Flash Report – March 30, 2001

This BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT information is for agencyfinder.com Certified Agencies, Agency New Business Executives and agency subscribers. We communicate with registered member-agencies using e-mail.

CONTENTS:

1. Dirty Data Database
2. Opt-in NaDa
3. Small Budget Opportunities

DIRTY DATA DATABASE

I suspect you try to respond to client concerns like we do. Here’s the situation.

We’ve had clients report that some invited agencies couldn’t support their claims for previous experience. The agency had samples, but for some reason didn’t know industry jargon, and ultimately couldn’t justify their credentials.

We call that Dirty Data Database. When you have a moment, review your selections in Section 9 — Fields Served, just to be certain they reflect what you want to claim. Our complex search algorithms let

clients specify and find your agency with precision that far exceeds any other on-line or off-line service. Agencyfinder.com operates on the premise that our clients search for agencies that already know their business, or their industry.

Translated: your data must define your present capabilities and actual experience. Our system is not meant to support “wish-list” profiles. Supposition selling belongs in your “outreach program.” Clients are done a major disservice if we introduce them to unqualified agencies. Unqualified agencies also displace truly qualified candidates.

OPT-IN NADA

New business professionals are always looking for new ways to get new clients. Your decision to register was a good one, as long as you understand what WE ARE NOT.

WE ARE NOT an opt-in RFP service. We’re a data-driven client/agency on-line and off-line match-making service that selects from the extensive data you provide. That’s why you need to enter much more than just a name and e-mail address.

Here’s a sample of one project currently available on an opt-in service we’ll call XXX Affiliates. “When you sign-up as an XXX Affiliate you will receive 14 months of projects matched to your specific expertise.”

“You can start responding to projects from the day you sign-up as an Affiliate. Budgeted amounts are typically just the starting point of a much larger opportunity, for firms in our program that offer the high-quality services we promote.”

“Project ID: 18000”
“Project Title: Optical Fiber Manufacturing Plant in China”

“Description: The client is looking for consulting services to setup an optical fiber manufacturing facility in China. The consulting firm must be capable of giving advise on equipment, process, training of personnel and testing.”

“Last Date to Accept Responses: March 30, 2001”
“Estimated Budget: $50,001-$100,000”

This was meant for affiliates in the “Consultant” category. Anybody interested?

SMALL BUDGET OPPORTUNITIES

March 15th I talked about small budget

opportunities that fall below our $1 million design threshold.

Through today, we’ve processed over 560 searches with budgets less than $1 million. That represented over $165 million that needed to be placed. This translates to about one search each business day. That’s the business that will be referred.

If your agency guarantees results from the work you do for your clients, we’d like to know. As much as we’d like to ourselves, we can’t. What we can do is look back at what’s happened so far. You can study our publicity link to see the clients, the values and the agencies that are getting the business, but the decision to get involved is yours.

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 USA

Flash Report – March 08, 2001

This BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT information is for agencyfinder.com Certified Agencies, Agency New Business Executives and agency subscribers. We communicate with registered member-agencies using e-mail.

CONTENTS:

1. Search Statistics
2. You Will Fare Well
3. How Now Dot.Com?
4. The R Word
5. New Business Talent

SEARCH STATISTICS

The daily news carries pessimistic business prognostications, and there’s more on that below, but the downturn has apparently caused clients to take a closer look at things. The result here at agencyfinder.com is a 17% increase in search volume over the same period last year. Here’s a status report:

Current active searches – 5 (waiting to close)
Searches in the ready-cue – 7 (waiting to invite)
Searches in development – 18 (evaluating essays)
Closed searches – 5

YOU WILL FARE WELL

I hope it doesn’t sound corny because it’s not meant to be, but we promise to do anything and everything we can during 2001 and beyond to see that YOUR Certified Agency fares better at new business (by a minimum of 300%) over those that aren’t registered with us — period.

For those at your agency charged with business development, the cold hard reality is that it will be critical to DO EVERYTHING RIGHT in the months ahead. If you know anything we could be doing to help you more, I personally want to hear from you.

In case you hadn’t heard, we’ve been providing new business development consulting to the agency and public relations side of the industry since 1990. I’m also proud to announce that our Internet service agencyfinder.com is now in its 5th year of operation!

HOW NOW DOT.COM?

I’m puzzled, maybe you have an answer.

