The Business Development Life
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Will AI Kill the Craft of Advertising
Will AI Kill the Craft of Advertising Spend ten minutes on LinkedIn, and you would think the agency model is either dead or about to be fully automated. AI will replace strategy.AI will generate creative.AI will run campaigns end-to-end. The narrative sounds too good to be true: clean, simple, but completely disconnected from how marketing…
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The AI Marketing Operating System
The AI Marketing Operating System For decades, marketing ran on a familiar structure. Leadership sets direction.Analysts processed data.Strategists planned campaigns.Creatives brought them to life.Media teams executed.Account people managed the process. People were the engine. But that engine is changing. As AI becomes embedded across research, targeting, experimentation, and optimization, the operational center of marketing shifts…
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The Pipeline Wasn’t the Problem
The Pipeline Wasn’t the Problem A few years ago, I had a video call with an agency owner who, by most external measures, was doing fine. Revenue was steady. Referrals were trickling in. The calendar had new business meetings on it. From the outside, nothing looked broken. So why did he invite me over? Halfway…
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Agency Core™ 2026 Is Live
Agency Core™ exists to help agencies make better decisions by giving them clearer context. It is the passion project of Susan Baier, Co-Founder, Agency Core, and CEO, Audience Audit, and Brian Gerstner, Co-Founder, Agency Core, and President, White Label IQ. I have no role in the project other than encouraging your participation. Once again, we’d…
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What’s different, what’s the same in BD
Agency business development looks very different from a year ago. Even more so than five years ago. At least on the surface. Underneath, it’s the same animal it’s always been since I started doing this work. The tools change. The pressure changes. The expectations change. Human behavior does not. Five years from now? Sure, there…
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Three Things to Consider in 2026
December is that magical time when agency owners swear next year will be different. Fewer fire drills. Better clients. Cleaner pipelines. More sleep. It’s also the season of denial. So let’s skip the eggnog and talk about what actually makes an agency unignorable: more competitive, more attractive, and more trustworthy. Not trends. Not tools. Not…
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Are you using AI in New Business
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…
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The Next Agency Inflection: 2026’s Blueprint for Growth
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…
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The Art of the List: Win More and Better Clients
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…