In a recent conversation with Brent Weaver on the Digital Agency Show, I shared what I’ve learned in over 30 years as an agency business development consultant. From my early days knocking on doors selling greeting cards to becoming a trusted advisor for agencies looking to grow, I’ve seen how a clear strategy, resilience, and a strong reputation are essential for sustainable success in this business.
Listen here or if you prefer the cliff notes, scroll down 😊
Building My Sales Muscle: From Childhood Hustle to Career Success
As a kid, I got my first taste of sales, selling greeting cards door-to-door to earn a raft for fishing. That experience taught me a few things: how to start from scratch, keep going in the face of “no,” and never stop creating my own opportunities. In agency business development, these qualities are crucial. In sales, losses are inevitable. But the key is learning from them, adapting, and staying ready for the next opportunity. Resilience is the differentiator in sales—it’s not about being a “natural” but about showing up, learning, and keeping at it until you win.
The Challenge of Selling the Promise, Not the Product
One unique challenge in agency business development is that we think we’re selling deliverables, but we’re really selling a promise of future results. Clients can’t hold or touch our services upfront, so trust and credibility are essential. This means we need to show prospects we’re the best team for the job and that we can deliver on the outcomes we’re discussing.
I remember a pitch for a top hotel in Chicago. It was one of those days when things didn’t click. Despite our preparation, we didn’t win the business. But instead of seeing that loss as the end, my team and I dissected the experience, identified our mistakes, and refined our approach. That preparation paid off when we secured another high-profile client shortly after. Every pitch, win or lose, should inform the next—it’s crucial to refining the agency’s ability to compellingly present the "why" in why hire us.
Building Credibility: A Non-Negotiable for Success
Credibility is foundational to effective agency business development. It’s not just about trust; credibility is what sets us apart. Trust means clients believe in our integrity, while credibility means confidence in our expertise. I once had a client who, after I delivered a very rocky pitch performance, questioned if I was the right person to lead their account. First impressions matter, and that experience reminded me just how powerful credibility is in building—and sometimes losing—a client’s confidence.
In each pitch, agencies should aim to provide insights that resonate with the client and showcase an understanding of their industry. When my team and I pitched a telecom client, we brought forward an insight that transformed how they thought about their business challenges. We connected with their pain points and proved we could help them see their problem differently, which set us apart from the competition. Credibility isn’t about knowing it all; it’s about proving you know what matters most to the client.
The Invisible Sale: Attracting Clients in a Digital World
In The Invisible Sale, I discuss the major shift in business development brought about by the digital world. Today’s prospective clients are researching solutions independently—long before they ever contact your agency. Potential clients are learning about us without us even knowing it. So, instead of focusing only on “who we know,” it’s about “who knows us.” This is where a consistent, well-executed content strategy makes a huge difference.
Creating valuable, helpful content is essential to being “seen” by potential clients. Agencies position themselves as credible sources by maintaining a strong online presence across blogs, social media, podcasts, and more. This way, when clients are ready to reach out, they’re already familiar with us. Being top of mind during the research phase increases your chance to convert conversations into clients.
Content That Rewards: Why Value Matters More Than Self-Promotion
Agencies can often fall into the trap of focusing too much on self-promotion. Instead, reward the audience with genuinely valuable content. For example, I recently shared a LinkedIn post with a step-by-step networking hack. It offered practical advice that could be applied immediately, which caught prospects' attention because it was helpful, instead of salesy. Like I always say, awesome gets shared, but helpful gets bought.
Effective content in agency business development should answer client questions, offer solutions, and address common pain points. Think of it as a conversation starter. Every post, article, or resource should provide immediate value, encouraging readers to trust and engage with the agency further. By creating genuinely helpful content, agencies can position themselves as go-to resources and foster a sense of trust long before the first direct interaction.
Practical Steps for Agency Business Development
As an agency business development consultant, here the five most important areas that you should focus on to grow your agency this year.
- Understand Where Your Audience Is: Identify the Propinquity Points that your prospective clients frequent—industry conferences, specific blogs, podcasts, or social media. These are the spaces where agencies can increase visibility and connect directly with the right people.
- Leverage Industry Events: Use industry events to boost your visibility. Look for speaking engagements, guest blogging, and podcast spots. Sponsorships can also help keep your agency front and center with potential clients, but nothing says "smart, credible, topical authority like speaking from a stage at a reputable industry event.
- Make Credibility a Priority: Credibility goes beyond trust—it’s about demonstrating knowledge and experience. Bring new insights that speak directly to client concerns, making them see that your agency has what it takes to solve their problems.
- Be Consistent: Discipline delivers! Show up regularly with valuable content to stay on clients’ radar. Consistency reinforces expertise and credibility, keeping the agency top of mind when clients are ready to make a decision.
- Play the Long Game: Building a reputation through a strategically focused agency business development program is a long-term investment. Consistently engaging in the right places and with the right message will ultimately attract high-quality clients looking for long-term partnerships.
Relationship First
My journey from greeting card seller to agency business development consultant has shown me the power of consistency, credibility, and visibility. Effective business development is about creating lasting connections, positioning yourself as a trusted resource, and building relationships that evolve into long-term partnerships.
If your agency needs some help crafting an agency business development program, set up a Zoom Call with me to see if I can help.
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This post was originally published on Painless Prospecting, the weekly sales and marketing blog created by the fine folks at Converse Digital. If you want to learn how to create, engage in, and convert conversations into new clients and customers, give them a call.