In our database, 1118 agencies claim they do Web site design & development. Yet only 194 claim they’ve done work for dot.com startups; 198 claim work for dot.coms that are primarily internet firms; and 187 say they’ve done work for brick and mortar firms with Web sites. That either means 539 agencies (1118 minus 194 minus 198 minus 187) are reporting they COULD DO the work but HAVEN’T DONE ANY yet, OR more likely, many agencies have not been back to update their files.

By example, the same holds true for e-commerce (193), lotteries (36), mortgage lending (79) and the list goes on — covering the 61 new fields we added back on December 18th, 2000.

We’re puzzled — what message (just short of immediate identifiable lost business) would make this a priority matter with everyone? At the moment, and for what we hope is just a transitory period, clients aren’t necessarily getting a chance to find ALL the most appropriate agencies. For those who have yet to update the file, (so I don’t necessarily mean you ), it could be their agency that gets excluded.

THE R WORD

Did you read AdAge this week and see the article entitled AD INDUSTRY SPOOKED BY GATHERING CLOUDS?

The lead line starts — “It’s beginning to look a lot like

recession.” It’s a timely piece. Writers quote statistics, then name agencies and more layoffs. But there’s one comment that will endure the year, maybe more. John Butler, co-creative director, Butler, Shine & Stern, Sausalito, Calif., said many agencies’ new business strategy for the past two years consisted of answering the phone. “That’s going to change,” he said, anticipating a return to the days when a pitch for an obscure $2 million account will draw not just small shops but powerhouses, too.

It certainly may come back to that. Clients had been telling us some agencies didn’t even answer the phone. Can you believe — we even know agencies that would love to take a shot at any old “obscure” $1 million account! Have they no shame?

In every agencyfinder review, we intercept and consult with ALL clients. For everyone’s benefit, we pre-screen searchers, working to identify only those that are serious and prepared to conduct a proper review. I must confess a few bad apples have gotten past security!

As a point of differentiation – we’re not a simplified on-line directory or a “look-up & steer-them-to-you” service. NEW BUSINESS TALENT

New business development is our exclusive, so we’re frequently called upon to help fill departmental vacancies.

If you or anyone you know is looking for experienced agency or public relations new business talent, just give us a call.

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 USA

Flash Report – February 07, 2001

This BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT information is for agencyfinder.com Certified Agencies, Agency New Business Executives and agency subscribers. We communicate with registered member-agencies using e-mail.

CONTENTS:

1. New Search Attributes are LIVE
2. Define Your Smallest Account
3. The New Economy
4. Sample New Business Invitation
5. The Candidate Agencies Grid

NEW SEARCH ATTRIBUTES ARE LIVE:

On February 1st, we went LIVE with our latest addition of search attributes and features. Make certain your agency is found by your ideal client – update ALL your data entry options. (services offered, fields served, market experience, office locations, staff size, essays, latest case histories and more).

Why bother? Here’s a real-world example: This morning, a major pharmaceutical client was searching. They requested a new listing -“Corporate & Promotional Videos.” Sadly,

many missed because their records were not updated. Was that you?

DEFINE YOUR SMALLEST ACCOUNT:

Help avoid wasted time and energy by setting your agency minimums. You asked for it; now you can dictate your smallest client budget (by billings and fees). Not only does this save everyone time, it also assures that the best agencies surface as candidates in a client search.

THE NEW ECONOMY:

Headlines are filled with gloom and doom. Major corporations fail to meet stated expectations for revenue and profit. Extensive layoffs are becoming the norm. Agencies are not immune. The Fed cuts rates. What’s next?

If ever there was a time for clients to find the perfect agency partner to insure that their marketing is working as hard as possible, that time is now. If it’s any indication, new clients registering for searches have increased significantly in the past few weeks over seasonal norms. Getting new business is back with a vengeance! Great new clients don’t come easy. But they do come to those who earn it. We encourage you to continue to look to agencyfinder.com as THE source for quality partnerships. Take a close look at any invitation we send; then decide quickly if you want to proceed. Whatever you do, tell the client or let us know your decision. If there’s anything we can do to improve the process, write us!

SAMPLE NEW BUSINESS INVITATION:

If you haven’t yet received one of our official new business invitations, now is a good time to examine one. GoTo: https://www.agencyfinder.com/about/sample.html

Review those documents and our instructions that accompany the client search description (Client Search Criteria). This mini RFP format guides you to prepare for your no-obligation client telephone interview – all designed to increase the probability that you’ll end up on their short list.

When you’re invited we want you to know, so you’ll hear from us 3 ways – fax, e-mail and phone. Your invitation is sent to the contact shown in our database, so be certain it’s up-to-date.

