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 MoreSomehow, between servicing current clients and pitching new business, your network of professional contacts gets taken for granted. Yet, it’s one of the best sources of new business you have. Here’s how to borrow the principles of a re-engagement campaign to reconnect with your network.
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 MoreRecently, a client of mine asked me to help him evaluate a lead generation firm he was thinking about hiring. The lead gen firm had sent him an extensive questionnaire so it could gather enough information to create a set of persuasive sales messages. It included questions you’d expect: How do you describe your ideal client? What makes your agency different from competitors? Why do you do what you do?
My client asked me for my advice. Would I assess this firm and tell him what I thought of the questionnaire?
My feedback was that there was nothing wrong with the questionnaire. The question I had for him: Was he was happy with his answers? And, should the lead generator bring him quality leads, did he believe he was prepared to close the business?
I gave my client some advice on how to make sure his investment would pay off. If you’re considering outsourcing lead generation, then it might be good advice for you too. Read more
