Here we are at the end of 2025 and our last episode of the year.

I know this year has been a tough one for many agencies, for many reasons. So I wanted to finish with a good news story.  A case study of an independent agency (well two in fact) flourishing despite the challenges.

Kim Lawton, Founder & CEO of Enthuse Marketing and COO & Partner at Inspira, joins to me talk about how building a relationship-first culture in her agencies has allowed them to weather many of the storms impacting agencies in recent years. 

We discuss the dymanics of client leadership and how systemised employee feedback, client feedback and a structured approach to client development can result in exceptionally high levels client retention and referrals. 

Of course we'll be giving away a copy of Kim's recommended read: The Chief Event Officer's Playbook by Sasha Frieze - simply listen in to find out how to win. 

Wishing all our guests and listeners a wonderful and relaxing festive break. We look forward to bringing you more inspiring conversations in 2026. 

Also mentioned in this episode:

Let It Burn by Zoe Scaman

Design Business Association In Focus Report

One Small Spark

Further reading:

5 Ways to Build and Maintain Strong Agency-Client Relationships in a Competitve Market

 

New business, business development, lead generation, prospecting.

Call it what you will – for agencies, the practice of attracting and winning new clients has evolved.

Technology continues to diversify our services and expand the marketplaces in which we operate. Alongside this, terminology shifts, client expectations rise, and the range of macro issues impacting brands and businesses keeps growing.

Navigating the needs of prospects – then clearly articulating and demonstrating how we meet those needs – has always been fundamental to agency success. Yet, as highlighted in the Design Business Association's recent In Focus report, "new business" is now seen as the most significant risk facing agencies in both the short and the long term.

So, it feels like perfect timing to welcome two brilliant guests who are working at the frontline of business development, landing significant new clients for some of the most impressive agency talent out there.

In this episode, I'm joined by Nicky Rinks and Rich Banham from Daylight Bureau. Together, we unpack:

• The ideal conditions for cultivating business development skills

• How to approach outreach when you have a highly strategic or complex offer

• Why prospect stakeholder management matters

• The role of AI and automation vs. human engagement in business development

• Practical tips for boosting your new business pipeline

 

Of course there is a cracking book recommendation The School of Life: An Emotional Education by Alain de Botton. Join the conversation on LinkedIn using #smallsparktheory and we will pick a winner and send a copy.

 

Also mentioned in this episode:

Design Business Association In Focus Report 2025

Win Without Pitching by Blair Enns

The Personal MBA: A World-Class Business Education in a Single Volume by Josh Kaufman

One Small Spark Monthly Email

Further reading from Daylight Bureau:

The Unseen Variable: Solving the Agency Pipeline Paradox

 

As we discussed in episode 92 with Stephen Kenwright, a solid sales and marketing strategy is crucial for agency growth. However, realising that growth brings its own set of challenges. Having experienced rapid growth through acquisition while leading agency sales and marketing, I'm well aware of the pitfalls of maintaining brand consistency while keeping momentum with an ever-evolving strategy.

For this episode, I was keen speak with a founder who has faced those challenges firsthand. Alisha Lyndon, founder of the growth consultancy Momentum ITSMA, secured investment in 2019 to fund a series of high-profile acquisitions. The company now offers an expanded suite of services to some of the world's largest B2B brands.

We discuss how the sales and marketing strategy has evolved to reflect additional service lines and expanded geographic reach, while also bringing clients and colleagues along on the journey.

As always, we're giving away a copy of Alisha's recommended book: Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara. Tune in to find out how to win!

Also mentioned in this episode: 

EP92: How to scale fast

EP62: Mastering thought leadership

EP45: Client satisfaction

Sign up for One Small Spark

For agency leaders, managing the day to day business of client and staff needs whilst staying focused on a clear growth trajectory can seem an insurmountable task.

Whether you are looking for a high value exit, attempting to break through the turnover ceilings of one, two five or ten million or simply want to avoid the boom and bust revenue rollercoaster, this podcast episode is for you.

Agency growth expert Felix Velarde has founded, grown and sold agencies many times over and now works with as a consultant and mentor focusing on strategy-driven growth and agency scaling. In this episode we discuss the need for differentiation, building superstar teams, and power of planning and process.

This month's book recommendation is The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive by Patrick M. Lencioni – as always we'll be giving away a copy – tune in to find out how to win.

You can read more about Felix here.

