New Client Win

Congratulations to Oliver Russell for adding Weyerhaeuser as a new client, and making a point to post the news on their website.

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Let me get this straight…

Just from my own observations, it would seem that most of the agencies in Idaho are doing very little, or so the “news” sections of their websites would have you believe (if they even have a news section, that is)…

Here’s just a sample:
Stoltz Marketing Group – the last news item on their site is dated January 5, 2006. Apparently they’ve taken the rest of the winter off?
Noot Group – heck, from their site I’d guess they checked out almost a year ago!
What’s even more shocking is the number of agency websites that don’t even bother to include a news area within their own websites. Come on folks! Give people a reason to visit your site more than once every two years! How am I, as a visitor to an agency’s website, supposed to know what’s new if the whole thing looks exactly the same as it did the last time I was there. Added to your portfolio recently? Well then tell me about it. Odds are, I’ll read the news that’s there, and then go on to another section (such as a portfolio). See where this is going…

From a potential client’s point of view — give me a reason to go to your site regularly, and they’ll go back to your site regularly. The more often they visit, the better they get to know the agency. The better they know the agency, the easier time they’ll have deciding whether or not you’re the right place for them to take their business. If they never see any changes, though, the site, and consequently the company, looks stale — not the kind of place I’d take my business if it were my choice to make.

Now I’ve heard the arguments that this is a face-to-face business, and in a lot of cases, yes it is. But let’s face it (no pun intended), your website is the face of your business online. So why would you continue to have a stale, faceless site out there?

As always, there are exceptions to the rule, notably:
Oliver Russell – since the redesign of their site, they’ve done a good job of putting out bits and pieces in their “What’s Happening” section. A few stories each month/tidbits of info is all, but its enough to keep me going back to see what’s new.
Es/drake – for the past couple of months their site has been promising changes, but I’ve yet to see it happen. Jury is still out.

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At least its being discussed

The Idaho Business Review ran an article a few weeks ago on the changing focus that marketers/agencies are being faced with right now. First off, I say good for them for taking on the subject. No business wants to hear that the environment they’ve become accustom to is changing at a break-neck speed, as is the case in the marketing world today. Even here in Idaho.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that its good to be skeptical once in a while, but at the same time, being able to accept, if not embrace, change in this business will keep an agency at the top of their game. Oliver Russell gets it, I think. Es/drake is getting there too, from the sounds of it. But where is everyone else?

Here’s a PDF of the article.
(Courtesy of Oliver Russell)

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Who’s Missing?

I know there’s no way that I’ve got every agency in Idaho listed. Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know who I’ve missed.

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Other Notable Sites

You’ll notice over on the right sidebar is a section titled Other Notable Sites. These sites are, in my opinion, worth taking the time to visit on a regular basis, regardless of what your role in this business may be.

Ad Age Small Agency Diary – this “is a blog devoted to the daily realities of life within America’s small advertising agencies. It’s a frank discussion of the highlights, lowlights, challenges and controversies faced by agency executives in the trenches.” A good amount of what is discussed on this blog applies directly to what agencies in Idaho are facing this very day.
AdPulp – AdPulp follows the ins and outs of the marketing world. With their own observation and commentary, its a worthwhile read.
Adrants – “Adrants provides marketing and advertising news with attitude in the form of a website and daily email newsletter.” There’s no shortage of the attitude from Steve Hall et. al., but its well written, and right to the point.
Beyond Madison Avenue – Written with an outsider’s view of “Madison Avenue” marketing, it echoes the thoughts and opinions that a lot of us seem to have about marketing these days.

Now there will undoubtedly be others, but this should get you off to a good start.