Flash Report @ AgencyFinder – September 19, 2006

CONTENTS:

1. Bitching About Pitching & Agency Compensation
2. Client Search Trends (Business is Popping)
3. The Whole Truth About Search Consultants
4. Licensing – What Can You Share?
5. A Dictionary challenge

BITCHING ABOUT PITCHING & AGENCY COMPENSATION

Monday’s (9/18) AdAge carried an interesting story from the ANA Conference that revealed “simmering levels of anger” about the pitch process. Three prominent agency creative officers spoke quite candidly about the fact that pitch dollars might be better spent on clients that were capable of making an agency selection without employing spec creative.

We oppose spec creative and have since we began in 1997. Many clients, even those with vast experience, have the mistaken opinion that

somehow “they” are capable of recognizing “great creative” – particularly that which will

produce positive results. I suggest that even some of the best agency CD’s couldn’t make that determination with the information clients have at hand. By example, a client might have a particular fondness for the color “yellow.” Congratulations and an unfair victory to the agency whose spec work happens to be predominantly “yellow.” (It’s happened!)

What’s really going on (in case the obvious is not as clear as it should be) is that each client wants to discover which agency really “gets it!” Which agency has a creative style they’re comfortable with, which agency (during an agency tour) has “good people”, which agency has shown the logic and process by which their work-products are produced, and which agency has listened, identified the strengths and weaknesses of the client, and has a plan to communicate that to the market. The client wants as much hard evidence as you can give them that YOUR AGENCY GETS IT! If you were their only candidate, you might say “trust us”, but in the competitive pitch environment, you’ve got to prove some- thing through demonstration. (Doctor, would you mind terribly doing a small free surgery before I become your paying brain tumor patient?) After more than ten years and 7,000 agency reviews, we must sound like a broken record when we advise clients. But we tell them to visit their 6 – 7 semi-finalists. Other than a general overview, don’t start briefing agencies on your assignment; save that for the finalists. Tour the agency (first), meet as many staffers as you can (evaluate chemistry), study the place and study their styles. Learn how they work from start (client challenge) to execution. Learn how media alternatives are chosen. Come to understand their process – if there is one. If they haven’t covered everything, the agency may want to do a capabilities presentation. Let that happen.

Select 3 finalists and invite them to your headquarters for a final presentation. Send each finalist a marketing brief (share as much experiential data as you have and can afford to – an NDA might be in order) and give all contenders the same fixed budget to use for the pitch. The assignment asks each for a strategic presentation – with as much detail as each wishes to provide, to identify media alternatives, theme(s), concepts, the works. Measurement by the client is to determine which agency “gets it”, which agency seems to understand the proper communication channels, and is capable of delivering the essential message.

For more insight, we suggest the client ask each agency (in advance) to prepare and present a

“mock” invoice for the presentation. In other words, had the agency been the AOR, show us what your talent at their rates would have us paying for what we just saw. And those rates should apply for the first fiscal year.

The challenge is to be as creative in the pitch process as you are in your work-product. For example, without using finished spec creative, I’d bet on our team. We’d carefully, slowly present our strategy, giving each client representative solid, sincere eye contact. We’d outline our media alternatives and we’d show tons of reach and frequency. We might even risk boring them a bit with detail. But just before it’s too much, we’d draw back the curtain to reveal a statuesque gentleman, lit with a pencil beam of light, standing in shadows at a podium. “Ladies and gentlemen, to introduce our campaign using only the human voice as our instrument, may I present Mr. James Earle Jones.”

CLIENT SEARCH TRENDS (BUSINESS IS POPPING)

I burned up more copy space than I intended above, so let me be brief. There’s been a mild explosion in client search activity on the West Coast. That’s great news, since that part of the country suffered much too long until recently. Beyond that great news, the slight downside is that clients are taking quite a bit longer to come to their decisions. But by and large, they do conclude.

THE WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT SEARCH CONSULTANTS

Would you be interested in an article or white paper that tells the “whole truth and nothing but” about search consultants? Adweek and AdAge do bits and pieces, but the one area they never address is – who is paying what, to whom, when, under what circumstances, and just what do search consultants get paid, and just what do they really do? (to earn those fees). And finally, who runs a clean ship, and who is conflicted? Would you vote for such an expose’? Let me know.

LICENSING – WHAT CAN YOU SHARE?

I’m participating in a panel at the coming InfoCommerce Group annual meeting in Philadelphia. Our topic is Licensing. Primarily, licensing being the concept of granting the right to use for a fee a process, data, etc. Do you have any specific experience? Do you have any Do’s or Don’ts? I’d be grateful for your input. The event is October 10th.

A DICTIONARY CHALLENGE

One more quick one. Agencies that get our invitations frequently thank us for the “lead.” We’re looking for a better word – and I think it will have to be invented. Leads come in various forms, but in the sales sense, a lead is the suggestion (based on some degree of fact) that a prospect may be interested or looking for a particular good or service. But the typical lead is not prequalified, tested, perfected, validated or consulted in depth. Our invitations are far more than leads. They might better be called “pre-clients.” When the agencies were invited to pitch Wal-Mart, did they thank SRI for the “lead?” I don’t think so. The industry needs a new word – any thoughts?

Sincerely,

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Voice: 804.346.1812

Special Event
Flash Report @ AgencyFinder – September 7, 2006

UPCOMING SEMINAR FOR SENIOR AGENCY EXECUTIVES:

If you were to ask a lot of clients, they would say that agencies are stuck in a structure that churns out advertising ideas instead of business-building ideas. Providing proactive ideas to build the brand is what clients want most. Yet agencies are set up to do something else: produce and distribute advertising. So agencies have little time to study their client’s business. Few processes for developing business- building ideas. No real structure for implementing business-building ideas. And worst of all, no system for getting paid for them.

