What is the best way to present an advertising idea to a national media buyer?

I am trying to learn the best/different methods of getting an
advertising prosposal in front of a busy media buyer...

The type of media I offer is good for companies that market their
products and services within the United States... Companies that
already spend a good deal of money on national direct mail,
television, magazine and/or radio advertising.

So far I have been just calling companies asking where/who I send a
new advertising proposal and then mail and/or e-mail my media kit to
that person... I know these decisions aren't made overnight, but want
to know if there is a better way. Other than a follow up call, don't
know how I can shorten the sales cycle.

Most often I end up sending a proposal to an advertising agency...
Thank you in advance for any guidance...

First of all, Quantify. Test your concept if possible, so that you are
selling steak (real numbers) with your sizzle. Otherwise you may be
spinning your wheels, only to have it pushed back after 20 hours of
fiery hoop jumping. Ouch. Show that you have worked the proverbial
devil out of the details. Quantify your deal.

Then, don't send the proposal blind. Send no more than an interest
query, Give the benefits but not the features. Find out if they have a
current need for line extension, if not, have a nice day. If so, close
for a presentation date - IN PERSON. This means to work regionally.

Better yet, hop an aeroplane. Go with relational pre-selling & lead dev.
from the roadshows.

Don't bother fussing with a table, unless you're loaded. Dry clean a
good suit of clothes, rent the prettiest girl, perfume and all (assuming
you're not a female, hit a model agency), have her on your arm and a
handsome biz card in your vest pocket. Don't balk at her rate. You're
saving on a table.

Then work the room till the lights blink. Have her make the pitch (give
her advertising specialties - some cool freebie- to hand out), you
follow with detail. Have her close for this: For them to receive a 3
page brief and fax return a 1 page RFP.

Goodness... have I no shame? You guys are corrupting me.

Forget those ideas. Buy a 1/2 pager in Advertising Age.

Hey where's all the good arguments in this group? Been a few years.

~zion

"Gary" <stvgary@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1308ctd6ff9hu54@news.supernews.com...
>
> I am trying to learn the best/different methods of getting an
> advertising prosposal in front of a busy media buyer...
>
> The type of media I offer is good for companies that market their
> products and services within the United States... Companies that
> already spend a good deal of money on national direct mail,
> television, magazine and/or radio advertising.
>
> So far I have been just calling companies asking where/who I send a
> new advertising proposal and then mail and/or e-mail my media kit to
> that person... I know these decisions aren't made overnight, but want
> to know if there is a better way. Other than a follow up call, don't
> know how I can shorten the sales cycle.
>
> Most often I end up sending a proposal to an advertising agency...
> Thank you in advance for any guidance...
>
You will get nowhere this way unless you have a proven record that will
crash the door open because of the power of your past performance. Would you
hire an opera singer to sing at your daughter's wedding that had not sung
opera before?

Ad agencies rule. You start out as an apprentice and prove yourself every
day. You track your successes and failures and can tell why one was a
success or failure and learn from them.

I don't think any company would contract an unknown advertising entity that
had not proven themselves.

Wayne

"Gary" <stvgary@aol.com> wrote:
> I am trying to learn the best/different methods of getting an
> advertising prosposal in front of a busy media buyer...
>
> The type of media I offer is good for companies that market their
> products and services within the United States... Companies that
> already spend a good deal of money on national direct mail,
> television, magazine and/or radio advertising.
>
> So far I have been just calling companies asking where/who I send a
> new advertising proposal and then mail and/or e-mail my media kit to
> that person... I know these decisions aren't made overnight, but want
> to know if there is a better way. Other than a follow up call, don't
> know how I can shorten the sales cycle.
>
> Most often I end up sending a proposal to an advertising agency...
> Thank you in advance for any guidance...

There are way too many responses to your query for me to handle each one.
Most have great value, in my opinion. But cutting to the chase here's my
recommendation:

Us Joe Girard's "The Law of 250" to get your product into the hands of as
many people as possible for them to refer their friends and associates to
your marvelous, labor saving, exciting programs. Start with your network,
offer them a deal they can't refuse, one steak dinner for two for each
referal that comes to you from them. And do the same for those who are new.
Yes, this sounds like MLM but it's really not. It's just the world's best
marketing strategy for individuals like yourself with no funding for
national advertising, but who have a great product that will sell itslef
when used by the right prospect. Focus on users, not potential thiefs who
may find ways around your patent.

You must know all the success and failure stories going back to Microsoft
and how they got DOS, or how the MIT guy invented Visicalc... use this
history to your advantage. Pick the winning strategies and avoid the losing
strategies. Many successes came from the 'shareware' days.

Wayne
www.pueblaprotocol.com

On Mar 23, 1:08 pm, "Gary" <stvg...@aol.com> wrote:
>
> I am trying to learn the best/different methods of getting
> an advertising prosposal in front of a busy media buyer...

There is only one method; convince a major advertising agency to put
it in front of a busy media buyer, preferably as a small part of a
comprehensive package including traditional media in addition to
yours. Media buyers listen to advertising agencies, not to media
companies...

Cheers,
NC