THE CANDIDATE AGENCIES GRID:

One of the final steps in the clients’ on-line search is to view and then select candidates by reading and scoring their essays. Those client search results are represented by the grid information at this link:

https://www.agencyfinder.com/advertisers/
demo/grid.html

The client’s objective is to narrow this group to 10 – 12 agencies; that’s when we intercept their search, hold our telephone interview, conduct our screening and due-diligence; provide consulting input and then identify the agencies. After that, invitations get sent to that group of agencies.

Hope this helps!

Here’s to a profitable 2001!

VIEW OUR ADS in BRANDWEEK Magazine and The Advertiser, official publication of the ANA.

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 USA

Flash Report – January 18, 2001

This BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT information is for agencyfinder.com Certified Agencies, Agency New Business Executives and agency subscribers. We communicate with registered member-agencies using e-mail.

CONTENTS:

1. Update – New Agency Features
2. Demo Search Example
3. Data Entry Accuracy
4. Introducing Jay Mangan
5. The “New Economy”

UPDATE – NEW AGENCY FEATURES

In our Flash Reports of Dec 18th and 26th, we directed you to your new data entry options. ON FEBRUARY 1ST, CLIENTS WILL START SELECTING AGENCIES USING THESE NEW OPTIONS. Take some time to review your agency profile; it could mean money in the bank.

We added 31 New Fields Served;
We added 23 New Services Offered;
We added 6 New Professional Organizations;
We added 1 New Market Specialization.

There were other equally important changes and additions; please review our earlier Flash Reports or simply visit your agency data @ http://agencyfinder.com/agencies/

DEMO SEARCH EXAMPLE

If you haven’t gone in to see what the
client search is like, this will help.
We conducted a demo search using the
following client parameters:

Existing Product
Existing Organization
Seeking: Integrated marketing communications
firm
Budget: $1,000,001 – $2,500,000
Covers: Advertising (fees, production
and media)

Seeking NEW agency.

SEARCH QUERY:

FIELDS SERVED: (as in – previous category
experience)
Automotive parts & accessories
Beer, wine, liquors
Transportation (other than airlines)
Vehicles (motorcycles, heavy trucks, etc.)
ERVICES DESIRED:
Account management
Account planning
Brand equity development
Broadcast production (radio)
Broadcast production (TV)
Collateral design & production
Corporate identity
Creative services
Direct marketing
Direct mail
In-store advertising and sales promotion
Internet marketing
Marketing plan development
Media buying
Media planning
Strategic planning & development
Trade show production
Web site design & development

MEDIA EXPERIENCE:
Business publications
Consumer Publications
Direct mail
Internet
Spot radio
Spot TV
Trade journals

MARKET SPECIALIZATION: Business-to-business Consumer – Male Consumer – Mature Consumer – Youth Dealer/distributor organizations ACCEPTABLE BILLING ARRANGEMENTS: Annual fee Cost-based fees Equity Flat negotiated fee(s) Monthly retainer Project billing Variable hourly rates for employee category MINIMUM YEARS IN BUSINESS: 2 years ACCEPTABLE LOCATIONS REGION: US New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) US East (DE, DC, MD, NJ, NY, PA, WV) US Southeast (AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA) US Midwest (IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, SD, WI) US Southwest (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX) US West (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY)

We searched until we broke through the 35 or fewer barrier and found 34 agencies. Each agency possess ALL the criteria called for above. The client search results are represented by the grid information at this link:

https://www.agencyfinder.com/advertisers/
demo/grid.html

The client’s objective is to narrow this group to 10 – 12 agencies; that’s when we intercept their search, conduct our telephone interview; provide our off-line consulting input and then reveal the identities of the agencies they selected. That’s when invitations get sent to their handful of selected agencies.

Hope this helps!

DATA ENTRY ACCURACY

You’ve heard it before -Garbage in/Garbage out. Our fancy, big-bucks sophisticated search engine can only select agencies by the information they entered. SO – please check again to be certain you have meaningful data at:

1. Headquarters location (Y/N)
2. Number of office sites (then list them)
3. Number of employees
4. Capitalized billings (check the $)
5. Year founded
6. Minimum account size (in billings)
7. Minimum account size (in fee income)
8. Essays & Case histories

INTRODUCING JAY MANGAN

I’m pleased to announce that James (Jay) H. Mangan, Jr. has joined Business Partnering International as Director of Agency Services.

