10 Agency Biz Dev Tips
For several years the team at Mercer Island Group has been contributing to an annual “One Piece of Advice” publication on the topic of business development. Here are 10 of our best tips collected in one place: Don’t Be Generic “Teaching new business development folks in agencies to sound just like everyone else in the […]
How to Position Your Agency for New Business Success
Written by Steve Boehler & Barry O’Neil Today we’ll be looking at creating an effective positioning statement for your agency. Three Critical Aspects of Effective Differentiation While it’s impossible to create a completely original positioning statement (that is still clear and effective), the differentiators your agency already has can be combined to create a powerful […]
5 Tips for Presenting Your Solutions in a Pitch
Written by Steve Boehler & Barry O’Neil So you fought your way through the RFP process and finally have a chance to show off your solution in front of the prospect. In the lead-up, you hopefully did the hard work of analyzing their business challenges, finding rich insights to leverage, and developing a winning strategy. […]
The Right Case Study Style for Every Situation
We are often asked, “How long should a case study be?” Our answer: it depends. The important thing is that you tell the right story for the situation. (Speaking of which, are you looking for guidance on how to write effective case studies? We wrote about that in our 5 elements of great case studies post.) Four […]
The Five Slides Every Agency Needs
Written by Robin Boehler & Lindsay O’Neil Yes, you need to sell your agency, but not nearly as much as you are probably doing. You also shouldn’t talk about yourself first. It’s important to engage the potential client by showcasing how much you understand about their company and their objectives. There’s a time to remind […]
Elements of a Great Case Study
Written by Stephen Boehler & Lindsay O’Neil Putting together an effective case study can seem like a daunting task. Instead of seeing it as a spotlight on your agency’s success, imagine it as template in which potential clients can start to see you as a possible partner to address their business issues. Imagine all the […]
Win It with Your Cover Letter
Written proposals. If only prospective clients knew how much time and effort agencies put into these babies. The sad truth; they have no idea. In fact, and it pains me to share this, in our experience many clients don’t even read them all the way through. As someone who consults on the client side during […]
5 Biz Dev Tips for the New Normal
Business development has never been more important. Here are 5 tips to help your agency.
Qualifying Inbound Opportunities
Hooray! You’ve received an invitation to pitch new business. The client came to you directly. That alone can feel like a win. Before you get ahead of yourself and let the excitement get the better of you, remember that smart agencies qualify all inbound opportunities before they say yes. Where to Begin With every invitation […]
The Prospect Business Profile: Better Questions, More Wins
Incoming! You’ve received an invitation from a prospective client. Whether it’s a request for a meeting, a proposal, a video conference chat or a formal pitch every invitation should start at the same place; it all begins with questions. Questions are a fundamental tool of business development. They keep you from diving right into “what […]