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Online Interview with Lyerly Agency – www.lyerly.com

1. How has the history of over 31 years helped your present advertising agency and portfolio? 

We believe strongly that lessons learned from other industries and challenges translate into a powerful knowledge-base that can be used for the benefit of all our clients today. For example, the opportunities we’ve had to work with international and national clients – and develop programs that have impacted their bottom line – helps us to assist the local small business customer in today’s marketplace. The ideas, methods, disciplines and strategies created for large companies over our many years can be scaled down to accommodate smaller budgets – while still creating a big impact. Our vast experience makes us a stronger, more knowledgeable resource for clients in a variety of industries that are facing a multitude of challenges.

2. Lyerly Agency seems to be a dominant player in the Charlotte NC area. Has Lyerly Agency been working with some clients for as long as you have been in business?

While no one single client has consistently partnered with us for 31 consecutive years, we’ve enjoyed several long term clients throughout our many years of service. As well, we often find marketing personnel will call upon us again as they leave a company to pursue a new endeavor – the relationship is long-tenured, but the client is now “new.”   Our industry is often volatile and relationships with clients are susceptible to change every few years. Fortunately for Lyerly, and as a testament to the customer service and value that we provide, we’ve maintained more than our fair share of consistency and repeat business with our client base.

3. Has the selling of brand awareness become easier or harder in the past 10 years?

Hmmm … that’s a very good and very tough question! “Branding” and its definition within the marketing industry has evolved over the years. Twenty years ago, branding was often referred to as “image advertising.” Ten years ago, the sale of a branding project was difficult in that we often had to explain what branding was to a client and that it was more than just the development of a logo or trademark. Today, while many of our clients are more knowledgeable of the concept of branding, it’s often more difficult for them to understand how branding can directly impact the bottom line. With marketing, advertising and public relations budgets constantly under scrutiny by CFOs and company business executives that may not understand marketing, it continues to be a challenge for most companies – and most agencies.

4. Today, many clients or customers seem devalued to advertising agencies because of the vast quantities of work demanded. Share a little bit about the traditional styles of working with clients compared to today’s normality’s of “on the go” meetings.

Traditionally, the client visited his/her ad agency for hours at a time to plan, discuss and create opportunities in the marketplace. Today, with the on the go structure of today’s businessperson, those meetings are far and few between. Just as the businessperson has adapted, so too must agencies. Much of the work and discussion can now be done over the phone, through email, through PDFs and/or FTP sites. Promptness and responsiveness are key to serving the customer, as well as excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

What does it take to be a successful account executive in today’s advertising firms?

Within the industry, the AE (Account Executive) of yesteryear was more of the “face guy,” the glad-hander who took the client to dinner and said yes to every request. In today’s environment, the AE ultimately holds the key to the entire agency-client relationship. Not only must the AE represent the client’s needs and obstacles to the agency team, the AE must also often act as the client within the team to ensure all avenues have been explored and all solutions offer value. As such, the AE must have a clear understanding of the client, the product, the competition, the marketplace, the budget, and the measurement tools, as well as an in-depth understanding and belief in the ultimate solution. The AE of today must be extremely organized, opinionated yet open-minded, a shrewd negotiator yet also a sensitive motivator, and a teacher, coach and cheerleader.  How do you win your clients? Our industry, above all else, is a service industry. That’s where the value lies. While creative, media, events, websites and public relations efforts may be some of the “products” that we sell, we at Lyerly continue to believe that we must focus on resolving problems for our clients, creating solutions and providing impeccable customer service. We win clients over by providing the best communications solution – and we keep them by continuously servicing their needs.

5. Besides the long history of advertising experience and the large portfolio, how does Lverly Agency stand out amongst the rest of the Charlotte NC Advertising Agencies? 

We’re not just an ad agency. We’re not just a PR firm. We’re not just marketers or website designers or media buyers or event planners. We’re all of those things. Because we offer all disciplines – and have a thorough understanding of the benefits of each – we can provide our clients with the best communications solution that fits their needs and generates the most results. We also strive to provide the best customer service in our industry. Many times, when we are asked to make a new business presentation, the prospective client is frustrated with three things: customer service, creative execution and strategy. If you can nail down the customer service side of that equation, you’re way ahead of the game.