To learn how progressive agencies are rising to the challenge, attend “Reinvention: Making Your Agency More Relevant and Valuable to Clients.” This full-day seminar, designed especially for senior agency executives, explores the critical changes agencies need to make to their business model to focus more on added-value benefits and less on commodity services.

The workshop leader is author, speaker and consultant Tim Williams of Ignition, a consultancy devoted to transforming the business models of agencies. A frequent presenter for agency associations and networks, Tim has published numerous articles on the future of our business and is author of the book “Take a Stand for Your Brand: Building a Great Agency from the Inside Out.”

Sponsored by AgencyFinder, “Reinvention” will look at the traditional agency functions and help you evaluate what to relinquish, what to rework, and what to reinvent. The seminar will also explore the new emerging functions that are reframing the agency skill set – such as analytics, experience design, and reputation management.

The venue is the Snowbird Resort, nested in the beautiful Utah mountains just outside Salt Lake City on September 22, 2006. For details and registration information, visit www.ignitiongroup.com\reinvention

Sincerely,

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Voice: 804.346.1812

Special Edition
Flash Report @ AgencyFinder – July 24, 2006

CONTENTS:

1. Special Executive Message
2. Entirely New Website, New Features, New Agencies
3. Introducing Doug Sidle, Manager Business Development
4. Kaille Padgett Promoted to Director Agency Relations
5. Did You Get Your Postcard?

SPECIAL EXECUTIVE MESSAGE

This Special Edition Flash Report has been sent to your agency’s Chief Executive, your CFO, your primary new business contact, and your alternate new business contact. Although not our normal newsletter recipient list, we’ve chosen to deviate (for the sake of new client opportunities for your agency) to call everyone’s attention to our entirely new website, our new hire for Business Development Manager and to serve notice of Kaille Padgett’s promotion.

Our objective is and always has been – to help you find suitable, pre-qualified new business prospects in a simple, affordable continuing stream of

opportunities. Launched in 1997, we’ve become the ad industry’s new business standard-bearer. Then and now, we built it for you. We welcome your comments and suggestions.

ENTIRELY NEW WEBSITE, NEW FEATURES, NEW AGENCIES I won’t say too much except to encourage you to visit and dig in. The site is full of new business suggestions, agency tips & tricks, proven and tested new business advice, and fine new agencies. www.agencyfinder.com

INTRODUCING DOUG SIDLE, MANAGER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

I’m pleased to welcome (back) Doug Sidle, filling a new position here as Manager of Business Development. Doug has a long and successful career in agency business development, having previously worked with us at our sister company Sales Marketing Institute, Ltd. back in 1995-1996. Prior to SMI, Doug lived and worked in England. When he moved to the US, he hired on as a business development marketing representative for Sanders Consulting Group. After leaving SMI, Doug moved to ad:tech, literally for their start-up, where he helped produce their very first interactive and international events. He most recently spent time in the radio industry in a sales and marketing capacity. I encourage you to connect with Doug and challenge him with your most difficult new business issues!

KAILLE PADGETT PROMOTED TO DIRECTOR AGENCY RELATIONS

I’m equally pleased to announce that effectively immediately, Kaille Padgett has been promoted to Director Agency Relations. Kaille started with us in February 2002 and is our “true diamond” when it comes to helping agencies build and maintain “magnetic” records. If you haven’t talked with Kaiile yet, I’d have to exclaim – “How’d that happen?” Kaille is a wealth of information and knowledge – both about our industry and what it takes to help your agency be found by clients searching at AgencyFinder.

Make a point to take her calls – or make one to Kaille yourself.

DID YOU GET YOUR POSTCARD?

(This is a repeat from our Flash Report of July 11th – in case you didn’t see it or get your postcard)

Very seldom do we resort to good old fashioned mail, but we did so last week when each primary and alternate new business contact were sent a

postcard announcing the need to check and update your agency contacts in your AgencyFinder datafile. We’re about to make some substantial changes and upgrades ourselves, and it’s increasingly important that we be able to reach you to share prospect and agency search invitations at a moments notice.

Use the postcard link or GoTo: https://www.agencyfinder.com/2-agency/agency-login.shtml

Agency spam filters have become so aggressive that I’m not sure how many of you learn about anything new – other than what you’re chasing yourself. And that’s not good. Frankly, if you have an agency website and associated e-mail addresses, the primary purpose is to be found. If your IT people have successfully shielded you from anyone not “pre-screened”, they have done you a disservice. I’d rather plow through some spam to find the “gold”, than never to strike precious metal at all.

Sincerely,

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Voice: 804.346.1812

Flash Report @ AgencyFinder – July 11, 2006

This BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT information is for AgencyFinder Certified Agencies, Agency New Business Executives and agency subscribers. Please forward to others in your firm involved in business development. We communicate with registered member agencies using e-mail. The contents of this Flash Report is the opinion of the writer and is not meant to be an infallible source of fact.

CONTENTS:

1. Did You Get Your Postcard?
2. Agency Special Events for the Forward Thinking
3. Miller & Lawrence Butner – An Agency Alliance
4. Referrals – Viral at It’s Best or Hogwash?
5. Does Your Agency Have a Sticker?
6. First Notice – AF Power Index
7. Significant Website Upgrade

DID YOU GET YOUR POSTCARD?

Very seldom do we resort to good old fashioned mail, but we did so last week when each primary and alternate new business contact were sent a postcard announcing the need to check and update your agency contacts in your AgencyFinder datafile.

We’re about to make some substantial changes and upgrades ourselves, and it’s increasingly important that we be able to reach you to share prospect and agency search invitations at a moments notice.

Agency spam filters have become so aggressive that I’m not sure how many of you learn about anything new – other than what you’re chasing yourself. And that’s not good. Frankly, if you have an agency website and associated e-mail addresses, the primary purpose is to be found. If your IT people have successfully shielded you from anyone not “pre-screened”, they have done you a disservice. I’d rather plow through some spam to find the “gold”, than never to strike precious metal at all.

