Hot off the presses. I received an advance copy of the RSW/US 2023 Agency New Business Report. Since 2010, they've been collecting data to give agency owners a comprehensive look at trends shaping our industry. Over 3,000 agency leaders across the U.S. weighed in this year, providing unique insights into the evolving business development challenges and dynamics as we close out 2023 and gear up for 2024. The 2023 business development landscape continues to be challenging for ad agencies, marketing firms, and PR agencies alike. According to the report's findings, we're all grappling with fewer referrals, shrinking budgets, and ...
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"Why don't you write up a proposal to [deliver whatever a prospective client is about to hire you or your agency to deliver to them] with a budget and send it over to me to consider?" This one sentence creates more anxiety, angst, fear and self-doubt in the hearts and minds of freelancers, coaches and agency owners around the world than virtually any other. And when you talk to them and ask them why creating pricing proposals for prospective clients creates so much anxiety and angst, they usually offer up one of eight standard responses.The prospect will not provide a ...
The human brain analyzes 11 million information inputs every second hence, why every moment of attention is a gift. We've all heard that the human attention span is now shorter than a goldfish (total BS, by the way, and here is the proof). Still, the truth is that humans today are overwhelmed with information, inputs, and invitations to consume more and more information, meaning they have less time to pay attention to any single input. Every well-designed PowerPoint presentation has the potential to evoke emotions, challenge perceptions, and inspire change. And while data, graphs, and bullet points are essential, ...
Even before I discovered The Invisible Sale and started to build my Painless Prospecting approach to business development, I recognized the value of becoming known for knowledge. Whether it was appearing as a keynote speaker, writing articles for Advertising Age, or getting interviewed on NPR talking about the work I was doing to change the brand perception of Mardi Gras from Girls Gone Wild to Family Friendly Fun (seriously... just fast forward to 12:07 of the podcast), I knew that creating the content that publishers love to publish would help me grow my business. So I wrote, spoke, and offered to ...
Embarking on negotiations is akin to stepping onto the dance floor. It requires finesse, intuition, and a deep understanding of the steps that lead to a dancing-with-the-stars quality performance. Welcome to Part II of my contract negotiation tactics and strategies series. If you missed Part I, Contract Negotiation Strategies: The Science Of Getting What You Deserve, you can go read it before you dive into this piece. In this article, I will walk you through the essential elements of preparing for, engaging in, and closing a negotiation with unwavering confidence and success. By the end, I hope you'll feel ...
Contract negotiation - the very idea can send chills down the spine of even the most hardened professional. Images of high-stakes poker games and back-alley deal-making can fill the mind. But, as the renowned negotiation expert, Christopher Voss would say, a successful contract negotiation strategy is more akin to navigating a labyrinth than engaging in a head-on battle. It's about understanding and influencing human behavior to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.Today is Part I of a two-part series where I'm walking you through my ultimate guide to successful contract negotiation strategies. The same ones I've trusted over and over to ...