Agency,

Brand Thyself
Tim Williams, Ignition Consulting Group www.ignitiongroup.com

Can you describe your positioning in 30 seconds?

Where most agencies are

COMMODITY

RECOGNIZED TRADE NAME

BRAND

TOP 12 GENERIC AGENCY CLAIMS

Unlike other agencies Unlike other agencies Unlike other agencies Unlike other agencies Unlike other agencies Unlike other agencies Unlike other agencies Unlike other agencies Unlike other agencies Unlike other agencies Unlike other agencies Unlike other agencies 1. Were full service! 2. Were integrated! 3. We have a wide range of experience! 4. Were creative! 5. Were strategic thinkers! 6. Were nimble and responsive! 7. Were media neutral! 8. Were team-oriented! 9. Were your marketing partner! 10.We assign only senior people! 11.We get results! 12.Were fun!

The common failing among agencies seeking new business is their inability or unwillingness to name what they stand for.

Bob Lundin
Agency search consultancy Jones Lundin Beals

Benefits of naming what you stand for

1. A well-defined set of criteria for identifying the clients who want you for what you do best. 2. A stronger win ratio when soliciting new business, because you are playing to your strengths. 3. Clearer direction for how your firm should spend its limited time, money and resources.

Are we part of the sea of sameness?

Steps to Fighting Agency Commodization

1. Stop selling ads as the answer to everything. 2. Look for new revenue streams. 3. Say no. 4. Change the cost dialogue into a results dialogue. 5. Accept risk. 6. Specialize.

Commoditization may be the biggest threat facing agencies today.

Jonah Bloom Executive Editor Advertising Age

Standing for everything is just another way of standing for nothing

The foundational question: What are we really selling?

 Has higher fees  Has broader market area  Has fewer competitors

Power is with the specialist.

Most important agency search criteria at credentials stage 1. Actual knowledge of the industry, understanding our business. Most important agency search criteria at developing relationship stage

1. Actual knowledge about our industry.

Source: Millward Brown Study on Agency New Business, 2007

The essence of positioning is

Why most agencies dont have a strong positioning:

Unwillingness to sacrifice

The goal of positioning isnt to appeal to more clients.

Its to appeal more intensely to fewer clients.

Would you rather be mildly appealing to a broad group of prospects

or intensely appealing to a select group of prospects?

Your firm is defined by the clients and services you dont have

Top reason clients search for a new agency

1. Desire to focus on best-in-class specialists 2. Lagging business results 3. Creative failed to perform as expected 4. Agencys failure to update capabilities 5. Creative differences 6. Lack of team chemistry 7. Poor service 8. Agencys poor project management 9. Agencys lack of cost efficiency 10. Agencys lack of desire to facilitate integration
Source: Millward Brown Study on Agency New Business, 2007

Bill Bernbach

If you stand for something, you will always find some people for you and some against you. If you stand for nothing, you will find nobody against you, and nobody for you.

The worlds strongest brands have both the strongest admirers and the strongest detractors.

Narrow is not the same as small.

(Starbucks is narrow, but it certainly isnt small.)

Narrow is not small

Agency Brand Rapp Razorfish Carlson Marketing CommonHealth InterBrand iCrossing Dieste Focus Direct Marketing Digital Marketing Promotional Marketing Healthcare Marketing Branding & Identity Search Marketing Hispanic Marketing Revenue $364,000,000 $317,000,000 $172,250,000 $141,800,000 $120,300,000 $79,000,000 $44,900,000

Who we are (Thats easy)

Who we are not (Thats difficult)

Serves every kind of destination Serves every kind of traveler Offers every class of service Operates every kind of aircraft

Serves only well-traveled destinations Serves one kind of traveler (leisure) Offers only one class of service Operates only one kind of aircraft

Unprofitable for most of the past decade and recently emerged from bankruptcy.

Profitable every year since they started in business 20 years ago.

What

What we do

Who

Who we do it for

How

How we do it

Defining your positioning by exploring three questions

What

What

Who

We know the ruralpolitan market.

Who

Consumption-based marketing

How

How

Your positioning can be found at the intersection of:

What

How

Who

You should be able to describe your positioning in a:

30-second
elevator ride

5-minute
phone discussion

60-minute
presentation

If you are positioned correctly, you can win the battle before you fight.

Lord Wellington

Ignitions complete approach to agency positioning is outlined in the book Positioning for Professionals by Tim Williams.
Available at www.amazon.com

Ignition offers both guided and self-guided versions of its proprietary agency positioning program.

www.ignitiongroup.com