AGENCY SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE FORWARD THINKING

I’m pleased to announce that we’ve struck a working partnership with Tim Williams and his folks at Ignition Consulting Group. You may already know Tim; we’re encouraging agencies to consider his special events and we’re a sponsor of the two that follow: September 22, Park City, Utah – Reinvention: Making Your Agency More Relevant and Valuable to Clients

Reinvention: Making Your Agency More Relevant and Valuable to Clients is a full-day seminar designed to help senior agency executives transform their business model to compete more effectively in the new multi-channel world. The new marketing paradigm is not about exposure, but engagement; not mass media as channels, but everything as channels; not just the brand perception, but the brand experience. This seminar shows how agencies can reorganize and retool their skill set and apply their considerable creativity not just to client business, but to their own business model as well.

Information and registration at: www.ignitiongroup.com/reinvention

November 2-3, Park City, Utah – Propulsion: Leading Edge Practices of Successful Agencies

Propulsion: Leading Edge Practices of Successful Agencies is a two-day seminar for agency leaders that explores how and why the best agencies attract the best people, win the most business, do the best work, and have the best financial track records.

Behind the success of these firms is a set of practices that guide the way they create their work, organize their firms, and price their services. This seminar explores how to learn from the experience of the world’s best-led agencies and put their leading edge practices to use in your own firm.

Information and registration at: www.ignitiongroup.com/propulsion

THE MILLER GROUP & LAWRENCE BUTNER ADVERTISING – AN AGENCY ALLIANCE

Whenever we can, we’re happy to introduce one of our registered agencies to another. That makes great sense when two agencies or even more, but far apart in distance or specialization, are looking to bring more substance to their credentials and sub- sequently increase their opportunities for “being found” in the AgencyFinder process. There are other advantages, but we leave that up to the agencies themselves.

A recent such “alliance” has been struck by the good folks at The Miller Group Advertising, Inc. in Los Angeles (Rene Miller – President/Creative Director), a 19- person shop founded in 1990 and Lawrence Butner Advertising, Inc, New York (Robin Butner – President) a 12 person shop, founded in 1979. The combination has already been able to parlay their new association into some “coastal” new business. Are you looking for a new partner? Give us a call. REFERRALS – VIRAL AT IT’S BEST OR HOGWASH?

We get the daily Soflow Adrants e-mails where folks in the network are busy “networking.” One came in recently from an ad agency in San Francisco asking a simple question – “Anyone know a great PR firm?” The question didn’t include any particular requirements; didn’t even specify whether the work was to appear in the US or elsewhere.

I found the suggestions interesting. First, not one posed the question of why an ad agency would want to hire or pay a pr firm. Not that one wouldn’t, but the “assignment” would have been nice to know. As they started rolling in, most mentions were for solo practitioners rather than firms with more than one employee. I was taken aback by the number of referrals to solo practitioners in Europe, which included such rave but unsupported recommendations as “she did great work for us!”

When we’re talking with an agency and they tell us most of their new business opportunities come from “referrals”, I’m inclined to smile and think of my well- intending Aunt Florence. When I was single, she frequently had some very special lady in mind that she insisted I meet. In most cases, I smiled and thanked her, but explained that at the moment, I was seeing “Vanessa.”

Referrals are well-intended suggested introductions for reasons that make sense to the referrer, but generally have little connection to the needs of the referred. What my aunt saw as a good match and what I sought at the time weren’t in the same ballpark. Not to say she wasn’t right!

DOES YOUR AGENCY HAVE A STICKER?

We warn our searching clients to mark all the agency samples they receive with the agency name that sent them. Unless they do so, and allowing for the fact that many agencies don’t mark their samples themselves (not their brochure, but relevant work they did for others), it doesn’t take much to lose track of who did what for whom.

Nothing particularly fancy is necessary, but be sure to mark each sample of work you send – otherwise your competition could receive all the credit in error.

FIRST NOTICE – AGENCYFINDER POWER INDEX

We’ve decided it’s time to get serious about instituting the AgencyFinder (AF) Power Index ranking feature. Taking our direction from a group of client-side advisors, we created an algorithm that scores each agency in the AgencyFinder database. This real- time score is called the Agencyfinder (AF) Power Index™ (API). It reflects a variety of elements, some factual (as exist in the datafile) and some experiential. These scores (0 – 100) will help searchers further evaluate agency candidates that select according to their search specifics.

You aren’t asked to do anything special to prepare for this scoring system, but you are asked and encouraged to recognize that missing data, incomplete or inaccurate essays, case histories and client lists will be factors in the scoring process.

We’ll give you more details as we prepare to announce (the September 2005 date has obviously come and gone!)

SIGNIFICANT WEBSITE UPGRADE

Later this month we’re going to introduce a complete site re-design. For all the right reasons – user friendly, easier navigation, relevant links, more and better in every way. That was the intent.

We’ll sneak it out on you – if you are either startled or bewildered, feel free to call. User response led us to the new design, but we’re always open to your suggestions. More when it’s “live!”

Thanks for taking time to read this; as we have since 1997, we look forward to getting you face-to-face with a great prospect. Then & Now – We Built it for You!

Sincerely,

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Voice: 804.346.1812

Flash Report @ AgencyFinder – May 2, 2006

This BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT information is for AgencyFinder Certified Agencies, Agency New Business Executives and agency subscribers. Please forward to others in your firm involved in business development. We communicate with registered member agencies using e-mail. The contents of this Flash Report is the opinion of the writer and is not meant to be an infallible source of fact.