Follow us on Twitter @gunpowdertweets and join the conversation at #smallsparktheory

Sound the new business klaxon! You've got an opportunity to meet the prospect of your dreams.

 

That first meeting, the pitch, the first strategy or creative presentation with any new prospect or client is a huge opportunity to dazzle, yet this last precarious mile of securing the business can so often be derailed by nerves, lack of preparation or simply lack of experience.

 

How do you become an engaging presenter? How can you get rid of pre-pitch nerves? How can you make the very best first impression?

 

In this month's podcast I'll be exploring how we can make marginal gains with our communication and presentation skills with new business supremo and former actress Catherine Allison, founder of Master the Art.

 

You can also be in with a chance to win a copy of Catherine's recommended book: Gravitas: Communicate with Confidence, Influence and Authority by Caroline Goyder

 

You can find out more about Master the Art via the below links:

www.mastertheart.co.uk @mastertheartltd

Raising your agency profile works hand in hand with new business lead generation, but with so many (free) social media channels at our disposal, it's easy to overlook the impact of a planned and coordinated PR approach. In this episode I chat with Tim Duncan, founder of TDC PR about his PR successes, tips for getting noticed and published.

And there's another competition - we're spoiling you!

You can find out more about TDC PR via the below links:

www.tdcpr.com @TDCPR

http://sodazine.com/ @SODA_ZINE

Tim's book choice: Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman 

Richard Seymour's Ted Talk

New business is one of those subjects guaranteed to get a reaction from agency owners everywhere. Many will have a nagging feeling they should be doing a bit more, wonder how other agencies manage to land the accounts they covet, have moments of wild inspiration and energy then falter because the day job just, well gets in the way.

Gunpowder's Lucy Mann has worked in agency new business for over 25 years and has witnessed these scenarios, and many more like them, as an outsourced new business telemarketer, a new business recruitment consultant, in house new business developer, in house head of marketing, and new business mentor across multiple disciplines and agency shapes and sizes.

Regardless of size and discipline, many agencies encounter the same new business challenges, and more and more, the solution is not necessarily an ambitious marketing plan, or expensive sales resource, but instead a forensic application of process and a marginal gains approach to performance improvement.

Gunpowder's podcast, Small Spark Theory™ explores the small changes we can make to our sales and marketing process to achieve better new business results. With contributions from a range of experts, each episode will examine a single element of the process in detail, providing manageable tips for improvement.

Find our more about Gunpowder Consulting, please visit gunpowderconsulting.com
Follow us on Twitter @gunpowdertweets and join the conversation at #smallsparktheory
Music from Jukedeck - create your own at http://jukedeck.com.
With thanks to Matthew Syed for audio extract permission.
Host - Lucy Mann
Editor - Isabelle Jarvis
Producer - Rosanna Miles makemypodcast.space

The thing with marginal gains is that it feels small. And we could be forgiven for thinking that applying this approach to agency growth is simply about tinkering around the edges, making small improvements and seeing small incremental results.

I know it has a far bigger sales and marketing role to play, but wanted to talk to someone who has experienced rapid agency growth to understand the interplay between big strategy and marginal gains. 

And who better than Stephen Kenwright, exited co-founder of one of the last decade's the most exciting agency start-ups, Rise at Seven. 

Join us as Stephen takes us through this incredible growth story and shares his top tips for leaders who are eager to scale their agencies fast.

As always, we'll be giving away a copy of Stephen's recommended read: Why Does the Pedlar Sing by Paul Feldwick. Listen in to find out how to win.

Also mentioned in this episode:

Good advice from J Schwan

The Challenger Customer by Brent Adamson, Matthew Dixon, Pat Spenner and Nick Toman.

EP51: Raising Your Profile with Ash Jones

Ride Shotgun

Rise at Seven

 

It's been 6 years since Tony Walford from Green Square joined me on Small Spark Theory to discuss the practicalities of selling an agency. 

To say a lot has happened since then would be an understatement. Aside from the obvious economic rollercoaster and acceleration in technology, we've seen a seismic change to the way many of us work. 

I was curious to find out how these changes have affected the agency M&A market, so invited my fellow Design Business Association expert David Blois from M&A Advisory to share his observations and insights. 

Join us in conversation to hear:

• which agency services are in demand
• how to measure your preparedness for sale
• what to consider when assessing a buyer

As always we have a book giveaway - David's recommendation is The Trusted Advisor by David Maister, Charles Green and Robert Galford. Simply join in the conversation on X, Instagram and LinkedIn using #smallsparktheory for a chance to win. 

