Over 75 executives from agencies and marketing communication firms throughout the East Coast swarmed into Ft. Lauderdale this week -- along with half a million teens there for the beach and the sun. The agency leaders came for the Agency Leadership Summit 2004.

There were 10 key learnings that the group listed as key "take-aways."

1. The Sunday evening session on the importance of chemistry in new business knocked everyone out. It was very well received. These executives left with a keen knowledge of why chemistry wins, how chemistry can be more important than creative when choosing an agency, and how to control it for more wins.
2. The marketing chessboard review on Monday morning, at 8 am, was like being in church. For the first time, agency leaders saw how marketing leadership by the agency industry had been lost, what to do to reclaim it and why agencies must learn to deal with bi-polar clients.
3. The mid-morning session on the importance of agency structure was an eye opener and why an improvement in productivity makes such a big impact on agency profits got lots of response. The section on self-directed teams was also very well-received, especially the description about coaches.
4. The new business pipeline, the seven critical elements of new business, provoked a lot of discussion. It set up the importance of the agency brand in new business and why putting the focus on leads is so important.
5. The case history on agency branding was so clear. It was presented in a series of branding commandments including the importance of living the brand and how to make sure your marketing communication firm brands itself correctly.
6. The session by the lawyers, if you can believe it, was judged too short! Everyone wanted them to continue as they covered the highlights of contracts, incentives, key employee retention plans, phantom stock options and more.
7. The new look of account management was a stunner. The new position of account strategist, different radically from account planners, was discussed for the entire conference. The concept showed how to fix the account management mess that so many firms face. Most of the agencies were seriously considering moving this way right away as a way to lower cost, improve service, and aid retention. The 18-month retention plan section was especially well-liked.
8. The agency management software review including what to look for in the future was very interesting with many agency leaders requesting demos right away.
9. The actual agency tour was a big hit with client clusters, impact areas, interest areas, process and branding all demonstrated up close and personal for all attendees. Agency staff members led the tour.
10. The Tuesday morning open session workshops led by Summit speakers the next day were very popular. It was a place where individual concerns could be discussed, free advice from the speakers was requested and given, and to-do lists to take home were made.

The Leadership Summit rating sheets were mainly 9s and 10s. Sanders commented the scores were the highest he had ever seen. Some of the many positive comments follow:

• "Very worth the time and money." KT, SVP, NC agency
• "Consider focus on agency leadership very high" RW, EXVP, Denver agency
• "Based on what I learned, my agency needs a new name, a new structure, and more forms, but this was really worth it. Have lots of work to do." DS, president, Denver agency
• Rated Summit high 9. KE, owner, Wisconsin agency.
• "As a new business person, rated the sessions on agency new business, agency differentiation and agency leadership most helpful." KK, new business director, Florida agency
• Rated time spent very valuable to agency. CM, vice president, Virginia agency
• "Very informative. Very dynamic." SA, vice president, Virginia agency
• "Session on agency branding was very valuable, great insight, and it showed key elements for success." DB VP, Tennessee agency
• "Focus on agency branding was very relevant." CL, CEO, Toronto agency
• "Loved warm climate. Want bigger pool." TE, director of client services, Maryland agency
• "The new business pipeline was insightful and practical." SM, SVP, worldwide agency
• "Agency baseball was great." DR, president, Ohio public relations firm
• "Will really help us reframe our agency for better clients and more profitability." MH, president, South Carolina agency.
• "Rated presenters all 10s." RJ, Vermont marketing communications firm
• "This was worth missing my mom's 75th birthday." MO, VP/Director of Client Services, Dallas agency
And many many more.

Remember, there is still time to sign up for the LA Summit at $395 per person on April 4, 5, 6, 2004.



West Coast Los Angeles, California Marriott Courtyard Marina del Rey April 4 - 5, 2004

Produced by: www.sandersconsulting.com