You’re the Salesperson

One of my unfortunate realities is that I’m almost always hired by an agency that has a problem. That seems so obvious when I write it down, but I’ve craved stepping into a firm that’s running on all cylinders more than I care to admit. 

I am fortunate, however, that I work with agencies that are doing well. Sometimes because of my involvement and sometimes, I’m sure, despite my involvement. 

The biggest difference, bar none, between the firms that have a growth “problem” and those that are simply trying to build on their success is ownership of business development. 

It really can be that simple. 

When you’re starting out building a firm, you have to be the business development person. Partly because there’s no one else around but mostly because you have to eat. But at some point as a firm grows, that focus on driving new business can slowly disappear. 

You win new work (and have to deliver it). You hire new people (and have to manage them). But you reach a point where the closed loop of referrals and word of mouth aren’t consistent and meaty enough to sustain you and the thing you’ve built. That’s when it starts to hurt. 

Nothing breeds failure like success. 

If you don’t have a business development person, it’s you. 

Ownership of business development means being accountable for the number of new deals and new business conversations your firm is having. It means waking up each week knowing exactly where the next opportunities should come from - and prioritizing the actions to make them happen.There are many ways to close new deals and start new relationships, but accountability is key. There has to be clear success metrics and, except in very rare circumstances, a clear process for generating that kind of activity. And, in all likelihood, whoever is accountable should be spending over 50% of their time focused on business development. 

Those are the rules, but outside of that you can play this however you need to. 

I had conversations with two agency owners last week. One of them excitedly told me that she just started doing cold outreach for the first time the week prior. Her process? She looked through the local business journal, highlighted company names, and asked her admin to get contact details for them. She already has leads. I love it. And did I mention? She’s been running her agency for 20 years. 

The second agency owner - 30 years at the helm - told me that he knew he didn’t have the drive for growth the company needed to succeed. He elevated someone else into a senior leadership role and gave them complete ownership over business development. The agency is doing better than ever. 

It might require personal or company evolution, but either way, you need that level of accountability. Great work and a smart marketing plan help. But they can’t replace the actual diet and exercise of sales.”

If that’s not you, make it someone. If that is you, stop pretending it’s not.