When I ask the leaders of small agencies to describe their ideal client, more often than not, the description sounds more like them than the new business prospects they’re trying to attract. This has big implications for the effectiveness of your new business outreach.
Read MoreI’m not a big fan of the creds deck, at least not the 10-15 slide deck we’re most familiar with. Agencies use their credentials decks too early in the sales process and expect them to do more than it’s designed to do. While I’m not going to single-handedly eliminate the credentials deck from the agency new business toolkit, at least I can help you make it better.
Read MoreIt’s not uncommon for agencies to expect their new business leads to excel at both business development and sales. And they’re frequently disappointed when that doesn’t happen. Sales and business development are essential for generating revenue, yet they require paradoxically different skills. Here’s an easy way to determine which one your agency needs more.
Read MoreStories are a perfect pitching device. Yet, despite the many agencies that declare themselves “brand storytellers”, they don’t always deploy that same skill on their behalf.
They get swallowed up by their own jargon or blindly grasp for the right words to describe the intangible qualities that make them different from their peers—with the ironic result that they end up sounding exactly the same.
If this applies to you, then I want to offer you a technique to use on your next pitch.
Read More