6. Share a little bit about winning the 2008 “Best in North Carolina” award.

When we won the “Best in North Carolina” award in 2007, it was an unexpected, thrilling surprise. While we totally believed in the work and in our solution, we had not anticipated winning an award in this category that honors the “best of the best.” When we won again in 2008? It was another unexpected, thrilling surprise! Again, we knew the work and the solution we provided was outstanding, but we couldn’t believe that the BMAs would honor us with this distinction two years in a row. While some agencies will “do creative” simply for the sake of winning an award, it’s not our goal at Lyerly. Our motivation is always based on garnering results and achieving total client satisfaction. And we do that well. But it’s especially satisfying to win awards in competitions that are judged by our peers and experts in the industry. It’s icing on the cake.

7. Your Philosophy portion on your company website shares a little bit about brand history and loyalty of the Charmin ads of 1964. What is one of your best branding publications that Lyerly has produced in the past 31 years?

We have several great “branding” examples that have served to produce outstanding results. To name a few:

• We developed the XOTM Cellular PVC Board brand as a new product launch using our creation of the “Red Rhino” to emphasize the brand’s tough outer skin, even under extreme conditions. After developing the brand, corporate stationary materials, website and advertising program, customers now call for the product asking for the “Red Rhino stuff.”

 

• NACAS is a 38-year-old association that wanted to change its name. Instead, Lyerly recommended to keep the name but evolve the brand and created the brand positioning and tagline, “The Connections That Count.” By focusing on the benefits the association provides, members readily understand the value of the large network that can impact their bottom line results. NACAS staff heartily believed in the brand, worked to create brand ambassadors throughout the association and has now experienced its first membership increase in nine years.
• Milk Rocks! is a comprehensive program aimed at students and dairies across the nation and promotes drinking milk from paper cartons. Lyerly has developed and promoted the brand for several years and has helped Evergreen Packaging Group establish a strong and powerful position against plastic bottlers, while maintaining a positive position to influence a great nutritional message for students. Interest in the Milk Rocks! program continues to grow. Additionally, Lyerly’s work has been recognized by the BMAs (several gold awards and two consecutive “Best In NC” honors), as well as the International Dairy Foods Association (Best Overall Direct Mail and Best Overall School Campaign).

(Graphics of work described above, as well as other branding examples, can be seen in our Print Portfolio on our website.)

8. Your Community page on your website says a great deal about giving back to the community. Share one example of how giving back to your community has helped generate stronger brand recognition for Lyerly Agency. 

Melia Lyerly has been involved with the National Kidney Foundation since 1993 and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Kidney Foundation of North Carolina in 2006-2008 (a position she held previously, 1998-2000). In 2008, it was the goal of NKFNC to develop a mobile education and screening center to raise awareness of chronic kidney disease. Lyerly was tapped for the enormous project that was unveiled in September 2008.

9. Being a Charlotte NC Advertising Agency, does Lyerly work closely with UNC-Charlotte to help encourage students that are interested in graphic design, web design, and marketing?

Lyerly’s management team and staff have conducted workshops and classroom lectures at several area colleges in the region. In addition, Lyerly offers an intern program to help develop the talents and skills of young professionals.  

10. And last but not least, if you had to share a strong slogan to the next generation of advertising professionals, what would that word of encouragement be?

Over deliver. That’s two words – but that’s what we mean by always doing more than what’s asked.  

— End Online Interview —

What an extraordinary response when coming from such a powerful Charlotte based advertising agency for some many years. Any advertising agency/personnel would greatly benefit from the feedback, the shared experience, and the overall process of what it takes to run such a successful advertising firm for so many decades.

Thank you so much.

Kyle Kight

Professional Search Engine Marketer

Owner of NCAdvertisingAgencies.com

info@ncadvertisingagencies.com