CONTENTS:

1.  Surprise, Your Agency Has an Agent
2.  Technology Marches On; Man Doesn’t
3.  PowerPoint Disasters, Natural and Manmade
4.  Free Air Travel Awarded to Food Marketing Institute
5.  Client Retains Consultant to Locate Same-City Agencies
6.  You Are What You Are – Is It Obvious to The Prospect?
7.  Confessions of an Agency; Clients Ask Us Why?

A great philosopher once remarked – “an optimist is one who explains HOW TO using HOW NOT TO examples.” I must be an optimist… you’re invited to comment on this rather philosophical Flash Report.

SURPRISE, YOUR AGENCY HAS AN AGENT

It may come somewhat as a surprise, but in this e-Harmony relationship of ours, we’re your agent! Think of yourself as talent – singer, dancer, model, actor. Then think of us as your agent. When we go to bat for you, (and that’s what our service does every day during each and every client search), you need to be prepared to deliver for us, and for clients.

If and when you’re fortunate to get to “Tom Cruise” agency status, you won’t need an agent, you’ll need a business manager. Business managers don’t sell; their job is saying no to deals.

In a universe of more than 15,000 credentialed agencies, most would appreciate having their own agent. Occasionally, a few of you (those who come to the plate less frequently) seem to overlook this partner bit. Please don’t confuse us as one of them – those client driven, client-compensated consultants who often ask you to stay at arms- length, or not to talk directly with the client. If you don’t like them for some reason, fine. But we’re on your team; we’re your agent, your pal. Periodically it’s not a bad idea to confide in us. Keep us posted, keep us excited about what you are. But if we first met you as a slim, 120 lb dancer and you’ve ballooned to 350 lbs on a 5’4″ frame, you need a new headsheet! If your agency has grown, shrunk, moved, added offices or client categories, you need a new agency headsheet! Please update your data. Garbage in, garbage out. Don’t kill the messenger when we get you an audition for a size 7 assignment and you show up as a size 14!

TECHNOLOGY MARCHES ON; MAN DOESN’T

I never thought I’d be old enough to think of industry colleagues as “young,” but I’ve gotten there. What puzzles me is how much they have yet to learn. Then I wonder why they haven’t? I experienced this more than usual the last week or so, and I’ve been sharing my observations with friends and colleagues. They tend to agree. Look at technology and look at computers. They’ve evolved, have they ever. Automobiles have too. Gadgets, all kinds of things, our own homes and appliances, almost anything tangible. We’re quantum-leaps ahead of where we were.

But on the human side, I venture to suggest that if we took a time machine back to the days of Moses and went to the market to meet with marketers, we’d find them discussing the same things, struggling with the same concepts, asking who does what in a

“quid pro quo” relationship and then questioning the ethics of it all, just as we do today. Why don’t humans evolve like technology? I don’t have any answers (yet), but it does make one think… have any theories?

POWERPOINT DISASTERS, NATURAL AND MANMADE

God help the poor presenter! Clients tell us, and I’ve seen it myself, although we’re not necessarily talking about agencies here, where a presenter using PowerPoint will stand center-stage, glaring into the projector beam, then swing around pointing to their 8 x 12 foot image and remark – “I know you can’t read this, but let me tell you what it says…”

This same presenter will undoubtedly dissolve and evolve from image to image where what’s “projected” has little in common with the words being mumbled into the lavaliere mike. Hasn’t anyone explained that an audience can not reconcile two presentations at once.

Then watch out for this one. The event tech says they’ll flip the switch to your presentation laptop, your lavaliere mike and your hand-held remote when your turn comes. Everything is fine until you discover that the wireless mouse transmitter is still on the prior presenter’s laptop. Have a nice day! FREE AIR TRAVEL AWARDED TO FOOD MARKETING INSTITUTE (FMI)

On April 25th, the San Antonio, TX audience of food-industry marketers were introduced to Free Air Travel, a new airline that allows travel anywhere in the system, to any of their destinations without cost. Why free? Because each of the destinations chips in to cover expenses; they want visitors coming to their cities to spend money. Turns out that was a tease. Yours truly then explained: if you need to travel to a new marketing partner (ad agency, pr firm, sales promotion firm) you can actually do so for free on AgencyFinder. Why free? Because the agencies have chipped in to cover your expenses, because they want you coming to them to spend your marketing dollars! Nice crowd, nice people. A very influential organization!

CLIENT RETAINS CONSULTANT TO LOCATE SAME-CITY AGENCIES

A recent AgencyFinder client is headquartered in Austin, TX. They specifically asked for Austin agencies only. I hadn’t been to Austin in years, and suggested they consult the Yellow Pages (thinking it was still a rather small Capital-of-Texas city). We’re not adverse to helping any client, but I wasn’t sure we could do much. Well surprise, surprise –

we had 14 agencies right there in Austin, not just any agencies, but agencies that met his specs. Driving from San Antonio to Dallas last week, I saw first-hand that Austin is no longer a sleepy Texas town.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE – IS IT OBVIOUS TO THE PROSPECT?

I had a great visit to Targetbase, one of our registered agencies in Dallas, TX. For those who might not know, Targetbase is an Omnicom shop specializing in database marketing. What they do, they do well. But they, like so many firms today, are one of those best-kept secrets that clients don’t always know they need, so they aren’t initially looking for them. To address that, they wisely combine a formal outreach and relationship development model with our inbound service.

Their example does raise the question though – if your firm is offering a proprietary service or something not readily apparent to the casual observer, how do you get the attention you need and deserve? After managing almost 7,000 client searches, we’re in a position to observe that most clients do not articulate their needs as well as agencies articulate their capabilities. CONFESSIONS OF AN AGENCY; CLIENTS ASK US WHY?

As a registered agency, you pay an annual fee to be in our database. Clients always search for free, and know that your sponsorship makes that possible. Our fees are published on the website for all to see.