 

Of all of the marketing tools available to agencies, I'd wager that one of the most effective, yet most overlooked, is the humble email newsletter. 

Which of course, makes it the perfect candidate for marginal gains and the perfect topic for this podcast. And this month, I have the perfect guest in the shape of agency newsletter specialist, Jamie Woodbridge  from The Inbox Club.

In this episode we discuss why newsletters are so important - particularly in the face of so many shiny new channels, how to set good objectives, what to measure, which platforms to use, the optimum frequency and what makes winning newsletter content. 

As always we'll be giving away a copy of Jamie's recommended read: A Whack on the Side of the Head by Roger von Oech

I'm delighted that Jamie and his team are going to be relaunching  my very own newsletter (which has fallen ominously silent over the last year). The first issue of One Small Spark lands at the end of this month, so look out for it if you are already subscribed, or sign up here to join in the fun: http://eepurl.com/dql7rf

You can also sign up for The Inbox Club's own weekly newsletter, full of actionable advice, here: https://theinboxclub-tips.beehiiv.com/subscribe

 

Small Spark Theory has always been about a mindset. When I started this podcast back in 2017 I wanted to harness the marginal gains thinking that was and still is, so prevalent in elite sport and apply it to an altogether different kind of winning - agency new business.

So when I heard Serotonin Co-Founder Clair Heaviside talking about her ultra-running at an agency conference earlier this year I knew she would be the perfect guest. How right I was! 

Join us as we discuss how training and competing in endurance sports has informed Clair's approach to running an agency.

This is one of the most inspiring episodes we've recorded. There is so much we can learn from Clair's experience about consistency, mental fortitude, decision-making and discipline and culture. 

Clair's book recommendation is There is No Wall by Allie Bailey. Listen in to find out how to win a copy. 

Also mentioned in this episode:

Jasmin Paris 

EP84 with Rachel Cook

International Women's Podcast Awards

Early on in my agency career I often used to hear the expression 'great creative work will sell itself', and its close cousin 'do great work and the clients will come'. Of course we know that in reality, certainly for the majority, these things are rarely true, but I'm still surprised by the number of agencies I meet who continue to operate as though under this misapprehension, highly focused on the creative or technical output but lacking in broader commercial acumen or practice. 

In this episode I talk to designer, agency leader and consultant Tim Perry about the most common commercial skills gaps he's observed and how he's tackling them through a range of bite-sized training courses designed especially for creatives.

This feels like the perfect discussion to be having now. If ever there was a time to sharpen our networking, relationship-building and negotiation skills it is now!

As always we're giving away a copy of Tim's recommended read: The Laws of Simplicity by John Maeda - listen in to find out how to win. 

 

Over the recent months, I have observed how agencies have been experiencing the impact of economic uncertainty - including the stalling of client decision-making, frozen budgets, disappearing pipelines, and everything in between.

In their recent BenchPress report, The Wow Company described last year as 'brutal' for agencies, and as 2024 adds more political uncertainty, there is no sign of any immediate relief.

So, with this in mind, I wanted to share my thoughts on why 'new business' is such a problem for agencies and suggest some practical steps we can take to alleviate that ever-present feeling of needing to pull a proverbial rabbit out of a hat.

There's no book recommendation this month; instead, I've compiled a short guide to help you reboot your new business pipeline in five simple steps.

Download your free guide here.

Over recent episodes we've referenced many of the macro issues facing brands which have in turn slowed down or stalled new business opportunities for agencies. 

But there's an elephant in the room that we've yet to address; the growing trend of clients deciding to bring creative resource in-house. 

In this episode I speak to designer, brand specialist, ex-agency owner and all-round magnificent entrepreneur Emma Sexton. Emma has long championed in-house creative teams having set up the Inside Out Awards over a decade ago. In 2021 this association blossomed into The Inside Out Community, a vibrant member community of in-house creative leaders. 

Emma shares with us the latest statistics on the growth of in-house creative teams, both nationally and internationally and the key drivers behind this shift. We look at the role of AI and budgetary implications. Most importantly, we look at the opportunities for agencies in the face of a trend that isn't going away any time soon.

You can read more about these insights in the recently released report The Future of In-House of Creative Leadership.

Our book giveaway this month is Emma's recommendation: Madison Avenue Makeover : The transformation of Huge and the redefinition of the ad agency business. Listen in to find out how to win. 

