From BOLO 2013 3P Track presentation by Robb High. The 3P Track is exclusively for agency partners, presidents and principals. Attend BOLO 2014 October 19-21, 2014 in Scottsdale: www.boloconference.com

1. New Business
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2. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
Rule #1 in the agency business.
All of your current clients will fire you.
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3. New Business Mistakes
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4. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
Believing that the “best idea wins.”
Reality: new business briefs are just “drills.”
How clients really choose:
“I like you and trust you.”
It’s a job interview for an agency team.
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5. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
It’s the people, stupid.
Casting is 90% of winning.
Only the best actors go “on stage.”
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6. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
Presenting too much stuff.
You’re never measured by the quantity of
stuff you present.
False premise: Best idea wins.
But which one is best?
Solution: bring LOTS.
Pushes presentation into overtime.
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7. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
Believing that prospects know you exist.
Most agencies have zero awareness.
People don’t invite strangers to dinner.
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8. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
Not having any communications program.
85% have none.
Default new business strategy:
“Laying in the middle of the road and waiting
to get run over.”
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9. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
Sending promotional communications.
They don’t resonate.
You need interesting communications.
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10. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
Selling too hard.
Professional services are bought, not sold.
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11. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
Scaring the client with your great ideas.
They care about their careers, not the
company.
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12. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
How clients decide.
They talk about the people, not your content.
They focus on consensus, not debate.
They start by eliminating.
All it takes is one person saying “anyone but
them” and you’re out.
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13. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
Misusing PowerPoint.
New business pitches are theater.
Not a lot of PowerPoint is used on Broadway.
Trap: you need to read every word shown.
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14. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
•The quick red fox jumped over the lazy brown dog. Now is the time for
all good men to come to the aid of the party. The quick red fox jumped
over the lazy brown dog. Now is the time for all good men to come to
the aid of the party.
•The quick red fox jumped over the lazy brown dog. Now is the time for
all good men to come to the aid of the party. The quick red fox jumped
over the lazy brown dog. Now is the time for all good men to come to
the aid of the party.
•The quick red fox jumped over the lazy brown dog. Now is the time for
all good men to come to the aid of the party. The quick red fox jumped
over the lazy brown dog. Now is the time for all good men to come to
the aid of the party. The quick red fox jumped over the lazy brown dog.
Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party.
•The quick red fox jumped over the lazy brown dog. Now is the time for
all good men to come to the aid of the party. The quick red fox jumped
over the lazy brown dog. Now is the time for all good men to come to
the aid of the party.
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15. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
Not more than 8 words on the screen.
Maintain audio-visual synching.
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16. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
It’s the people,
stupid.
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17. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
You are the “body copy.”
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18. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
Focusing on the content too much.
The pitch brief is a drill.
It’s more about how you say things than
what you say.
We remember the actors, not their lines.
Work as hard on the performance as you
do on the content.
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19. 10 New Business Mistakes Agencies Make
New business pitches
are job interviews.
7/30/2014 Robb High Consulting