Once in a blue moon, one of our “client” clients will tell us an invited agency spoke with them about their fees. They ask us why an agency would do that? They know each agency is facing certain “investment” decisions to pitch their business. They know there are man-hours, travel, food and lodging, presentation expenses, and they also know there are situations where the agency will hire a consultant to help win the business.

So they ask us – why would an agency choose to single out your fee, as if to ask that we guarantee their selection to justify that small investment? Other than to confuse the client and appear extremely cheap, I don’t know, do you?

Thanks for taking time to read this; as we have since 1997, we look forward to getting you face-to-face with a great prospect. Then & Now – We Built it for You!

Sincerely,

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Voice: 804.346.1812

Flash Report – February 27, 2006

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. The contents of this Flash Report is the opinion of the writer and is not meant to be an infallible source of fact.

CONTENTS:

1. Al Gore Rhythms (the powerhouse of our database)
2. Revised Web Site Coming – We Would Value Your Input
3. Grandma Luge Made Olympic History
4. There Aren’t Enough CMO’s

AL GORE RHYTHMS – THE POWERHOUSE OF OUR DATABASE

He might claim he invented them, but my IT folks tell me algorithms have been around well before Al laid claim to the Internet and all parts connected to same. However, that doesn’t mean our own Al Gore Rhythms aren’t important or powerful.

The weekend of February 11th, we made some heavy-duty upgrades to the attributes of our agency search engine and the complicated, decisive algorithms that drive it. Please pay attention to the next few sentences – it

affects your agency’s ability to be found.

Until we made those changes, a searcher’s (potential client) selection that showed us they were looking for an advertising agency (versus pr firm, direct marketing, sales promotion, media buying firm, etc.) was informational only. It was the actual services they sought (like public relations, media buying, brand equity development) that generally dictated the type of firm that surfaced. Now, when they select ad agency, only those firms that have declared their Primary SIC to be Advertising Agency will be found. Same goes for PR firm, direct marketing firm, etc. I encourage you ASAP to make sure you’re calling your firm what you think clients will call you! GoTo:

https://www.agencyfinder.com/2-agency/agency-login.shtml
Then Section 11.

At the same time, we expanded and enhanced our Geographic selection options in advance of expanding our International operations. REVISED WEB SITE COMING – WE WOULD VALUE YOUR INPUT

We’ve been toiling away on a significant upgrade of our entire web site, and we’d like to ask for your input and comments. General comments are welcome, including anything you’d like to see or have us remove? Then specifically, let us know what we should add (or delete) from the following sections (check your own agency file for details):

Fields Served
Services Offered
Professional Organizations
Business Classification
Compensation Options
Market Specialization
Media Experience
Essays

Comments ASAP please! To:

GRANDMA LUGE MADE OLYMPIC HISTORY

Our promotional project to “Get Grandma to the Games in 2006” was a success. Anne Abernathy is the oldest female Winter Olympian, and she made it Six Olympics at that. We’re very proud of Anne, her stamina, her spirit and her ability just to lie down

and get back up after those harrowing high-speed rides.

She enjoyed the spotlight during Opening Ceremonies; then NBC’s Kerry Sanders did a great interview that broadcast Saturday night in prime time on NBC Nightly News. She was mentioned on the Today Show and on Jay Leno, and she marched last night in the closing ceremonies. Unfortunately Anne crashed in Sunday’s practice and broke her wrist; she was the first of seven more that crashed on Monday. Her coverage continued; and our clipping service picked up heavy press each day since.

E-mail to her website http://www.grandmaluge.com/ and to NBC has been most generous; a number of companies have expressed interest in speaking and/or spokesperson assignments. If you have a client that might be interested, give us a call.

THERE AREN’T ENOUGH CMO’S

Many agency new business “suits” might argue otherwise, but the demise of CMO magazine in early January was apparently because “the marketplace is not of the size and scale to support the business in its present format.” That’s what the folks at CXO Media reported. As in – there aren’t enough Chief Marketing Officers and senior marketing executives to support a magazine? Remember when Al Ries complained that ad agencies didn’t advertise – maybe they weren’t solicited by CMO.

With the trend we’ve been seeing, why not come back with a vengeance as CMO/CPO/CFO? Would that be a hot property and mailing list or what!

Thanks for taking time to read this; we look forward to getting you face-to-face with a great prospect.

Sincerely,

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Voice: 804.346.1812

Flash Report – May 11, 2005

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. $750,000 to $ 1 Million – Talk About Pay-to-Play!
2. Those Clever, Clandestine Stealth Reporters
3. Visit Our Offices; We Wish You Were Here
4. Death to the RFP – Please!
5. Contest – You Can Win!

$750,000 to $1 Million – TALK ABOUT PAY-TO-PLAY!

April 22, 2005. There it was in the press – ARMY CANCELS LONG-RUNNING AD REVIEW. It was summarily reported that six agencies that had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to pitch the U.S. Army government account were advised that the Army canceled the long-running review. Since that report, the Army has asked contenders to “start over.”

By my calculations, that hundreds of thousands might be $200,000 / 6 or $33,333.00 invested per agency. In an updated story April 25th, a competing publication ran the line, “Sources say agencies spent from $750,000 to just over $1 million on this pitch, and nobody anticipates being reimbursed.” That might move the investment to $166,666.00 each!

It’s an interesting juxtaposition, since the first-mentioned publication recently reported on our less public and certainly less coveted $20 million agency review in their piece entitled: “Want in The Review? Pay Up!” Neither publication addressed what criteria would warrant an agency’s financial speculation and investment of those magnitudes – other than a staggering client budget! Experience suggests that each agency must make that choice for themselves. The publicity acknowledges that every agency, depending on the circumstance, makes a financial investment every time they pursue new business. On an interesting side note, it was rumored that one west coast agency declined to participate, citing workload issues associated with their involvement in a Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes.THOSE CLEVER, CLANDESTINE STEALTH REPORTERS

Back to the press. May 4, 2005. Byline San Francisco, a most persistent industry reporter breaks the story that WellPoint Inc., the nations largest insurance company, has begun a review, and speaks of an anticipated $70 Million account. She goes on – WellPoint, headquartered in Indianapolis; search managed by a named search consultant, yet neither client nor consultant “returned calls by deadline.” Seems no one wants to talk.

