| What has been your role in the new business efforts of the agency? | |
|---|---|
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | Lead generation, understanding brief, agency presentations, negotiations & closure |
| What is your background, in terms of agencies, accounts, and client-side experience? | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | Arc India - Jan 2007 onwards 2003- 2006 Founder & country head Tribal DDB India 2000-2003 Mudra Communications [Digital Initiatives] BFSI segment, travel & tourism, Petroleum, FMCG, Consumer Durable, Telecom, Education, NGO & Government sectors |
| As if you were writing to a prospective client, describe the agency in no more than 3 sentences: | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | Varies from client to client [depending on what part of business that we are pitching for] Arc Worldwide is a leading integrated marketing services agency. We are focused on delivering specific measurable results to your marketing challenges with innovative ideas, skill combinations and customized execution approaches spanning direct, interactive, out of home, promotional and shopper marketing. |
| Stuart Elliott, who writes about agencies for The New York Times, is doing a story about agencies around the world. After spending After spending a day at your offices, and then going back to write the piece.... what would the headline be? | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | Innovative ideas & Fantastic Results |
| Now bring the agency to life. You have certainly been through this exercise, however applying it to your agency agency can be quite revealing in understanding more about your "DNA". If the agency were a car, what kind would it be? What color? Why? | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | Ford Fiesta Red fantastic mileage, great comfort & features, best in class acceleration - great value for money. |
| What agencies do you most admire? Why? | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | Ogilvy- for integrated work. Mudra- for focus on marketing services |
| List the top few agencies that you do/will compete against most often. | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | activation solutions digitas candid jagran solutions TIC/Innuendo mudra- kidstuff/primesite ogilvy action DIGITAL webchutney indigo quasar tribalddb rmg connect/jwt ogilvy interactive pinstorm interactive avenues |
| In the eyes of clients, what do you provide of value, that none of your competitors do? | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | some clients - integrated service offering [activation + digital] largely- focus on results innovative ideas |
| Are there any negative perceptions that prospects might have about the agency that could hold you back in new business? | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | we are very expensive |
| What is one of the most innovative "pitch or RFP tactics" the agency has ever applied in a new business situation? This might include a distinctive questionnaire response or RFP, "presentation theater," dressing of the room, unique video content, innovative research, a special way of engaging/interacting with the client, etc., etc. | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | our website has been a lead generator |
| The following is a list of potential roadblocks that hold you back with your overall new business efforts. On a scale of 1- 10, rate each on how much it is a road block (1 being not a road block, 10 being a significant road block): | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | 9 |
| Specifically regarding pitches/RFPs, when you lose, what are typically the top 3 reasons? Consider both the client's expecations and how you compare to your competitive set. (check only 3) | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | |
| When you win a pitch, what do you think are typically the top 3 reasons? (check only 3) | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | |
| Bottom line, what do you think the agency most has to do to improve at new business? | |
| Venke Sharma, Director - Arc India | focus |