Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

New Agency With Little Money

Posted by Anonymous on 11/20/2009 at 7:43 AM ET 125 Points
I have just opened an advertising agency in a small town. I have little money to promote myself. I have attended many networking events, and submitted press releases to all the surrounding papers. I have a website. It is hard to market myself, especially since I have no money coming in. Any suggestions on how to get people to spend money on advertising, when I have little to spend on advertising?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 11/20/2009 at 8:40 AM Accepted
    Dear Terri,

    That glass sitting on the table in front of you? It sounds as if it's half full
    and that it's got old lipstick on the rim. Not good.

    So, here's what I suggest you do. Take a piece of paper and a big fat marker on on that sheet of paper, write the following words:

    "Terri Conduff DOES NOT sell advertising! Terri Conduff provides EFFECTIVE, PERSUASIVE marketing solutions."

    Trade your lack of money for your abundant skills. Stop focusing on what you don't have and begin focusing on what you do have.

    Your website needs to engage and compel. Your message must position you as the logical first choice to turn to for effective marketing.

    Your point that it's hard to market yourself when you don't have any money coming in may indeed be true, but the sooner you stop using it as an excuse for not taking action, the sooner you'll begin to see results.

    This means you've got to get out there and make things happen.
    You do this by making decisions and by taking action.

    A year ago a shy, retiring bald guy I know well joined his local Glazer Kennedy Insider Circle group.

    Six months ago he began contributing to this forum. He's now on this forum's list of top 25 contributors.

    And also within the last six months he has:

    1. Built and continues to build relationships.

    2. Attracted paying clients (something he would have thought impossible just six months ago).

    3. Put up a modest blog,

    4. Established solid connections with several leading members of this forum, and has built growing relationships with seven of the world's top Internet marketing entrepreneurs (spread across three continents)—all of whom have multi-million dollar per year businesses.

    5. Set up a modest but growing presence in the world of social media and has had Tony Robbins PERSONALLY ask him to send him social media content and links.

    6. Built a modest (but growing) list of people to whom he sends premium content once a week.

    7. Taught himself the basics of HTML and Web design.

    8. Started experimenting with simple online video.

    9. Read almost 100 books on marketing and listened to hundreds of hours of audio interviews.

    10. Produced enough solid content (content that he's now beginning to edit and distill) to publish four 300 page books on marketing.

    11. And he's in the process of producing his own range of information products and launching an online business.

    And he's done all this in six months while also holding down a full time job and helping his wife market her small business.

    How has this guy done all this? By making a series of solid decisions and taking action.

    Who is this guy? Well, that would be me. If I can do all this, what's stopping you? Use the skills you have and make them work for you.
    Apply yourself and the results will follow.

    I hope this helps. Good luck to you.

    Gary Bloomer
    Wilmington, DE, USA
  • Posted by mgoodman on 11/20/2009 at 11:18 AM Accepted
    When you decided to start your agency you must have had some kind of plan -- for marketing and building the business. What happened to that plan? Did you just start the business thinking that "if you build it they will come?"

    I guess I don't understand how you thought you could create a business out of thin air without enough money to generate awareness and pay the bills until real clients actually send checks. If someone like you came to your advertising agency and said what you're saying to us, what would you tell them?

    I know this won't scratch your itch immediately, but you might want to pick up a copy of Rasputin For Hire and read through it for some ideas. The book's subtitle is An inside look at management consulting between jobs or as a second career. The message applies to all kinds of service businesses -- including advertising agencies -- not just management consultants.

    If you're interested, you can also click on this link to get the book AND a complimentary additional report with a round-table discussion with five of the leading experts on the MarketingProfs Know-How Exchange. They cover a range of topics that you'll probably find helpful (and interesting) on consulting, marketing and other relevant topics ... and their advice to people like you who are considering starting their own marketing service businesses.
  • Posted by michael on 11/20/2009 at 11:42 AM Member
    Terri,
    I can only hope you have experience in this area. Normally you don't go out on your own without a client or 2...usually because they approach YOU.

    That said....start where YOU do business. How much is your dentist making off of you? He should be using you for advertising.

    Look at other ads. Would you make changes to them? Talk to the advertiser and ask his/her results. They are already advertising....and they often just renew without any thought becuase the YP guy told them to. I'd suggest you take your experience and offer your consulting services..before they buy again.

    It's a tough market. Those who survive this will be stronger.

    Michael
  • Posted on 11/20/2009 at 7:43 PM Member
    Garry,

    Just want to say how much I loved your answer. Very thought provoking and inspirational.

    Bruce
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 11/20/2009 at 8:26 PM Member
    Consider approaching someone in your community that's a good marketer. Offer to help each other - you can create the ads, they can create the content. But first, you need to prove to others that you're good, not just another advertiser. Can you prove that what you recommend produces revenue for your clients? Perhaps it's also time to learn more about advertising online - what works and what doesn't.
  • Posted by Corpcommer on 11/20/2009 at 11:15 PM Member
    In addition to the good comments my marketing colleagues offered, you might consider calling the US Small Business Administration. They help US citizens with business planning at no charge -- startups or businesses that have been around awhile.

    Check their website for your local office to schedule an appointment. www.sba.gov

    All the best,

    Corpcommer - MC

  • Posted by marketbase on 11/25/2009 at 10:51 PM Member
    All super suggestions; being in a small town, it may be time to revisit the 'pitch book' approach and good, old fashioned cold calling to 1) companies that already advertise in local papers, journals, etc. 2) economic development commission (and convention/visitors bureau) in your town 3) members of business network groups, and other likely suspects & prospects for you. Perhaps you could create a new & improved ad for one or two companies to use as a loss leader. Of course, the new ad would have to be a great improvement over the one(s) being currently used by them. A clean, clear message; better border; stronger, more clear call to action; reduced logo, whatever. Put the ads side by side and diagram the changes so the prospective client can clearly see the differences. Consider mounting the new ad over the existing ad on a page in the paper, journal, whatever so they can see the improved impact. Also, make sure you know every media outlet's deadline, advt contact and rates by heart. You want to be the go-to person with the knowledge.

    Best,
    jag
    MarketBase
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