You can listen to Emma's previous conversation with us about new agency models here.

EP85:  Changing perception | Steve Garside | TMW           

Have you ever felt that your agency is pigeonholed by clients and prospects as being a specialist in just one thing, where in reality you have so much more to offer?

Of course being seen as a specialist of any kind is a generally a good thing – we have many episodes where we have discussed this at length. But in some cases, over time, the perception of a narrow service specialism can become an inhibitor to growth.

In this episode I'm joined by Steve Garside, Divisional Head of New Business & Marketing at TMW Unlimited as we discuss the challenge of changing the market perception of an agency know for decades as a CRM specialist.

Steve takes us through his approach to broadening the agency's appeal to a wider audience and shares his top tips for anyone looking to get out of troublesome pigeonhole.

No book competition this time but you can download Steve's recommended read: New Business: A guide to life on the frontline published by the IPA.

Here we are at the beginning of 2024 and it feels fitting for our first episode of the year to celebrate change.

Last Summer, 40 year old agency Thompson Brand Partners rebranded as ThreeTenSeven - the final iteration of the agency's repositioning following a management buy-out in 2019.

At a time when we have seen so much uncertainty, in the economy, our working practices and our client's changing needs, I was inspired by the confidence of this move, and wanted to find out more.

In this episode I talk to Managing Director Rachel Cook, about the process the team went through to bring about this change, the implications for the agency's new business and marketing and that small matter of showcasing diversity in leadership.

Rachel's recommended read is How to Have a Good Day by Caroline Webb, listen in to find out how to win a copy.

As discussed in this episode we are always delighted to hear from potential guests with stories and expertise to share. If that's you, please get in touch at lucy@gunpowderconsulting.com

This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white label digital agency partner. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/smallsparktheory/ to enjoy 20% discount on your first month.

 

Finally – an episode dedicated to AI!

Not the big "future of our industry" debate, but a practical look at the contractual and IP implications of our growing use of AI tools in agency life.

While the larger networked agencies may already have policies in place, for many smaller independents — or those who rely heavily on freelancers — this episode is well worth a listen.

I'll admit, this is a topic that makes my head hurt a little, but thankfully Sharon Playford, consultant solicitor at Excello Law, joins me to unpack the fast-evolving legal landscape around AI use in agencies.

Together, we explore:

• How AI impacts confidentiality, NDAs, and client contracts

• The intellectual property challenges of AI-generated content

• Why agencies need clear AI policies and staff training

• Practical tips for protecting client data and avoiding legal pitfalls

This month's book recommendation is Careless People by Sarah Wyn-Williams — tune in to find out how you can win a copy!

This episode is supported by Zack Southall Fitness

December 2023 marks seven years of Small Spark Theory. Mindblowing then that's it's taken this long for a dedicated episode on the topic of proposals - such a crucial element of the new business process but a perennial pain point all the same. 

Joe Ardeeser was so determined to find a better solution for turning around compelling proposals for his digital agency that he designed his own software. And so Smart Pricing Table was born. 

Joe joins me in this episode to discuss the thinking behind the software; the power of packaged services; the proposal as a collaborative tool between agency and prospect and Joe's love of marginal gains. 

As always we'll be giving away a copy of Joe's recommended read: Good to Great by Jim Collins. Listen in to find out how to win. 

Also mentioned in this episode:

10 Rules Every Agency Must Follow For Winning Proposals

Built to Last by Jim Collins

Sell Like Crazy by Sabri Suby

Thanks for listening this year. We'll be back in 2024 with more conversations and more marginal gains designed to help you attract and win more business. 

Enjoy the festive season!

This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white label digital agency partner. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/smallsparktheory/ to enjoy 20% discount on your first month.

Regular listeners to this podcast will know that we spend a lot of time here talking about relationships. Of course there is much to say in our industry about creativity and marketing and technology innovation, but fundamentally, as agencies we are service businesses and so the process of attracting, winning and retaining clients has as much to do with the the people involved and the relationships we create as it does with the creative or technological outputs. 

This year I've spent a lot of time auditing client relationships on behalf of agencies, so have been paying particular attention to the behaviours and dynamics that define successful working relationships - from early new business conversations all the way through to retained (and referred) business. 

So I was particularly excited to receive a copy of Tuning Up, the new book by David Meikle, exploring how responsibility and control relate to one another in ALL of our relationships but specifically within the client and agency dynamic. 

In this episode David joins me to discuss how using his clever Meikle Matrix to help us better understand responsibility and control,  we can improve our performance and reduce stress. 