As an Advertising Manager at Ethyl Corporation,

then GTE Wireless (Verizon), Jay recruited and retained agencies such as Arnold, Grey and BBDO. In addition, his expertise as New Business Development Director at local ad agencies and as an adjunct professor in Advertising at Virginia Commonwealth University, make him ideally suited to assist our Certified agencies and those that apply.

THE NEW ECONOMY

We wrote in earlier Flash Reports about the grand and hectic state of agency new business during the last few years. In this “New Economy”, things are cooling off fast. The dot.com fallout wasn’t unexpected, and the forecast for shortfall corporate earnings hasn’t come as the greatest of shocks,but NOW THERE’S NEWS THAT HITS CLOSER TO HOME.

This past weekend NBC, CNN and FOX all announced staff reductions (NBC – 600; CNN – 500/1000, largest in 20 year history); directly attributable to decreasing advertising revenues. And last week, the New York Times announced layoffs at their Web site for the same reason. THAT means overall client spending is turning down! Some agencies tell us they’ve gone from “too-busy-to-pay-attention” to shades of the early ’90’s. For those working on new business back then, any opportunity was welcome, worth close examination and consideration.

It’s not our place to chronicle all the reasons to get back to new business basics, but as teachers and consultants with new business credentials, it is our prerogative to urge everyone to do so.

In our last issue we mentioned Bob Seltzer (Ogilvy PR) talking at the Public Relations World Congress 2000 about the business downturn that will inevitably follow the current boom (Fall 2000), where he warned “There will come a time when we all will have to go hunting again” for new business. Looks like that time is now.

[Note: It can take 6 months or more to crank up a dormant agency new business system. agencyfinder has repeatedly delivered new business within days of an agency’s registration and data approval.]

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 USA

Flash Report – December 26, 2000

This BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT information is for agencyfinder.com Certified Agencies, Agency New Business Executives and agency subscribers. We communicate with registered member-agencies using e-mail.

CONTENTS:

NEW & IMPROVED AGENCY FEATURES
INCREASE YOUR CHANCE FOR
NEW BUSINESS:

1. New – Fields Served
2. New – Services Offered
3. New – Market Specialization
4. Define Your Smallest Client
5. Previewing Your Essays
6. Search Activity Report
7. User ID and Password
8. Alternate NB Contacts
9. Other Offices
10. Your Title
11. From the Client’s Side
12. New – Agency Reports
13. Conduct a Demo Search
14. Set Your Activity Status

CHANGE OF ADDRESS:

NEW & IMPROVED AGENCY FEATURES

In our Flash report of December 1st, we mentioned the many new features and benefits coming your way. This Special Report identifies them – these features will improve your chances for great client connections, but you need to “fill-in-the-blanks” so they apply to your firm. Please read on.

To update and activate your firm’s data, enter our site using your User Name and Password @ http://agencyfinder.com/agencies/ (Agency Record Maintenance @ our Home Page). Make all your changes there. DO NOT submit by replying to this mail. The following comments explain the changes and highlight your options.

We’re giving you a 30-day head start before we let clients select on these new features. Clients start selecting new categories on February 1st, 2001. Make a point to check yours that apply ASAP.

NEW FIELDS SERVED: (+ 31)

We’ve added the following business categories so a
searcher can expand their list of required vertical
market experience.

Auctions
Automobile racing
Brokers
Catalog Merchant
Consultant
Dot.com (exchange model)
Dot.com (extension of brick & mortar)
Dot.com (primarily internet)
Dot.com (startup)
E-commerce
Fundraising
Golf Courses
Horse Racing
IPO’s (Initial Public Offerings)
ISP (Internet Service Providers)
Licensor, Licensing
Lotteries
Luxury Items
Medical services
Mortgage Lending
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers)
Producer, Events & Seminars
Professional Services
Real Estate Developers
Rental (equipment)
Rental (vehicles)
Research Organizations
Sales & Marketing Agents
Sports Complex
Sports Teams
Venture Capital

NEW SERVICES OFFERED: (+ 23 )

We’ve added the following services. If you provide
them (in-house or through transparent alliances),
check them.

