How do inbound marketing agencies compare with other digital marketing and traditional ad agencies and what are the challenges and opportunities lying ahead? In this session, we will explore the ways each type of agency positions itself and how they meet customer demands. What are the unique qualities of each, and can they work together to create added value? What opportunities are out there for inbound agencies, working with other agencies, and what are the best strategies for pitching and closing them?
12. 1 Inbound Marketing Agency – Lean and Mean!
2 Specialty focus: industry, discipline, location
3 Creative is often outsourced, strategy insourced
4 We work alone – keep clients to ourselves on retainer
5 Growing, highly competitive sector, $1-10m revenues
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How to Be a Tiger
13. “We're 10 minutes outside of NYC and
it seems like weekly we meet with big
prospects and we go up against some
of the biggest traditional agencies in
the country for new business.
I don't fear those agencies...
I think they fear us.”
- Jason Diller, The DSM Group
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14. U.S. agency revenue
increased 3.7% to
$39.1 billion in 2013
- AdAge
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How to Be a Lion
1 “Boutique” agency – do 1 or 2 things VERY WELL
2 Emphasis on creative
3 Go-to agency for one or more Bears
4 Often work together under Bear Management
5 60-100+ employees, $20-100m revenues
16. “I believe the [large] ad agencies do a
tremendous job of creative and campaign
ideation and as a smaller agency we can't
hope to compete for that type of business.
We have had a lot of success actually
working alongside these agencies to help
them quantify the campaign itself and
how effective it was.”
- Drew Himel, The DSM Group
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How to Be a Bear
1 Agency of Record for large brands
2 NYC, LA, Chicago, Miami, London, Paris…
3 Billions in revenues (Omnicon – $9.74b)
4 Clients come to you (or at least they used to…)
5 Lion Tamers!
18. “I have collaborated with several larger
agencies - some traditional and broad-based,
others that are very vertical in a
particular channel - and if they're open to
the idea of aligning creative product with
business results, then they'll listen.”
- Ilene Rosenthal, White Space Marketing Group
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20. Over 45% want more
choice in agencies.
Source: RSW/US 2014
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Clients are learning…
• Clarify your goals
• Evaluate several agencies
• Large or small agency?
• Craft an effective RFP
• See their work
• Seek compatible work processes
• Require references
• Compare pricing & deliverables
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Over 50% rate
agency specialty as
very important.
Source: RSW/US 2014
23. “Agencies lose their way because they
don't know what business to say 'no' to. I
think too often in our business a scarcity
mindset exists and we say yes to crappy
work. We have found that the more
intentional we've become about the type
of work we know we can hit out of the
park, the more success we experience.”
- Tiffany Sauder, Element Three
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24. It used to be marketers
sought advertising ideas.
Now they just want ideas.
Maureen Morrison, AdAge
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Get your client service act together
þ Know when to look it up; know when to
make it up
þ What happens when I screw up?
þ Respect what it takes to do great creative
þ In a high-tech world, be low-tech
þ Be brief, be bright, be gone
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Pitch and sell ideas, not programs
þ Workshop to Get to Know You
þ Base Retainer to Hire You
þ Pitch New Ideas Each Month
þ Get Creative With the Pitch
þ Put Time & Money Into It
þ Involve Your Sales Team
30. " Think like a Lion or at least change your stripes!
" Reach out to other Tigers and Lion Agencies
" Get your client service act together
" Pitch like a pro – or learn how
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It’s up to you…