Agency Life Archives - Page 4 of 8 - McLellan Marketing Group

How to choose your next agency

August 27, 2010

Having been in the agency business for 25 years or so, I can honestly say I've seen just about every method of agency selection known to man. And most of them turn what could be an enjoyable experience for all concerned into a nightmare.

So I was delighted to see AdAge's recent article by Avi Dan on how to select an agency. It's packed with practical, been there, done that advice.

My favorite tip?

Don't hire an agency. Hire a culture. The core values of an agency will foretell the kind of relationship you are likely to have. Favor agencies that are collaborative, innovative and proactive. Avoid agencies that tolerate fiefdoms. And their office often will reflect their culture. It will tell you a lot about them. The mark of a good agency is often in the cheerfulness and energy in its corridors. So hang around a bit.

Amen! Amen! Amen!

The Cliff Note's version (but go read the article!) of the rest of the tips includes:

1) Don't hire an agency — hire a culture
2) Talent rules
3) Set expectations
4) Decide who are the deciders
5) Avoid a cast of thousands
6) Don't use the RFP to collect data
7) Don't restrict your search
8) Don't choose by brand name alone
9) Don't choose on price alone
10) Have the right perspective

Bottom line — it doesn't have to suck. In fact, it can be pretty cool, if you do it well.

Hat tip to the Des Moines Egotist for pointing out the article.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com

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Insights into logo design

December 14, 2009

My goal was simple….write a series of blog posts talking about the art and science of logo design and selection.

We got the company LogoInn to donate logo design time. We ran a contest and the city of Colfax became the lucky recipient of the free logo design…and it went haywire from there!

Which honestly, is a great example of how logo design works. It isn't always neat and pretty. Sometimes, it is painful. And you need to choose a partner who knows the ropes and will stick with you.

If you want to follow the saga, here are the links.

That last post was where things spiraled out of control. The city of Colfax (and most of my commenting readers) weren't crazy about any of the logos. So I sent all the critiques back to the logo company and then heard nothing. I've attempted to e-mail my contact there for several months — but nothing. (Update…I got an e-mail from them today!)

But I promised the city of Colfax a new logo and dang it, they're going to get one!

So….we decided to run another contest…but this time for designers. Anyone who wanted to enter a logo could. The winning logo designer would get s $250 VISA gift card.

Today….I am delighted to tell you we have 23 new logos to examine, discuss and hopefully…decide upon. 7 designers submitted logos. I am purposefully not identifying the designers at this time…but I will once the winner has been selected.

When viewing and trying to select a new logo for your company/brand, remember these rules:

Always view the logos in black and white first.
Always view the logos in a relatively small size. If it doesn't work small — it doesn't work.
Always view all logos in relatively the same size, so you are comparing apples to apples.
Remember — this is a subjective decision. Be careful that "committee think" doesn't paralyze you.

To view all 23 logos on the web — click here.

To download a PDF (larger images) of all 23 logos — click here.

Then, come on back here…and let's talk about the designs, the process and how you go about accessing a good logo. (Please remember…be respectful of the designers who did these — anyone trash talking will be immediately booted.)

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Unless the building is on fire…stay OUT!

September 29, 2008

I know, as an agency owner, writer, speaker and active community volunteer (not to mention dad et al) there are some days when I literally run from meeting to meeting, trying to squeeze in phone calls in between meetings. And then I wonder…when will I get all the work done that these meetings generated? Those are frustrating days. But, to be fair, I do it to myself.

Sometimes I have to give myself a reprieve. So I cone myself.

Coning is something we invented at McLellan Marketing Group because all of us need some "quiet time" now and then. Every employee at MMG has a traffic cone in their office. When that cone is placed in their doorway, it means, "unless the building is on fire, do not disturb me."

I coned myself for about 90 minutes yesterday. The week had been frantic and I was riding very close to several deadlines. I got more done in those 90 minutes than I had all week. And best of all….I felt great. I felt calm, I felt successful. I felt like I was back in control. Here are some of my secrets to successful coning.