Affiliate Marketing
Analyst Relations
Banner Advertising
Beta Testing
Brand Positioning
Corporate & Promotional Videos
Direct e-marketing
e-Business Strategies
Ethnic Marketing
Frequency Marketing
Guerilla Marketing
Initial Public Offerings (IPO’s)
Interactive Services
Labor Relations
Loyalty Marketing
Opt-in-e-mail
Pre/Post IPO Marketing
Press Kits
Sales Support Tools
Search Engine Positioning & Strategy
Speech Writing
Viral Marketing
Web Site Hosting
NEW MARKET SPECIALIZATION: (+ 1)

Market specialization defines those markets
(end-users) you know how to reach and motivate.
We’ve added:

Urban

DEFINE YOUR SMALLEST CLIENT:

Many of you have asked for this; now it’s here. You can define what you consider as your lower limit (as an advertising account) so the smaller searches won’t rattle your cage. By example, and for everyone’s sake, if you don’t want to look at anything less than $1 Million, then set it accordingly. Based on our experience, we’ll set the figure if you don’t.

GoTo: http://agencyfinder.com/agencies/
secure/manager/get_firmdata.cgi scroll down the page and make your choice.

PREVIEWING YOUR ESSAYS:

It’s not only what your essays say, but how they look that matters. We’ve given you the chance to see exactly how they look before submission – that way you can improve their appearance, and you can also find and fix typos. Interesting how many clients ask about the typos. Please check it again and

again. Your work speaks for you!

SEARCH ACTIVITY REPORT:

This one is worth a fortune if you use it to your advantage. Each time your agency makes the cut to one of 35 or fewer in a client search, the counter will record it. At 35 or less, that’s where clients read the essays, score and invite the agencies they like.

The counter will show up at the top of your confidential agency report (# 13). We started tracking and posting this data last week. As a suggestion, if that counter shows 10 or more and you haven’t been invited in a client search, take a hard look at your essays and case histories. They may need rework.

USER ID & PASSWORD:

If you’ve misplaced or forgotten, when you GoTo enter @ Agency Record Maintenance, just type in your e -mail address (or that of the person who registered your firm) and we auto-matically send what you need to that address. Telephone or send a separate e-mail if that doesn’t work! ALTERNATE NEW BUSINESS CONTACTS:

If you’ve listed another person as an alternate new business contact, that individual now gets a copy of any Flash Report. If you don’t want them involved in new business, please delete their name and e-mail address.

OTHER OFFICES:

Make certain ALL your agency offices are helping you get new business. To be selected in a specific region or state, you have to list an office there. Be sure to list ALL your offices throughout the world at Section # 3

YOUR TITLE:

We’d like your title, so please fill in the blank at Section # 1.

FROM THE CLIENTS SIDE:

We’ve added:

Define by desired “firm type”
More precise budget explanations
Search by State(s) plus regions
Adding New – Fields Served (30-days)
Adding New – Services Offered (30-days)

Adding New – Market Specialization (30-days)

NEW AGENCY REPORTS:

When you finish your updates, visit both links below. You can also find them as Items # 13 & #14 in your Agency Record Maintenance section. We suggest you print both reports and circulate them to everyone on your new business team. Then fix anything that needs it!

http://agencyfinder.com/agencies/secure/
manager/get_report_listing_user.cgi
http://agencyfinder.com/agencies/secure/
manager/get_print_listing_user.cgi

CONDUCT A DEMO SEARCH:

You’re invited to register and conduct your own search. When you see what clients see, you might want to make some changes in your own data entry. You’re welcome to do so. Note that your User Name and Password are both case-sensitive here too.

SET YOUR ACTIVITY STATUS:

Throughout the country, agencies are busy. That sometimes translates into “We can’t look at ANY new business opportunities right now.” Do everyone a favor – we gave you the “Active/Inactive” flag at # 1 [New Business Contact] so you can set it to “Inactive” if you’re too busy to even consider some great new business. Setting it that way silences your agency record for the time being.

Please go there and select “Inactive” so a client doesn’t spend time making you a candidate, only to discover you’re too busy. And when you get some capacity back and do want new business, set it to “Active.” Fair?

CHANGE OF ADDRESS:

We appreciate and are glad to receive your mailings and agency samples. Please note that our address changed as of March 1, 2000. The new address is below at my signature line (4327 Cox Road, etc.) The old address that some of you still mail to is:

4952 Newross Avenue
Richmond, VA 23228-6335

Please delete this old address.

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 USA

Flash Report – November 30, 2000

This BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT information is for agencyfinder.com Certified Agencies, Agency New Business Executives and agency subscribers. We communicate with registered member-agencies using e-mail.

CONTENTS:

1. New & Improved Agency Features
2. Closing Techniques
3. Rude Awakening

NEW & IMPROVED AGENCY FEATURES

We’re putting the finishing touches on a host of new features that will increase your chance for selection, invitation and award. An upcoming Flash Report will cover them in detail, but for the moment, take a look at two items that offer immediate benefit.