One big issue on every client’s mind that speaks with us is “confidentiality.” To paraphrase them:

1. Why would any client in their right mind go public on a review of this magnitude?
2. Why would any consultant do the same?
3. Who might have broken this story to the press?
4. Why would a west coast reporter be the one to flesh out the story on a Midwest client (and from whom)?
5. Why would any invited agency leak this so that “more” agencies would know about the review?
6. How might an invited but declining agency collect “brownie points” with the press for tattling?

Your thoughts?

VISIT OUR OFFICES; WE WISH YOU WERE HERE

We’re pleased to see an increase in the number of agencies coming to visit us here in Glen Allen, a suburb of Richmond, VA. The get-togethers are educational and enjoyable, and we appreciate advance notice. Caution however – if your agency information (attributes, essays, case histories, client list) is not in our database and not up-to-date, then hand-shaking, show & tell, and lavish gift-giving won’t make a critical difference. Seriously, clients must be able to find you when they search on-line. We can only help feather-your-nest after-the-fact.

When you visit, we’ll proudly show you “behind-the-scenes.” You’ll literally see drawers and drawers of in-process client searches. And it happens each time – a light bulb “lights up” when folks see what our staff does and what we have access to on this end. I wish you all could see; we wouldn’t have to explain so often. If and when you’re planning to be in the neighborhood, do make a point to visit.DEATH TO THE RFP – PLEASE!

In many situations, clients registering with us explain they’ve been building an RFP. They know the acronym and that it stands for Request for Proposal. Then we look them over (with thought to incorporating into our invitations). We have yet to see one that doesn’t ask for redundant or irrelevant agency information, or for privileged information that would shock them if you were to ask the same of them.

But in their minds, they are expecting each agency to propose and “price” in such a way that they can do an apples-and-apples contrast and compare. We have yet to see anything that comes close.

Here’s what we do suggest, and it works. For final presentations, most clients want three presenters. We discourage spec creative, but do encourage broad strategic presentations with limited tactical components. The client should advise each agency in advance, that on that day of presentation and at the conclusion, they also want to receive an invoice for the presentation itself – with detail reflecting what the presentation would have cost the client had the agency already been on-board. When the client is struggling to select between three often outstanding presentations, the “invoice” helps the evaluation.

Beyond that, we promise to do what we can to eradicate the very name, the very concept from our industry. We do guide them to the enlightened RFI or Request for Information. We explain agencyfinder.com is just that – a repository of agency information in a standard, easy to read and comprehend format designed precisely for that purpose.

If what a client wants to know isn’t in your record, we’ll ask you for that in our invitation. Make sense?

CONTEST – YOU CAN WIN!

Here’s the deal – you can win a year’s (12 months) Directors Club or Referral Network with all fees “paid” (or a year’s extension if you’re already paid) if you’re the first to e-mail and tell me (all of the following):

1. There’s something new and “improved” here at agencyfinder.com. What is it?
2. How many times has your agency been a preliminary candidate in client searches?
3. When did we start counting those preliminary searches for your agency?
4. How many searches have taken place here since we began?Thanks for taking time to read this; we look forward to getting you face-to-face with a great prospect.

Sincerely,

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Voice: 804.346.1812

Flash Report – February 28, 2005

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. Third-Party Search Assistance – Your Input Please
2. What Clients Selected Your Agency? Find Out Now!
3. Goodby Silverstein Creative – A+ or D-
4. Invite Them Regardless

THIRD PARTY SEARCH ASSISTANCE – YOUR INPUT PLEASE

It seems the industry press engages in an on-again, off-again, love/hate relationship with the concept of third-party search assistance. They beg to learn the latest news; particularly who’s searching, who was invited; who did and who didn’t make the cut. A reporter may think they’ve hit pay-dirt if they can get an agency head to dis some-one or the process but subsequently mark themselves with the consultant community. But it’s really about the client finding a marketing partner for the

duration. As I reflect back, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a quote from a client on this topic of third party search assistance – good or bad.

It would be interesting to learn who the first client was to hire and compensate a search consultant; do you know? Were looking for your input, experience, and your thoughts on this entire topic. It’s time for an encompassing look (as in article) at ALL the third-party agency search alternatives, from the conventional “big name” consultants, to traditional directories (Redbooks, Adweek, 4A’s, AdForum, etc.), the “Love Boats”, Association Web Sites, Yellow Pages (on-line and printed), media reps, agency agents, to “yours truly” and whatever else gets used to help link clients with agencies.

Please write to share your experiences – what’s worked for you and what hasn’t; the good, the bad and the ugly. And let me know if we can use your name. We’ll offer the final product to an industry source and we’ll also publish it here. Should be interesting…

WHAT CLIENTS SELECTED YOUR AGENCY? – FIND OUT NOW!

Back in 2000 we added a feature that shows you how many times your agency was selected in the preliminary round of a client search. That note is posted in color in the sixth (6th) paragraph on the first page of your agency record found at:

https://www.agencyfinder.com/agencies/secure/

In early January 2005, we added more information. On that same page, at Menu Item # 15 (Agency Search Activity Detail), you’ll now find details on those searches. We include Search Date, Client Budget (indicated range), Vertical Markets Desired (as Fields Served) and Client Location (State or Country Only). Use it to your advantage.