Don't forget, we'll be giving a lucky listener a copy of Tuning Up, listen in to find out how to win. 

This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white label digital agency partner. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/smallsparktheory/ to enjoy 20% discount on your first month.

Also mentioned in the episode:

David's previous book: How To Buy A Gorilla

EP30: Rethinking Procurement

 

I have met many agencies over the years who have had ideas for spinning out their own products. 

The outcomes have been varied. From those who have successfully launched and created additional revenue streams, to those who have continued to scale and ultimately sell their product business. For many though, the constant pull of client projects and the day to day demands of running an agency mean that many brilliant product ideas just never make it out of the agency doors. 

In this episode I speak with Paul Halfpenny, Co-Founder and CTO of digital agency Filter, just as the agency launches PersonalizeWP. 

We discuss the importance of defining and getting behind the 'right' idea for the agency. The challenges of managing resource, securing investment and launching to market all while keeping the agency ticking along with a happy team and clients. 

Paul's recommended read is Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett. Listen in to find out how to win a copy. 

This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white label digital agency partner. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/smallsparktheory/ to enjoy 20% discount on your first month.

Further reading:

The Marketer's Guide to Personalisation

5 Ways To Use PersonalizeWP To Personalise Your WordPress Website

If you've enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with someone or even better, leave a review - it really makes our day!

How much of your agency revenue comes from overseas clients? Did you know that the US is the largest recipient of UK exports, receiving £3.9bn worth of advertising and market research services, – a value that has more than tripled since 2020?

In this episode I chat to Kat Thay, Co-Founder of K&C, Co-President of the Austin Advertising Federation. Since moving to Texas in 2018 Kat's flair for research, networking and connecting talent has revealed lucrative opportunities for UK agencies looking either to break into the US or expand their existing US revenues.

Building on this insight, Katalyst now supports agencies to confidently navigate and succeed in the US market. We discuss the perceptions of cost and quality of UK creativity and the industry and state-specific nuances of doing business overseas.

We'll be giving away a copy of Kat's recommended read: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. Listen in to find out how to win.

This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white label digital agency partner. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/smallsparktheory/ to enjoy 20% discount on your first month.  

Understanding how clients are buying agency services is fundamental to how we shape our new business and marketing strategies and processes.

In recent episodes we've heard perspectives from procurement expert Tina Fegent and lead generation expert Alex Sibille, so it feels only fitting to add an intermediary point of view into the mix.

Dominic Glenn heads up the Brand Services offer at Ingenuity and joins us to share insights gleaned from years of client / agency speed dating events and helping brands navigate the agency landscape,  either to build an entire roster or solve a particular knotty challenge.

As always there are marginal gains aplenty and a book competition. Listen in for your chance to win a copy of Brothers Emanuel by Ezekiel J. Emanuel. 

Do feel free to get in touch with Dominic via LinkedIn to introduce your agency!

Also mentioned in this episode:

Ingenuity acquires rival Future Factory

Recent pitch news 

This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white label digital agency partner. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/smallsparktheory/ to enjoy 20% discount on your first month.  

 

Winning new clients has never been straightforward. But after the upheaval of the last few years, last year in particular we saw an added complication - resource.

And of course that scarcity of talent naturally increased salary expectations, meaning that profit margins on new and existing projects were being squeezed even further. 

For this episode I speak to Manish Dudharejia, founder and president of E2M Solutions (and I'm very proud to say, sponsor of Small Spark Theory) about how his 180 strong team support over 150 agencies with white label digital services to take the pain out of the scaling and resourcing process. 

We explore how Manish's desire to build a people over profit business has created a powerful niche which allows him to focus hiring and developing specialist digital talent, allowing agencies to focus on building their client relationships, all while protecting profit margins. 

We'll be giving away a copy of Manish's recommended read: Measure What Matters: The Simple Ideas that Drives 10x Growth by John Doerr, listen in to find out how to win. 

Also mentioned in this episode:

Traction: Get a Grip on your Business by Gino Wickman

Atomic Habits by James Clear

E2M introductory offer for Small Spark Theory listeners

This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white label digital agency partner.

 

I feel as though we've been skirting around the edges of a beast of a topic for some time on this podcast, namely emergent technology and its impact on agencies.

Of course, no single episode is going to unpick the labyrinth of challenges and opportunities for our clients, and in turn the agency community, but as the chat about AI continues to rumble in the daily news cycle, it's feels like the right time to talk to someone who really understands that intersection of technology, people and brands.

