Selling Agency Ideas to Clients (Or Account Executives)

Second WindUniversity of Advertising

Course Description

This course presents the steps agencies should

follow to ensure clients understand, accept and

support creative concepts.

Includes tying creative to strategic plan objectives;

the creative brief; writing a creative defense

document; presenting creative in-person; the point-

by-point strategic review; and “closing the sale.”

© 2010 Second Wind University of Advertising2

© 2010 Second Wind University of Advertising3

Ideas are the most important product your

agency has to sell.

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Clients want ideas.

A recent survey asked clients, “What do you want from your agency?”

The majority answered, “ideas.”

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The best ideas make clients a little nervous.

Agency-Client/Customer Standards

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Low Risk/High Return

Our work is good.

Nobody thinks it’s great,

But that’s okay with us and our clients.

High Risk/High Return

Our work is outstanding.

Everybody knows it.

We care and so do our clients.

High Risk/Low Return

We think our work is great,

But everybody knows it’s not.

Low Risk/Low Return

Our work is not great,

We gave up caring.

Ideas That Work

Marginal Results

Solid Ideas Breakthrough Ideas

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Agencies must follow a very specific process if they want clients

to accept – ideally, embrace – their ideas.

The Creative Process

7 Things You Need to Do to Sell Creative to Clients:1. Review the approved Creative Brief

2. Reveal creative to clients with a flourish

3. Review the work against the brief, one point at a time

4. Show how creative aligns with plans, input and brief, just as you did for the Account Executive

5. Use the Creative Defense Document

6. Get the Client to say “yes” at each stage of your presentation

7. Get a final “YES!”

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If the client still has reservations, try these support tactics:

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© 2010 Second Wind University of Advertising10

• Reiterate how creative aligns with strategy and objectives

• Offer some thoughts on tactics and media channels

• Share supporting customer and market research

• Explain how you’ll measure results

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The best agencies are able to proactively sell clients on the best creative.

This is a skill you need to develop.

© 2010 Second Wind University of Advertising12

Want to learn more?

Review a complete course description or enroll at:

www.univofadvertising.com

Enter code SLD20 and save 20% on any University

of Advertising course!

About University of Advertising

Second Wind created the University of Advertising to provide on-demand training for agency professionals seeking to advance their advertising careers and become more valuable to their agencies. Since 1988, Second Wind has trained over 20,000 agency professionals and certified thousands through its highly recognized Certified Seminar series. Now, Second Wind is delivering this training right to your desktop.

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