So you want to be an agency Rock and Roll star?
Work on New Business. If you win, you will have pats on the back, promotions, and smiles from everyone until it ends.
If you aren’t making it rain then everything changes as fast as a game of Red Light, Green Light.
New Business is a hard road my friends. Van Morrison has a song called Philosopher’s Road where he sings about turning Lead into Gold.
That pretty much summarizes what New Business is all about. Turning lead into Gold. Simple as that. As difficult as that.
You will most likely report to the Principal of the agency. No matter the country, no matter the agency they will often have amnesia on your achievements.
Legacy doesn’t matter in New Business. It’s all about today.
When you work on New Business you will get lots of suggestions. People will drop by your office with their advice because everyone wants a piece of the action.
Few of them could make it happen but advice doesn’t require much effort.
Most of their ideas will be half baked but you have to listen and smile to be a good player even though they are robbing you of a precious resource. Your time.
You put their prospect on the New Business project list to say you have heard them and to keep everyone happy. It’s a team place right?
They will say that they saw a commercial on Network TV and they think that type of client would be ideal for you shop even though the client is a Multinational and would never look at your agency.
Best not to listen because their ideas will make you fail.
Before a pitch they will swing by your office when you are crunched on a deadline and ask what do you think our chances are? If there were four agencies involved I would say 25%. Their face shows their disappointment. They walk away wondering about your attitude.
They don’t understand that Rah Rah Rah is just that.
People that work in New Business don’t need Rah Rah Rah to be motivated. Their worry and the pressure they feel about their performance gives them drive. It is no secret on what happens to New Business people if they don’t succeed.
I once saw Van Morrison at the Wiltern in LA. The time on the tickets said 8.00 PM sharp.
I was hanging out back most likely being bad.
At 8:05 PM I heard Van start to sing. He was a working man.
Just like most New Business people.
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Read: Are Marketers Still Stewarts of the Brand.
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