If you want to successfully grow your agency, you need to focus on having meaningful conversations.
But what does that mean and why does it work?
I’ll explain later in this week’s newsletter, but first let’s look at what Jen has rounded up for us this week.
— Chip Griffin, SAGA Founder
Weekly Roundup
Below are some articles, blog posts, podcasts, and videos that we came across during the past week or so that provide useful perspective and information for PR and marketing agency owners. While we don’t necessarily endorse all of the views expressed in these links, we think they are worth your time.
— Jen Griffin, SAGA Community Manager
Latest from SAGA
- Managing remote workers without micromanaging (Agency Leadership Podcast)
Articles & Blog Posts
- Now Is Not the Time to Hide. It’s the Time to Lead. (Bureau of Digital)
- Agencies That Lead Win – Why CMOs Need More Than Just Order Takers (RSW/US)
- Making each day great. (Anchor Advisors)
- Q/A: Positioning + Marketing (Punctuation)
Podcast Episodes
- Video’s Transformative Role in Agencies, with Hope Horner (The Innovative Agency)
- The New Challenges in Managing Brand Reputation (That Solo Life)
- Humor Us — How Playful Teasing Strengthens Brand Relationships (For Immediate Release)
- How to be the Signal in the Noise, with Mark Schaefer (Building Your Leader Brand)
- Balancing Creativity and Profitability, with Tim Thompson (The Agency Profit Podcast)
- Using Acquisition to Grow Your Agency and Expand Your Client Portfolio with Luke Szkudlarek (Smart Agency Masterclass)
AI in focus
- PESO Model© Measurement in an AI-Driven World (Spin Sucks)
The power of meaningful conversations for agency growth
Agency owners love to ask what metrics that they should be tracking as they seek to grow their agencies.
Many experts suggest looking at pipeline size, conversion rates, number of daily calls/emails, or similar traditional sales metrics.
Instead, I would suggest your goal should be to track how many meaningful conversations you have — particularly with people who could be clients or who are able to refer potential clients to you.
But what exactly is a meaningful conversation?
Most of us have countless conversations each week, either one-on-one or in group meetings. The vast majority of these are highly transactional and matter-of-fact.
While these conversations are often necessary (and even productive), they aren’t particularly meaningful.
When it comes to business development, the classic approach agencies take is to whip out a capabilities deck and rattle off everything we can do and talk about our great team, the impressive logos we serve, and the wins we have had for clients.
It’s a lot of talking without much listening or legitimate engagement.
Meaningful conversations, on the other hand, focus on open dialogue between the participants. As an agency leader, you need to be curious. Ask questions and then be an active listener.
These are not sales conversations. In fact, the best meaningful conversations take place when you don’t have an expected outcome of any kind.
Your goal should be to have these meaningful conversations with people you already know (but want to deepen your relationship with) or individuals you would like to get to know.
In addition to being curious and listening, you should be prepared to share openly (and freely) of yourself and your expertise.
Rather than puffing yourself and your agency up, share some insight or knowledge that might benefit the other party. Find ways to be helpful — perhaps by introducing them to others.
You can increase the number of meaningful conversations you have by actively engaging in existing communities (in-person or online) so that people want to connect with you.
But you can also conduct more proactive outreach — again, without any sales intent — where you share resources or ask legitimate questions (not the phony questions we all get by email every day that are barely disguised sales pitches).
You can also initiate conversations by inviting someone to be a guest on your podcast or requesting an interview for an article or research that you are doing.
None of this is about funnels or pitches or proposals.
But if you are having meaningful conversations with prospects and peers, it will naturally open the door to more business opportunities.
And that leads to agency growth.
