How Can a Creative Services Rep Attract Clients?
Recently, Kay Johnson-Suglia, a creative services rep for ad agencies in the New York City area, wrote: "For about the last 10 years I've been enmeshed in production, account direction and business development for agencies in the interactive/Internet industry. As of April3, 2005, I am going out on my own and focusing solely on business development. I've taken this route to establish a work-from-home business and to have more control over what I do day-to-day and over my earnings (I had pretty much hit a dead end at the agency I'm currently working for in terms of position and income potential). So I'm looking forward to all the advice and expertise you can share. My biggest challenge is securing clients (big brands, particularly those located in NYC area) for my clients (creative agencies)."
Robert Grede, author of "Naked Marketing" and owner of The Grede Company , replies, "When I worked in the ad industry, we secured new business by writing an industry White Paper." And Rob offered a special report on writing White Papers that you can download FREE here (You do need to go through the shopping cart to get this, but you do not need to fill out any credit card info).
Robert Warren, an independent marketing writer, writes: Niche very tightly; she's not going to get far at first by aiming for general markets, because she'll be up against far more formidable competition both in-house and not. By narrowing to a single lucrative sector, Kay can set herself up as a boutique operation. Her background in interactive technology makes that field an ideal start.
Second, be a networking monster - not in the "let's swap cards, let's do lunch" way, but in the sense that she knows everyone and just has an endless supply of personal connections and relationships. There's a certain individual here in Orlando who has built an entire business empire around just making introductions; he knows everyone, can get nearly anyone to pick up the phone, and so his firm does business development. Local companies hire his firm to open doors for them, and people nearly trip over themselves to get onto his radar.
She could do something similar, once again in a very tightly niched way; she'd want to start with her current address book. (One important point - this Orlando individual I'm talking about is known as a man of high caliber; he's involved in a number of charity and nonprofit programs and projects in this town. He wouldn't have the power he has without that reputation for integrity.) It'd all take time, but if she has the time to invest, she'd do fine by those strategies.
Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound, offers these suggestions: If you want big-name clients:
==> Do public speaking engagements at events where these clients are likely to attend. These can include trade industry conventions and seminars, business networking groups, etc.
==> Write how-to articles offering free advice on how to solve a particular marketing problem. Offer these free articles to print and online publications read by the kinds of people you want to attract.
==> Publish an opt-in ezine or tip of the week that offers free advice on how to solve marketing problems. Make it the type of publication that is likely to be read by your target audience.
==> Create tips sheets and booklets and give them away.
==> Ask people you know for referrals.
These are five of 25 ideas from "How to Attract Clients toYour PR Practice," teleseminar Joan did with Marcia Yudkin. Actually, the ideas can be used by people in any industry. You can order the CD or downloadable transcript. Read more about it here.
And Lois says: I suggest you call upon all of your contacts over the years and let them know what you're doing. Your first order of business is to gain the confidence of the advertising agencies you'll represent, assuring them that you will keep their information confidential and also how you will fairly handle divvying up the work since it's possible that you will represent competitive firms. You'll, of course, learn all you can about their specialties, what type of clients work best with them, and what makes them different, and be able to give thrilling examples of great work and success to your prospects.
Then, to interest the potential big-name clients, first pursue some that have big names but aren't actually national accounts, like the up-and-coming software development company or a large regional chain of department stores. Work with the agency personnel to pitch accounts as you hear about them, with you, of course, being the lead dog on the team. If you've done this successfully during your employee days, you'll be able to transfer these skills easily. You'll need to network your way in to the prospect's company. Learn to network in places where your prospects frequent and get a good introduction. Try to find the associations, organizations and networks where you'll meet the right prospects without lots of competition--like intellectual property attorneys association. If you are the only marketing person there, it will be easy to shine...and get those necessary introductions.
For more ideas on how to network your way to the right people, pick up a copy of the recorded teleseminar I just did with Adam Urbanski, "Secrets of Successful Networking." Read all about it and order it here.
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