Prospecting Media Agencies? Here’s What You Need to Know

Just because a brand can plan its own campaign doesn’t mean it will get the best results without assistance. That’s where the media agency comes in. Media agencies are uniquely situated to offer valuable advice for navigating the many channels of marketing. 

Many media agencies offer planning services, where they deliver a media plan to ensure brands are maximizing advertising exposure and impact. Their general role is vital to the growth of effective communications for the brand, and vital to ad sellers as well.

Media agencies advise companies on how and where to advertise, often determining the best mix of media channels to include in the media plan, and then, depending on the agency, negotiating with sellers and executing on the plan with media buys. 

If you’re a media seller, you’re often required to go through a brand’s media agency to secure ad space. So how do you capitalize on this process?

ABM Approach 

If you have the client’s buy-in or recommendation to the agency, that’s always ideal considering the agency works on behalf of the client. In this circumstance, the agency may give you more consideration if you already have a relationship with the client established. Obviously, this isn’t always possible, but it’s beneficial to use an ABM approach where the brand is aware of you.

When you’re prospecting, try reaching out directly to client-side contacts first, to see if you can build a relationship that results in them directly handing you off to their agency for consideration.

Expand Your Relationship

With so much competition, it can be difficult to stand out when connecting with media agencies. When pitching, it’s crucial to emphasize what’s unique about your publication or offering. However, rather than focus on just what you bring to the table as a sales representative, be sure to do your homework on the particular piece of business you are pursuing so that you can tailor your approach based on your findings. 

Before reaching out to a prospect, it’s pressing to know exactly who you are connecting with and how you can meet their needs. When it comes to homework, often a sales intelligence technology in your arsenal of tools will help you and your team prepare strategically. 

For example, Adbeat’s integration within the Winmo platform gives ad sellers the ability to view enhanced digital ad intelligence to better understand where brands are placing their ads, how much they’ve spent, and any ad networks they were routed through and the published destinations they appeared on. With access to details on a brand’s spend detail and buying strategy as shown below, you’ll no doubt stand out from the pack. 

Gain Client Intel 

When prospecting a media agency, gain intel on all of the clients the agency represents. Why is this so important? 

By identifying other brands the agency works with, you are able to capitalize on the ability to gain multiple budgets versus just one. 

Going through a media agency can be challenging, but it creates an opportunity to expand your relationship with the agency. Working with a media agency can open the doors to a lot of other additional accounts to do business with. If you have a meeting with a planner, make sure to research what other clients they’re responsible for so you can target those budgets as well if they are a good fit. A small deal can turn into a large win for you if you perfect this strategy. 

A Team Effort

When approaching a media agency, keep in mind both sides of the equation have goals they are trying to accomplish. Reach out with ways to help them reach THEIR goals. Consider the standards the client is holding the agency accountable to, and keep in mind what their goals and measurements are, so you can explain to the media agency that securing a deal with you will make them look good. 

When selling, be sure to give the agency specifics on ROI and demographic details off the bat. Show them the demographics line up, and how your audience matches their target. This way, the media agency can understand why the buy would be beneficial and how it fits into the media plan as a whole. 

When pitching, you should also explain any advantage over other publications or channels in your category. Make it an easy decision for the media agency to pick you. 

Right Person at the Right Time 

Timing in sales is everything: reaching the decision-maker when they have budget to spend. 

However, finding that golden window of opportunity can be difficult, especially with so much competition in the space reacting to the same industry news. Staying up-to-date on budget openings is crucial for new business. Knowing when a brand is actively planning their advertising efforts will give you an unparalleled advantage. That’s why Winmo includes planning and buying windows for the brands we track, allowing sales professionals to prioritize opportunities best pursued now.

Once you’ve nailed down the right timing, connecting with the right decision-maker is the next step, which is easier said than done. You’ll obviously have to know which agency holds the keys to the budget you’re after. 

Some large global parent companies use different agencies for different categories and even brand by brand. Therefore, it’s imperative to identify who handles media buying and planning for your medium. When it comes to ad sales, establishing a relationship with a higher level executive as well as a planner or buyer is ideal (and as we said from the outset, with the client directly is even better).

Often, there is more than one decision-maker. That’s where Winmo comes in. Our platform connects the dots across decision-makers at companies, brands and their agencies. This way, you know who holds the purse strings, and your pitch is always on point.