particularly PR and creative)
3. Proven ROI supported by case studies (particularly relevant in PR and DM)
4. Unique methodology (primarily in research)
5. Niche skill set, namely in technology (mainly in digital and research)
6. Chance of gaining insight from the meeting (mainly in creative and PR)
7. Location of the agency (again, mainly in creative and PR)
This insight into what prospects are looking for when meeting new agencies is one of the many reasons our clients win new business from working with us.
Another key reason is our ability to develop rapport with prospects through asking the right questions and being able to empathise with their current challenges.
Our Sales Director, Dave, will be writing a more detailed paper on this, so watch this space…