We’ve given you the ability to preview and then print full reports on all the agency data we have for your firm @ agencyfinder.com.

Goto: http://agencyfinder.com/agencies/secure/

Forgot your User Name and Password? If so,

and if you’re the listed new business contact, just type your e-mail address at: http://agencyfinder.com/agencies/

1. (Menu #13) The first is a CONFIDENTIAL version that’s only for you and us. Print this and circulate to others at the agency that would benefit from this summary.

2. (Menu #14) The second is what clients can see. I’d suggest you go there immediately to be certain your data is complete and accurate. Commonly overlooked is the year founded, number and location of additional offices, or capitalized billings. Each item is a selection criteria – missing or incorrect data can adversely affect your selection.

CLOSING TECHNIQUES

We’re soliciting your input for techniques we can share with clients to select the “perfect” agency from their short-list finalists. We have our favorites, but there’s room for more!

As it is, our process introduces clients quickly and precisely to a handful of pre-qualified agencies. Initial agency/client contact is by telephone, and that conversation gives you both a chance to test for “chemistry”, an important but elusive element that often makes the difference.

We make a powerful argument that the first face-to-face encounter should be at the agency. NOTICE that has them traveling to you, spending THEIR TIME AND THEIR MONEY to do so. As a result, you could end up saving the same or more than our registration and annual fees. Read our recommendations (Question #5) at:

http://agencyfinder.com/about/faq/
advertisers.html

Clients are always asking for help on the last phase. That’s where they invite you to come and present to them and their management. We speak strongly against spec creative, but they’re always looking for methodology to identify that “perfect” agency. That’s where you can contribute by adding to our existing recommendations.

So – send us your thoughts!

RUDE AWAKENING

In our last Flash Report, we ran a letter from a client that was less than satisfied with the lack of response from some of his invited agencies. New reports of a slowing economy, with the forecast of reduced activity is another subtle warning for the

need to be prepared.

Bob Seltzer, president and CEO of Ogilvy Public Relations, in talking at the Public Relations World Congress 2000 about the business downturn that will inevitably follow the current boom, warned “There will come a time when we all will have to go hunting again” for new business.

As it relates to the Agencyfinder process, be certain to read and study your invitations as soon as they arrive, then call the client and conduct your discovery or let us know you have to decline. That process works and will fare-you-well in boom or in slow times.

Here’s to Great New Business!

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 USA

This BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT information is for agencyfinder.com Certified Agencies, Agency New Business Executives and agency subscribers. We communicate with registered member-agencies using e-mail.

CONTENTS:

1. When Your Invitation Comes
2. Essays Finished?
3. Agency Exhibit Opportunity

WHEN YOUR INVITATION COMES

If you’ve received one of our many client invitations, you know the drill. Study the opportunity, examine the search criteria, research the client, determine if there’s a conflict, and if not, telephone the client within four business days. Test the water, measure the chemistry, ask your hardball questions about business plan and budget. Conduct your due diligence and decide if you want a spot on their short list. Tell them; please tell us.

About that introductory phone call. Based on our experience alone, we can tell you that faxes, e-mail and even voicemail “disappear” under the strangest circumstances. Don’t stop at just one call. These

clients picked you; they know who you are and they want to speak with you. If you don’t get a call-back, try again. Extract yourself from their voicemail and find a human. You were asked to call; make that clear to the gatekeepers.

If that doesn’t do it, try fax or e-mail. But if you can’t penetrate their armor at this stage, maybe they’re not right for you. That’s always your call.

FINISHED?

We’ve added more bells and whistles, so when your agency makes their cut, clients move right to reading and evaluating your essays. If you’re missing any, you’ll get an auto e-mail alerting you to those that are. You’re given two business days to complete them. If you can’t, do so for the next hit.

Some clients have mentioned typos. It’s a good idea to check what you have posted; accuracy is one element clients are evaluating.

AGENCY EXHIBIT OPPORTUNITY:

Our thanks to the agencies that sent great client samples for display in our new offices. Please note – we’re still accepting participants for that exhibit program. Directors Club agencies are automatically eligible to send us client work-samples for our Richmond headquarters. Iridium agencies may make written request. This work is hung on a rotational basis; we ask that samples be fairly large framed pieces (poster-size) and carry an agency credit plaque.

If you have samples you wish to display, write or e-mail to:

Victoria Bowring

Business Partnering International
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 USA