When the story does appear, send copies to all the contacts you have on your current new business target list with a cover note asking if you can have a brief conversation about helping them deal with the recession. Believe me, scared marketing managers with declining sales will want to hear what you have to say about helping their business.

Once you get a positive response, set a date to get together that gives you enough time to do your homework properly.  Hit the Net and find out all you can about that marketing manager, his market, business and brand. A good job for that intern that is always trying to impress you.  What are the key issues that are probably keeping him up at night?  Is it the competition, government regulations, distribution, pricing, point of sale take away?  What?  If you know the “up at night issue” (UANI), your half way home.

Use ICOM.  Send an MAR asking your colleagues to tell you what is going on in that product category in their market.  Get some examples to show that address the UANI in that first meeting.  It will get their attention, make you look smart and worldly.  You don’t have to solve the UANI in that first meeting.  Your goal is to get a second meeting.  Just demonstrate that you recognize the issues and are thinking about some ideas to help.  But, admit you’ll need further input from that marketing manager and maybe a few others in the company before you can come back with any specific ideas to help them.  I’ll bet they will want to hear more from you.

Don’t ask to immediately replace the existing agency.  Its too soon, too direct and may be too hard or emotional.  Just try to get an assignment to help solve the UANI issue.  If you do that the rest will surely follow.

Oh, you don’t have a current new business target list?  Shame on you.  We’ll talk about that next month.