Agency New Business Challenges-Get Out Of Your Own Way
You’re taking care of your clients and working hard to grow your agency, in the meantime all kinds of agency new business challenges get in the way.
Far too often, you are one of those challenges:
Get out of your own way.
Typically you don’t even realize it or have the best of intentions, nevertheless, I see one of these three situations slowing you down:
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Your agency culture is important, but it is not the first thing a prospect wants to hear about
Not much more to add here-you’ll get to that once a prospect becomes a client and, no sarcasm at this point, your culture is important, but it is not an up-front selling point.
Do not start there, because a prospect does not care in that early stage.
2. A deep knowledge of your vertical/verticals does not make you a good salesperson.
It goes without saying that in order to win business you need to speak your prospects’ language, BUT-I’ve witnessed agency principals/new business directors bludgeon prospects with their knowledge.
Ask good questions and let your prospect talk-give them breathing room.
3. You have a solid team. The entire team should not hold sway over new business
Too many cooks in the kitchen. ‘Nuff said.
In all seriousness-there is valuable input coming from your team, but the entire team shouldn’t be involved in the day-to-day new business activity.
In the early planning stages of a new business effort, cewrtinaly you need and want input from multiple team members, but there has to be a point where you whittle that down,
Appoint one person to that task, and she/he should engage team members as-needed.
There are far too many agency new business challenges out there, don’t let yourself become one of them.