How would you approach a prospective client that doesn't want to hear from you?

I love questions.? They indicate readers (and others) still value my point of view.? There’s only one problem: I don’t receive nearly enough of them.

Which might explain why I took pains to jump on a question Darren Johnson posed to me.?

Johnson’s day job is publisher of New York’s Campus News.? He also serves as a visiting Assistant Professor of Journalism at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.?

We connected through LinkedIn about a year ago, when Johnson let me know his students read and found value in The Art of Client Service.? We talked about doing a Zoom session with Johnson’s class – I was more than happy to do so – but scheduling realities intervened, making it a no-go.? Maybe next semester, Darren?

The other day Johnson asked:

“Say you have an idea for an ad campaign for some big corporation you have no relationship with. They probably have an agency of record. How would you approach it?”

I wrote back; my response runs long – apologies – but I wanted to make up with thoroughness whatever was lacking in thoughtfulness:

“It would be helpful if I knew a bit more background, Darren – say the company category, what their current advertising looks like, what the competitors’ work is doing, how the firm is performing – but absent this and other incredibly useful information, here’s what I’d do:

• “I’d research contacts at the company, looking to identify one or more suspected decision-makers. “Assuming I’m successful and ID who I suspect is the ‘right’ person, I’d then see if there is some form of ‘connective tissue’ I can leverage: friends/colleagues in common (LinkedIn and Facebook might yield clues), perhaps a school tie (we both went to Harvard), maybe a shared interest (both of us play competitive squash).?
• “I’d also see if there’s any other background I can use:? a speech maybe, or a recorded interview I can watch.
• “I’d then research the company, looking for any weakness in performance I diplomatically can exploit.
• “Armed with both types of info, I’d write the world’s best overture letter; my call-to-action:? a meeting.
• “Assuming I’m able to get a meeting, I’d share enough about the idea to pique interest; my endgame:? a presentation.
• “Assuming I’m able to get one, the objective of the presentation: ?an assignment and a budget.

“Stepping back from this, I’d recognize this is, at best, a longshot, but if I believe in the idea and think enough of the company to pursue this, I’d invest the time necessary to shorten the odds that an idea might lead to an assignment, and ultimately, an ongoing relationship. “This help?”

Having now had time to think about this, I want to add a bit more commentary to what’s already here, making this even longer than it already is (more apologies!):

First, among longshots, this is the longest of the long.? Just about every client I know is regularly accosted by overtures from people and organizations seeking business.? It explains why some agencies go to extraordinary lengths just to get in the door. It also explains why most clients typically take extraordinary steps to block or otherwise ignore such overtures.

Do they want to hear from you?? They don’t; they don’t ?know who you are; if they read your letter at all they likely wonder why you’re bothering them.

Do you pursue this, given the amount of time required, knowing the odds are stacked against you, or do you give up?

I suggest you ask yourself three questions first:

• Do you believe in your idea, really believe in it?
• Do you think the client you’re about to approach has a problem that needs solving, or an unmet opportunity worth exploiting, one that your idea addresses?
• Have you identified the true decision-maker within the client organization, so your message? – if it does indeed manage to get through – reaches someone empowered to act?

If the answer to all three of these is “Yes,” and if you’re willing to invest the time, my instinct says, “Proceed.” ?If not, you might take a pass, knowing the best new business decisions are the ones where you say, “Not gonna.”

That’s how I would respond, but what about all of you?? If any of you can find time to respond, I’ll share your thoughts in a subsequent post, so all of us can benefit.? Perhaps we can get to a better answer, demonstrating the virtues of collaborating.

• #questions
• #new business
• #cold calling
• #advertising
• #marketing