Is your new business plan merely to respond to every RFI that you find? If so, that’s not the best strategy but I’m sure you already know that too… 

We’ve all heard about those cattle call RFIs where brands sometimes get upwards of 100+ responses to their RFIs. And if they don’t already know your name or your work, it’s going to be tough to stand out in a sea of sameness.

But how do you get on a brand’s radar prior to an RFI opportunity? The answer is quite simple but the work behind it takes discipline: Good old-fashioned relationship building.  

Start implementing some or all of these smAARt tactics with the CMOS of the brands you’re salivating overworking for prior to them releasing an RFI. If you do the following, I can all but guarantee that at the very least, you will build visibility, raise awareness, build a name, become a resource, and eventually, your agency will stand out to that CMO in the next search process.  Hell, maybe you’ll even preempt a review and the CMO will simply reach out to you first!  After all, that is the ultimate goal. 

Create a client referral program.

Just as marketers encourage current customers to evangelize on their behalf through social media, your agency should be marketing to brands through a “tradigital” mix of social posts and good old-fashioned, one-to-one conversations. Try a client referral program that offers incentives for targeted, satisfied customers to pass your name along. Many clients are probably happy to recommend you, but incentivizing them motivates them to actually make those referrals!

Track clients when they go to a new company. 

Nurture relationships with the individuals you meet as you pitch companies. As they move up the corporate ladder, they may gain the influence to hire you. If they transition to another role at a different company, they could give you the inside track to pitch those new opportunities. As for the junior manager on the client team, they often have more say than you might realize… And they grow up fast.  I ran a review for a health insurance company a number of years ago and the junior brand manager was pretty much the deciding vote in the final selection.  Since then, she’s moved on and has a more senior role in another company making more decisions.  Bottom line: it pays to stay in touch!

Remember- Winmo, AAR’s sister company tracks decision-maker shifts 24/7/365. You can set alerts on your top marketers so if anything ever changes, not only do you know where they went… you know why, and you also get their new contact info!

Lost pitches don’t mean it’s over.

You may not win the business this time around, but remember… not winning doesn’t mean you lost! Marketers are not shy about switching agencies to capture the best team for their brands and the most recent research estimates that the average client-agency relationship lasts just 3.2 years. Stay in the loop about the brand and the business. More and more, marketers want to work with agencies that offer complete marcom solutions plus understand their business landscape. You’ll get a second look if you can prove you’re right beside the brand in their quest to stay abreast of industry happenings. 

Improve your organic reach.

Make sure you show up on Google and in the places marketers are researching new agencies. I don’t need to tell you how to rank organically. You make a living on helping brands rank organically and run ads…  But I’m still amazed at how many agencies don’t do this basic stuff for their own businesses even though they are doing it for their clients. 

So, I don’t know who needs to hear this… but set up your Google My Business account already!

Move with purpose.

A Forbes article revealed that global consumers are 4-6 times more likely to purchase, protect and champion purpose-driven companies. Don’t forget… marketers are YOUR customers. And they want to work with purpose-driven companies as well. 

What is your agency’s purpose? If you aren’t sure, there are plenty of ways to find it but make sure it only answers one question, “Why you?”  Why your agency and not another?

People remember companies that do good work for the good of others. Marketers will remember you for it too. 

And if you need a great platform to share your agency’s purpose with brands, apply to be a guest on AAR Partner’s On Purpose Podcast! 

Show off what you do best: Advertise!

Whether it’s through paid search, programmatic ads, or a colorful spread in the top industry publications, paid media is a great way to make your agency stand out. You control the message, the graphics, and the placement. 

In a business where the way you pitch yourself is the first impression, a potential client will have about what you can do for them, make advertising your agency a priority!

In fact, one of the most important tactics for a successful digital marketing agency is to advertise their agency and their work.  They have inbound requests from their ad program and they are selective with who they would like to progress in the discussion by evaluating their brand and needs.

Take Advantage of Your Agency Growth Program Membership.

Being an Agency Growth Program Member comes with a lot of benefits… but it’s up to you to take advantage of them. Here are six things you get included with your membership: 

1. Inclusion in our Agency Data Center: No action item here. As soon as you signed up with us, your agency info was put into your database that marketers use to review agencies and compile their shortlists. 
2. Lead and Opportunity Reports: 6-12 times per year we deliver hot leads into your inbox that are focused on exploding sub-categories. It’s your chance to evaluate the opportunity and start building relationships without ambulance-chasing! 
3. One-on-One Consultations: Want to pick my brain?  Spend time with me to discuss new business issues?  Need feedback on your capabilities presentation?  Whether you want me to look at your pitch deck or merely talk about the industry, I’m all yours a few times a year! Take advantage of that time and book your consultation now.  
4. Thought Leadership: Write a guest blog each year that will be published on AAR’s website. Not only do thousands of marketers reading our blogs, but you get a nice little backlink for your agency. 
5. Get in Our Quarterly Agency Resource Guides: Each quarter, AAR honors our commitment to ‘reverse the search’ and educate marketers on solid, productive, talented agencies.  3K+ marketers receive this guidebook and it is well-received to the tune of an average 40%+ open and CTR!  We educate marketers without the sales pitch and endorse agencies that pass through AAR’s evaluation process.  It is a win-win.  Look out for your participation invites in your email inbox! 
6. Executive Education: Read through the endless content in our digital resource center to get new business tips, stories, and lessons from past pitches.

Responding to RFIs is easy when you already have a foot in the door through strategic client relationship-building practices. But we are in the business of relationships first… it all goes back to the old adage, “Treat your current clients like prospects and your prospects like current clients!”  Most of all… Pitch with passion.