The Business Development Life
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Are you using AI in New Business
If your answer is some variation of “we’re experimenting,” that time has passed. I treat AI like a Swiss Army knife strapped to my belt. Not a novelty, not a toy, and definitely not a gimmick. It’s eight tools in one, maybe more, and each one shaves a little more time off my plate so
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The Next Agency Inflection: 2026’s Blueprint for Growth
Forget “business as usual.” The world agencies once dominated is breaking. The Forrester “Predictions 2026“ already gives us a structural map: agencies must become resellers, product‐builders, embedded partners, not just service vendors. Add to that the real voices of agency leaders (from an Ad Age panel: 8 agency leaders divulge the most pressing issues facing
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The Art of the List: Win More and Better Clients
For many ad agencies, new business often feels like an endless hustle. Pitches, proposals, referrals, and the occasional inbound lead that leads nowhere. But here’s the reality: too many agencies overlook or don’t take the time to build a growth-driving prospect list. The foundation of successful business development isn’t the pitch, although hugely important. Spoiler
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Why September Planning Wins
After working with more than 50 agencies of all shapes and sizes, I’ve learned that the key to consistent growth is simple: early planning. And September is the ideal time to take control of your agency’s future. Yes, September. Why? Because it’s the bold approach that sets successful agencies apart. Agencies that take this window
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Is AI Coming For You?
As an ad agency owner, you face tremendous competition. Google the term “Ad Agency” and you get 4,570,000 results. Google will likely show you only 40 pages of results. I feel bad for the agencies and related companies that make up the rest of the results, which will never be seen, lost in the cloud.
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10 BD Problems and How to Bury Them
If you’re running an agency in 2025 and your new business pipeline feels thin, inconsistent, frustratingly quiet, or deceased, you’re not alone. I talk to agency owners every day who say some version of the same thing: “We used to win more. Now it feels like we’re invisible.” The truth? They’re not crazy. The game
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Some Agencies Are Winning Now. How About You?
Let’s not sugarcoat it. 2025 is testing every agency leader’s grit. Margins are under pressure. Marketers are in triage mode. Headcounts are leaner. Budgets are delayed. And the RFP pipeline? For many, it’s either stalled or nonexistent. What is the right agency business development strategy in 2025? But let’s get something straight: marketing demand hasn’t
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The New Ad Agency Search
If you’re an ad agency owner or business development leader, now’s the time to rethink how you’re tracking and engaging in the search process. While legacy consultants hold on to a declining share of rigid RFI/RFP routines, marketers are increasingly opening the door through less formal and often more revealing non-traditional channels. These informal invitations
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Your Ad Agency Prospecting Platform
Reach more prospects. Guide the journey. Make decisions with data. Track your progress. Convert more clients. Affordable. Easy to use. Powerful. Backed by 20 years of new business experience. All configured to the way your Ad Agency does business development. According to the AAAAs, about 60% of agency members use some form of marketing automation,