Have a commonly understood signal (like the cone) that everyone in your office will honor.
Set the example by NEVER interrupting a coned person.
Turn your cell phone, regular phone et al ringers off.
Do not check e-mail, blog feeds or any other distraction during your coned time.
Do not do it for more than 90 minutes (its very frustrating to be on the other side of the cone and need to talk to someone who’s been coned for 3 hours.)
Make it a habit. Do it at least 3 times a week. Even for 30 minutes a time

Of course, it does not have to be a cone. Get creative. As you can see, I have added a skull to my own cone…just to reinforce the gravity of circumstance that one would experience if they broke the code of the cone.

It’s hard to keep those marketing juices flowing if you are feeling bogged down. Find a way to get yourself some quiet time. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you get re-fueled.

(And yes, I have a carpet with a little road on it for match box cars in my office. Another post for another time!)

How do you carve time out for yourself? How do you get thinking time, writing time?

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The real SuperBowl competition

February 3, 2008

We ~~already know~~ thought we knew who was going to win the football game, so we might as well turn our attention to the real competition — which TV spot will win the hearts and buzz of the viewers?

Firebrand has declared Monday, February 4th as "Firebrand Monday" where they will celebrate the mother load of creative TV spots shown on the SuperBowl.

On Monday morning, Firebrand.com will have only the best of the previous day’s commercials ready for download, allowing viewers to share and rate them all, and to decide for themselves which spot wins the coveted “Firebrand Water Cooler” trophy.

On their Monday evening TV show (find out where it’s showing in your area) , the hour will be dedicated to major ads from the Super Bowl, featuring Celebrity CJs such as Reebok’s "Office Linebacker" Terry Tate and Carmen Electra, who makes her Super Bowl debut in an ad for Hershey’s "Ice Breakers."

If you love ads — you’ll enjoy Firebrand’s show. Not just on the Monday after the SuperBowl, but every week.

You can view all the ads online as well.

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The Advertising Show talks dialogue

January 19, 2008

I had the good fortune of chatting with radio hosts Ray Schilens and Brad Forsythe on their weekly radio show sponsored by Advertising Age.

As you might guess, we talked about how the marketing monologue is dead, how companies need to start listening to what’s being said about them and the Age of Conversation.

Take a listen. If you are so inclined, give the show a good rating so we can spread the word about Age of Conversation even further.

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Thinking of going into marketing?

December 6, 2007

Somehow through the years, I’ve befriended many people who teach a college course or two. Which means I get to speak to many a college class.

Recently I was asked to give a presentation about my career path and how to break into the business.

Here are some of the lessons I shared:

It won’t go as you expect. One of the most valuable skills a marketer can have is the ability to dip, dodge, dart and dig. Flexibility and the fortitude to endure constant change is a must.

It’s not about the money. Sooner or later, almost everyone takes "the" job for money. And quickly realizes what a huge mistake that is. The job is grueling. Do it because you love it.

Be memorable. This is a business filled with smart, funny superstars. You have to find a way to stand out.

Do whatever it takes to break in. After the first job is on the resume, it gets much easier. But that first one is a bear to get.

Look for opportunities others don’t want — clean up the biggest messes. This is a great way to get noticed and demonstrate your passion for the business.

Always be the guy/gal on the bottom of the pyramid. He who supports his teammates will ultimately shine.

Never work for a jerk. Life is too short and there are too many good bosses out there.

Soak it all in. This is probably one of the most amazing eras of marketing — and you get to live it. Revel in that.

Steven Silvers at Scatterbox had some advice for students as well.

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Marketers are wishy washy on social media

November 19, 2007

According to a recent Coremetrics survey, titled "Face of the New Marketer" 78% of marketers indicate that social media initiatives give them a leg-up over the competition.

