The Business Development Life
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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
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…
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Three Things to Consider in 2026
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…
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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…
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Why September Planning Wins
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…
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Is AI Coming For You
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…
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10 BD Problems and How to Bury Them
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.”…