GOODY SILVERSTEIN CREATIVE – A+ OR D-

Occasionally a client will ask us about the creative work from a particular agency, or their personality or reputation. You’ll be pleased to know we don’t consider that to be our turf, so we render no opinion. We have them, but that has no bearing on selections or the invitations we extend for our clients. That’s why our process virtually mandates the “due-diligence” telephone interview by agency and client before the agency moves forward as a contender. It serves as a early and powerful “chemistry test” and fact-checker.

Unfortunately, Harold Sogard, GM at Goodby didn’t check his facts before he spoke and allowed himself to be quoted by one “west coast veteran

reporter” about their invitation to one of our $25 Million reviews. Had he checked, he would have found that Goodby (Jeff himself) registered the agency way back on December 17, 1998. Maybe Harold was set up by that “reporter”, but even if that’s the case, had he responded to my call or e-mail, he would have learned the truth. Communication in this business is a must.

As a recipient of this Flash Report, you’re either a “certified” agency or registered for this newsletter. But ANY agency invited to respond to one of our client reviews is a “certified” agency. To become “certified”, someone in authority at that agency has voluntarily completed the agency data entry and subsequently agreed to all our terms and conditions – PERIOD, NO EXCEPTIONS.

Good agency, always great work, but that’s just my opinion.

INVITE THEM REGARDLESS

In case you didn’t know, we strongly recommend to ALL clients that the first time they meet their candidate agencies, it should be at the agency itself. Meaning – we want the first trip to be the client traveling to each candidate agency, rather than having agencies travel to them for a “capabilities presentation.” Client comments in January and February again remind us how important those visits can be. The opportunity to meet most of the agency organization, with it’s blend of personalities and characters (and characteristics) does make a difference. When a small team of agency new business “suits” makes a first trip to the client, it rests on too few, and so often, the wrong few for less-than-desired results.

Whether you’re involved in one of our projects, or you’ve found a great prospect on your own, see to it that the first meeting takes place at YOUR agency.

P.S. – One of our consulting topics is “The Agency Tour as a New Business Tool – the Right Way and the Wrong Way.” Ask about it.

Thanks for taking time to read this; we look forward to getting you face-to-face with a great prospect.

Sincerely,

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Voice: 804.346.1812

Flash Report – January 4, 2005

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. We’re Predicting a Flurry of Client Search Activity in 2005
2. Confessions of a Search Consultant @ The Advertising Club
2. The On-Again, Off-Again Capital One Story
3. Clean Data Begets Precise Searches in 2005

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WE’RE PREDICTING A FLURRY OF CLIENT SEARCH ACTIVITY IN 2005

We start 2005 with a large inventory of client searches ready and waiting to go. Specifically: Furniture ($5 Million); Women’s Fashion ($250K in fees); Telecom ($10 Million); Finance ($20 Million); Automotive ($500K); Appliances ($1 Million); Life Insurance ($250K PR fees); Children’s Items ($1 Million); Home Improvement ($1.5 Million). Many more with smaller budgets.

Clients wisely didn’t want their invitations sitting on your desk if you were out all last week, but they’ve said “lets go” right after the 1st. Beyond that temporary halt, we saw little abatement in traffic during the holiday season (November and December 2004), and I can’t recall this much legitimate activity since we launched back in 1997.

Let’s partner up for new business and new clients throughout the year.

CONFESSIONS OF AN AGENCY SEARCH CONSULTANT @ THE ADVERTISING CLUB

If you’re in New York or planning to be there Wednesday, January 12th, be “my guest” to learn “What Clients Really Want and How to Earn Their Business.” Here’s what Club Management sent to members last week:

“Most agency search consultants would be happy with 10 search assignments each year. Since its inception in late 1997, Chuck Meyst and his staff at the unique search service Agencyfinder have managed, on average, more than 48 searches each and every MONTH. That might suggest they’ve become experts at the search process and they might modestly agree. But beyond that, Chuck’s personal experience includes a four-year stint as VP Marketing at Sanders Consulting teaching agency new business process in North America and the UK; then continuing in that vein as President of Sales Marketing Institute, Ltd. Chuck clearly understands and respects the agency new business process and those who must carry out the assignment.

Agencies represented by Agencyfinder run the gamut from major multi-nationals to solo practitioners; from ad agencies to PR firms to direct marketers to sales promotion specialists. If you’re looking to increase your portfolio of clients, Chuck has agreed to share the ins and outs of this business, so come prepared to take notes. And if you’ve got a collection of accumulated questions for a willing search consultant, bring them. Chuck promises to address them all.”

As always, this Small Business Forum is FREE for members of The ADVERTISING Club. The fee for non-members is only $20, and can be applied to your membership fee if you choose to join that evening. (Chuck’s guests get in free – when you register, use the fax payment option and identify yourself as an agencyfinder.com registered agency)

Please RSVP: at www.theadvertisingclub.org by Monday, January 10th. Networking and registration begins at 5:30 PM. Program begins at 6:15 PM sharp. Questions: call 212.533.8080 The

Advertising Club, 235 Park Avenue South [between 19th & 20th]

THE ON-AGAIN, OFF-AGAIN CAPITAL ONE STORY

We were a bit chagrined when a “foreign” search consultant was announced to be handling the Capital One search late in 2002. After all, Capital One is a Richmond company, and so are we. Shouldn’t that be sufficient reason to select us?

On April 14th, 2003, ADWEEK announced that Interpublic Group’s McCann beat out Omnicom’s Element 79 in Chicago, which pitched with AMV BBDO in London, and Publicis Groupe’s The Kaplan Thaler Group in New York, which partnered with Publicis in London. It was then reported that “Client evp of brand Bill McDonald said McCann ‘fired on all cylinders… they have an incredible sense of where the consumer is today and where they are going tomorrow…”

Now it looks like we may have been lucky. It was in all the Press a few weeks ago, but on Dec 16, 2004, AdAge ran a piece beginning “Capital One announced it had hired Omnicom Group’s DDB Worldwide, Chicago, and Element 79 as its new ad agencies, replacing Interpublic Group of Cos.’ McCann Erickson, New York.” Reportedly Capital One spent $192 Million in media in 2003. Apparently the swap took place behind closed doors, since no formal search was announced, nor was a consultant named.