The survey found that in the last 12 months:

31% of respondents have started a blog
25% of respondents have put in place an RSS feed

So far, so good — right? Well, here's the rub. They talk a good game, but they're not really putting their money where their mouth is. Just 7.7 percent of their total online marketing spend was allocated to it compared to 33 percent to online advertising and 28 percent on online promotion design and implementation.

In a completely separate study conducted by Gunderson Partners, they found that 45% of companies surveyed have allocated 10% or less of their budget to new media. The report goes on to say "Of the hurdles mentioned, nearly 40% cited insufficient knowledge [lack of metrics] and 33% stated not having enough time to evaluate [metrics]."

So what do you think? Are we just on the bleeding edge? Is it a matter of time? Or is there a flaw in the medium?

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Mother Nature = Art Director?

October 27, 2007

Here in the Midwest the most vivid colors of the turning trees are coming into their full glory as we enjoy fall’s crisp air.

Mother Nature has a way of creating some amazing color palettes that we should study, consider and make our own as we create visual identities, ad campaigns or collateral material for clients.

Over at COLOURlovers.com, you can explore all kinds of color combinations and trends. Check out their post on autumn colors, including more than 50 different fall color palettes to inspire you.

You can also submit your own color palettes for readers to critique and vote on.

Thanks to my friends at AOR for pointing me to the post.

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Do I need a marketing budget?

October 9, 2007

"How much should we be spending on marketing?" This is probably one of the most common questions we get asked. Or, on the flip side of that, we hear, "oh, we don’t have a budget. We’re just a small business. We just go with our gut."

No, no, no, no, no.

Let’s get to the most important message first. Every company, even a one person consultancy, should have a defined marketing budget. You absolutely, positively will mis-spend, over spend and wrongly spend if you do not have a budget. I promise you that.

Think of a budget as those bumpers you can use in a bowling alley. (even if you don’t have kids!) They keep you from getting too deep in the gutter. You can still get a little off center, but you can’t completely skip the lane. With the bumpers in place, you’re bound to hit at least a few pins.

You need a written marketing budget that is tied to your sales goals. Now that we know you need one, in the next post we’ll talk about how to create one.

For those of you who have ventured into the waters without a budget, any war stories we can learn from?

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Marketing isn’t about shortcuts

October 1, 2007

Remember that one essay test you took in school. You meant to study. But for some reason you just didn’t have the time. Truth be told, you didn’t really read the book. But you skimmed over the Cliff Notes. And you did repent in the end — cramming the night before the test.

Sure, sure…you should have started cramming a few days earlier or at the very least, not so late that night. With the radio on.

Do you remember what you got on that test? I’ll bet you weren’t happy with the grade.

Shortcuts didn’t work in school and they don’t work in marketing either. I have yet to see a marketing department or agency that had a drive-up window.

I get why it happens. There’s an almost constant demand on CMOs and marketing directors to produce results. And no agency worth their salt doesn’t want that too.

But there are some pretty important aspects of your business and products/services that need to be understood before we just whip up a brochure or direct mail series.

We aren’t doing the strategic thinking and planning just to get our jollies. We have a responsibility. We owe it to you. Because you’re about to spend a lot of money. We want to make sure you spend it right.

This applies if you’re doing your own marketing too.

Getting ready to produce something. Are you sure you’re not taking a shortcut?

If you can’t describe how you are genuinely and relevantly different from your competitors, stop.
If you can’t describe your ideal customer, stop.
If you don’t have a broad brand/marketing plan so that you aren’t operating in a vacuum, stop.
If you haven’t defined how you are visually going to communicate your company’s offerings, stop.
If you don’t know how you’re going to follow up on the leads the new marketing tactci generates, stop.

Whether you’re working with your internal team or with your agency — don’t short change the process. If you do some strategic thinking up front and make some of those key decisions, the tactics and tools actually get produced much faster and much more cost effectively.

Shortcuts are never going to yield the results you want. Better to do it right than do it again. Just ask your former teacher who gave you the C.

How do you ensure that you’re not taking a shortcut?

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