Navigating Today's New Business Landscape with Chuck Silverman

With over 20 years of experience in the advertising industry, Chuck Silverman, director of sales at Agency Source, specialises in connecting people with opportunities.

His current mission is to help clients and partners achieve both their creative and business goals by providing them with the most accurate and up-to-date ad agency and brand data available online.

In addition to fostering professional relationships within the industry, he has contributed to the growth and success of Agency Source TV, Chuck Silverman Represents, and more.

Below, Chuck chats with LBB about his first star-studded new business win, and the art of selling.

LBB> What was your first sale or new business win?

Chuck> Honestly, I can’t remember the very first. But one of the first biggies I can remember was in the early 2000s when I was an in-house rep at an editorial shop. It was a spot for Coors Light featuring Jamie Kennedy.

I was ecstatic! I had just recently started repping, I had no idea what I was even doing, and I had just booked a job for a major brand featuring a major celebrity. Well, in hindsight, over 20 years later, maybe not THAT major of a celebrity, but he kind of was at the time.

Being awarded this Coors Light job really built up my confidence, and I now knew that if positioned correctly, a post-production company known primarily for cutting music videos could be very competitive in the TV spot world.

LBB> What was the best piece of advice you got early on?

Chuck> Don’t take wooden nickels.

LBB> And the worst?

Chuck> Take wooden nickels. (Are gen y and gen z gonna get that?)

LBB> How has the business of ‘selling’ in the creative industry changed since you started?

Chuck> When many of us first started repping, people were still going into an office (an office? What’s that?) and actually answered the telephone when you called (landlines – does anyone still remember them?). Getting together with agency creatives and producers for lunch dates, dinner dates, or even just a quick coffee or cocktail was part of the rhythm of the business.

These days, with everyone stretched so thin, carving out that time has become a real challenge. And with almost all communication and correspondence now being electronic, there’s a real sense that the personal, human touch is slipping away. So much of this business has always been about personality, humour, and individual style, but those things don’t always translate well in an email (or, for that matter, in an interview).

It makes you wonder, how many opportunities are missed because tone was misunderstood, or because that nuance – that spark – just didn’t come across digitally?

LBB> Can anyone be taught to sell or do new business or do you think it suits a certain kind of personality?

Chuck> It definitely suits a certain type of personality, but at the same time, improvements can be taught… if the mentee has an inner drive and determination to succeed (I’m not sure if that can be taught). Tenacity, persistence, and thick skin are also necessary.

LBB> What are your thoughts about the process of pitching that the industry largely runs on?

Chuck> Pitching is necessary. That said, I unequivocally believe agencies should be paying for them, whether it’s production, post, music, etc. Pitches take time and effort to craft; there is overhead involved that needs to be compensated. The question then becomes, who owns the idea? If you pitch and lose, but were compensated, can you bring that same idea to another agency, or does the agency that paid now own it and have the right to run the idea through a different vendor?

I have nothing but admiration and respect for companies that refuse to pitch. They know their value and their worth. However, by not pitching, there’s a pretty good chance they could be removing themselves from the equation while opening the door for another company to come in and win the job. I’ve often (begrudgingly) said to my clients who don’t want to pitch, “If you don’t do it, somebody else will”. And somebody else always does.

LBB> How do you go about tailoring your selling approach according to the kind of person or business you’re approaching?

Chuck> Very simple. I listen. I just listen. I listen to what the prospect has to say, which then enables me to identify their pain points, which ultimately allows me to offer them a solution that meets their needs.

LBB> New business and sales can often mean hearing ‘no’ a lot and quite a bit of rejection - how do you keep motivated?

Chuck> I’ve booked every job I’ve ever pitched, so I am not familiar with this concept.

Kidding, of course. It’s an internal fire that burns inside. I’ve always been competitive, and when I play, I play to win. And always know that you never lose; you either win or you learn. Then, move on to the next one.

LBB> The advertising and marketing industry often blurs the line between personal and professional friendships and relationships. Does this make selling easier or more difficult and delicate?

Chuck> Having a personal relationship makes it easier (not easy, but easier) to get in the room. But once inside, either you have ‘the goods’ or you don’t. It doesn’t matter (and it shouldn’t matter) if you're best friends with the CCO or not. It doesn’t matter (and it shouldn’t matter) if you’re repping one of the top commercial production companies or if you’re repping ‘Joe’s Films’ – may the best person win. At least, that’s how it should be.

I wonder if a producer has ever (or would ever) present ‘the work’ to their creatives. No mention of the director or the production company they’re affiliated with, just ‘the work’. A blind taste test, so to speak. Have the creatives base their decision strictly on the work rather than being influenced by the brand behind the work. I wonder how many lesser-known directors and production companies would have been awarded jobs over the ‘A-team’?

LBB> In your view, what’s the key to closing a deal?

Chuck> A bag full of unmarked $100 bills stuffed in a plain brown paper bag, hand-delivered to the producer’s secret lair. Or, another way to go would be to help people make the right buying decision for themselves. Everyone has different wants/needs. What works for you may not work for another, and vice versa. Together, let’s figure out what works best for you! Being honest and transparent also goes a long way.

LBB> There’s a lot of training for a lot of parts of the industry, but what are your thoughts about the training and skills development when it comes to selling and new business?

Chuck> There is definitely an art to it. I’ve been a sales rep for years, but never learned how to really ‘sell’ until I began working at Agency Source.

My personal experience began as a trial by fire. I had no prior sales experience when I was hired as a sales rep, and no training. I was given a desk, a computer, and a phone, and was left to my own devices. But I genuinely and sincerely believed in what I was selling, so just being my authentic self instilled trust in the people I was reaching out to.

LBB> What’s your advice for anyone who’s not necessarily come up as a salesperson who’s now expected to sell or win new business as part of their role?

Chuck> My advice: always talk about them, never talk about you. Engage. Be interested. Listen. Offer a solution, even when it’s not in your best interest. People remember being treated fairly and honestly. Then, when their next opportunity arises, they’ll reach out to you instead of the other way around. To me, those are the most satisfying sales to make.