These are all good if they actually get to your prospect's desk and get opened.  Often someone is screening upper management's mail and throwing away anything they consider junk.  Remember, this prospect is probably on more new business target lists than just yours.   Some of these things you can email directly to him.  This is why having current contact information on your list is so important.

A smarter way to make yourself known to your list of targets is through an aggressive public relations campaign.  A sleepy little agency in Miami, Crispin, Porter & Bogusky, "suddenly" became famous and Agency of the Year many times over using a very aggressive PR campaign.  They now have two offices of over 400 people and two full time publicists on staff that do nothing but get CP&B and their clients in the media.  They also do some very good and sometimes very controversial work which helps media interest a lot.

If you have PR people on staff, they may be able to do a PR awareness campaign for you. However, they may tell you they're too busy with paying accounts to do media relations for the agency.  Perhaps a better plan is to hire a small independent PR firm.  Or, hire a PR freelancer (there are many out there these days). Even a PR intern that you can get for near nothing is better than no effort at all.

The PR assignment is to make your agency famous in your market.  Is the work you are doing for your clients worthy of a story?  Journalists today are looking for "dealing with the downturn" stories.  Clients generally like to be in the press in a positive way.  It is fine for them be the hero of the story as long as your agency gets credit for the part you played in the business success.

Articles about creative awards, new business wins, promotions are all good but they do not generate interest like client case histories with examples of the work.  If there's controversy involved that's even better for media pick up

If you have enough of these kinds of stories your new business targets start to become aware of you as a possible business asset to them.  This is much better than you sending brag and boast stuff through the mail.  

What else can you do to build your awareness?  How about a series of seminars, panels or roundtable discussions about a subject you're good at?  Include your clients, they are your best advocates.  Again, Dealing with the Downturn" is a powerful draw right now.  So is anything digital ... particularly social media. If you are not fluent in digital bring in somebody who is from another ICOM member of from a supplier.  You will want to invite those prospects from your list and some representatives of the media.  You want the media to start thinking of you not only as a successful marketing communications practitioner but also as a source for any story they may doing on marketing communications.  

All of this market awareness makes your first approach to those names on your target list much easier. And, maybe, they will be approaching you.  They do now for Crispin, Porter & Bogusky.  They rarely have to pitch anymore to get new clients.  

Next month we'll look at an often overlooked resource for your new business program that's right in your town.