Could it be that the McCann engine blew a gasket after so few miles? Or is there more to selecting an agency than consumer vision?

CLEAN DATA BEGETS PRECISE SEARCHES IN 2005

You don’t hear it much anymore because it’s what old folks used to say, but it bears repeating: Garbage in; Garbage out. Meaning (in the computer world) – if it ain’t good going in, it’s not going to have much value on the other end. That’s particularly true here at agencyfinder.com. Your agency will be discovered for your data – good, bad, complete, incomplete; old or refreshed.

For your sake and your agency’s reputation; for the searching client, and for our sake, please go in and check what you have posted. In particular, look for critical trigger data like Capitalized Billings. We’re not asking for anything confidential (I’m willing to bet you already have it posted at Redbooks, ADWEEK or the 4A site), but since agency size is a selection criteria and cut-off point (clients tend to express that in Capitalized billings), be sure it’s correct. Post it,

then check it in your confidential report.

Our Kaille Padgett spends much of her time trying to find and then advise those that have corrupt data, but we can only do so much. Let’s work together so your agency can see it’s share of 2005 new business.

Thanks for taking time to read this; we look forward
to getting you face-to-face with a great prospect.

Sincerely,

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Voice: 804.346.1812

Flash Report – October 27, 2004

This BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT information is for agencyfinder.com Certified Agencies, Agency New Business Executives and agency subscribers.

CONTENTS:

1. Agency Opinions on the Infamous RFP – Few Surprises
2. Clients Share Their Innermost Secrets
3. Pardon the Outspoken Plug!

AGENCY OPINIONS ON THE INFAMOUS RFP – FEW SURPRISES

In late September, one of the nations largest foundations turned to us to conduct research to learn how their communications staff and some of their largest grantees (nonprofit organizations) could improve and create standards or alternatives for the RFP process. The foundation and its grantees hire ad agencies, public relations firms, research/polling companies and media buyers to help them create and implement communications campaigns around issues the foundation supports. We polled our agency registrants for their input.

Within the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing those results, but there were few surprises. In

Question # 1 (of 23 multiple-choice questions), given 11 options ranging from “clear” to “confusing”, the majority responded that RFP’s were “not well thought out”, and “asked for wrong information.” In later questions, respondents remarked the RFP was merely a formality; that the preferred candidate was already identified.

One respondent’s comments reflected many: “Most RFP’s seem to be constructed by people who have little idea about the marketing process, their real goals and objectives, and what they need to convey to get back meaningful responses… Also, they ask for sooo much detail that it can’t possibly be meaningful. They need consultants (intermediaries) in the search process and trust them to do their job … never thought I’d be saying this!”

More details to come…

CLIENTS SHARE THEIR INNERMOST SECRETS

We’ve been helping clients manage their searches for so long (beginning 1997) that we tend to forget that our registered agencies, particularly when they receive an invitation to compete, don’t always understand the extent to which we converse with our advertising or public relations clients (those conducting the search). Al Ries (The Fall of Advertising & the Rise of PR) makes the point that your company needs to be Number One in your category, and if you’re not, create a new category! That’s precisely our case. We’re nothing like an on-line directory, but it’s apparently easy to confuse us as such. If you’ve done a Demonstration Search at:

(https://www.agencyfinder.com/2-agency/agency-demosearch.shtml)

then you understand how we differ. We OWN our category, but admittedly haven’t made enough noise about that.

Our client conversations and consulting interactions are as extensive as those that take place with Search Consultants you know and read about in the press. Agencies prefer our process though – our objective is to help each client identify and then formally invite just those agencies extremely well qualified, generally eliminating the need for the infamous RFP. We’re not a filter either, so we step aside after the invitations and mandate direct communication between invited agency and client decision-makers.

Since our “official” role ends at the invitation,

we want to make certain you’ve received yours. In case your new business contact is traveling, not only do we fax the invitation and confirm by e-mail, but we telephone. We’re looking to confirm that you received the invitation, answer any questions (about process or the client), then learn if you plan to proceed. If not, for reason of conflict, budget or “other”, we’ll convey that polite response to the client. But connecting is not an option – it’s necessary. That way, everyone is happy when they know the facts.

Clients share confidences with us to the same extent they would if working with a hired and compensated Search Consultant. After more than seven years, I’m proud of our unblemished record protecting the fiduciary responsibility we have to maintain confidences on both sides of the client and agency fence.

PARDON THE OUTSPOKEN PLUG!

When and where we can, we like to help young, new talent. Such is the case for Han Lee, designer/director in Los Angeles. Han visited in September, more curious about the agency community than anything else. He’s looking for work, as is the case for the others that contributed to this project. When I visited his web site, I had to say “wow!” Take a look for yourself at Hanlee.TV. First at his work;

http://hanlee.tv/animation/nike_oggo/nike_oggo02.html

then to the Nike site for more.

http://www.nike.com/nikelab/

As to Han Lee: Freelance designer & director for T.V commercials, broadcast network, music video and film Los Angeles, California, Graduated from “OTIS college of Art and Design,” with a Bachelor in Digital Media.

“I believe that design is finding story and logic from a given subject; to communicate, to achieve, to avoid complacency, to enable, and most of all to make good times.

My idea of design has been applied to create direction in many different art forms such as: print, broadcast design, music videos, tv commercials, and film.

Style is always bound to change, but idea is what takes hold of it and molds it into something that endures.

Do you have some work for Han Lee?

Thanks for taking time to read this; we look forward
to getting you face-to-face with a great prospect.

Sincerely,

Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO

Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Voice: 804.346.1812