ARE AGENCIES LEADING The CPL CHARGE?

Google’s CPA (Cost Per Action) announcement has sent some shock waves beyond the competition.  Many agencies – interactive, general, search or direct – have been muttering “What do we do when our clients ask us about THIS?”

I grew up in the agency business – as a mere lad, I was initiated into the joys of developing newspaper coupons and competitive analyses for Maxwell House Instant Coffee.  One of the highlights was working with the great Margaret Hamilton who had morphed from Wicked Witch to country store proprietress, Cora the coffee lady.  But I digress…

I did learn one of the great secrets of agencies back then: too many established agencies become conservative, reactive organizations.  The maverick agencies that seem to come out of nowhere are not just the hot creative shops.  Often, these are the agencies that get ahead of the curve on new executional or media ideas and show their clients how to leverage these ideas to accelerate growth.

Of course, no one would consider lead generation a new idea.  But we’re beginning to see savvy agencies adopt the online version of qualified leads as the solution to venerable problem of identifying and selling new customers for niche products cost-effectively. 

It makes sense for agencies to learn how to use CPL techniques – not only to add billings but to preserve them.  Many agencies saw a budget drain when performance advertising emerged in the form of Cost per Click.  Considering how CPL often delivers higher ROI, this budget drain might well grow.  CPL and qualified lead development in particular is deceptively simple.  Getting in the game is easy – making money isn’t.  Solution: Agencies need to tap the firms that have been learning their way through this for years. 

Oh, and in case any agency wants to talk to one of those firms - our number is listed!

Comments

[Scott Meserve]

Gary,

I am Margaret Hamilton's grandson and am researching her biography. Could you please contact me via email--I'd like to connect about her Cora days.

Best,

Scott Meserve