Warren Hutchinson is Founder of Else, an experience design, innovation and strategy consultancy and Chair of the Design Business Association. He's spent 25 years helping businesses as they navigate a point of change.

In this episode, we discuss cutting though the hype and the noise, the power of kinaesthetic learning and its role in our positioning as experts and the importance of not having all the answers.

Warren's recommended read is Scary Smart by Mo Gowdat. Listen in to find out how to win a copy.

Also mentioned in the episode:

Diary of a CEO E252 Emergency Episode with Mo Gowdat

Newsletters:

TLDR

The Conversation

The Hustle

If you are a DBA Member you can join Warren discussing these topics in Glasgow on 15 June – find out more here

This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white label digital agency partner. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/smallsparktheory/ to enjoy 20% discount on your first month.  

In recent episodes, we've talked a lot about change and uncertainty, the persistent undercurrents unsettling our new business efforts and impacting our client relationships.

So, it seems a perfect time to speak to someone who has an unrivalled perspective of the agency and client dynamic – Tina Fegent.

From becoming one of the first marketing buyers in the UK over 25 years ago, Tina has set up and led procurement teams at some of the largest buyers of marketing services and led commercial teams at leading UK agencies.

In this episode, we discuss the shifts in how clients buy, and how agencies sell, what we can do to maximise our client relationships, why positioning matters more than ever, managing a personal brand and how to get your portrait taken by Rankin!

Tina's recommended read is Buying Less for Less: How to Avoid the Marketing Procurement Dilemma by Gerry Preece. Listen in to find out how to win a copy.

This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white label digital agency partner. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/smallsparktheory/ to enjoy 20% discount on your first month.  

Also mentioned in this episode:

IPA & CIPS Top Tips For Better Working Relationships

IPA Magic & Logic

When I saw the title of Matt Watkinson's new book, Mastering Uncertainty, earlier this year I jumped at the chance to interview him on the podcast.

 

Matt runs LA based agency Methodical. His first book, The 10 Principles Behind Great Customer Experiences had already been recommended on here by Nick Phipps back in episode 22 and having subsequently enjoyed his next book, The Grid, I was eager to see what Matt had to say about how we navigate these uncertain times.

It turns out the book is far from a response to our post-pandemic disarray, but a rallying cry to not only accept uncertainty as a constant reality, but to use it to our advantage.

There are so many new business takeaways in this conversation. I'll be bulk ordering copies of Mastering Uncertainty for my clients, and giving away a copy with this episode, as well as a copy of the Grid – essential reading for anyone running a business or selling marketing services to businesses. Listen in to find out how to win.

Also mentioned in this episode:

Gap Selling: Getting the Customer to Yes: How Problem-Centric Selling Increases Sales by Changing Everything You Know About Relationships, Overcoming Objections, Closing and Price by Keenan

Accelerating Excellence by James A. King

This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white label digital agency partner. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/smallsparktheory/ to enjoy 20% discount on your first month.  

 

The recent acquisition of new business agency Future Factory by their leading competitor Ingenuity has been headline news in the new biz community. For me it was the perfect opportunity for a long overdue catch up with co-founder Alex Sibille.

In this episode we discuss the expanded new business and marketing services offered by this combined new business powerhouse, Alex reflects on how new business performance has fared through changing economic conditions and shares insights and best practice for agencies either looking to hire a new business agency or undertake their own outreach activity.

Just to mix things up, this month we don't have a book recommendation, but instead, content to follow on LinkedIn, specifically Tina Fegent and her weekly #TinaTells posts.

Also mentioned in the episode are Future Factory training courses and our previous conversations on the pod in EP24: The new business email and EP5: Lead generation.

This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white label digital agency partner. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/smallsparktheory/ to enjoy 20% discount on your first month.  

 

Welcome to the 100th episode of Small Spark Theory!

You may have spotted that earlier this summer, Emily Penny and Joel Stein released the Fully Saturated  UK Design Agency Positioning Audit. Packed full of insights, analysis and examples of agencies that really manage to cut through the noise, it's the first audit of its kind.

In this episode, Emily joins me to take us through her methodology in compiling the report, discuss the attributes of some of the best positioned agencies and share the key takeaways for leaders of agencies (of any discipline). 

You can download a summary of the report or sign up for Emily and Joel's September 16th Online Masterclass and the full report here. Emily and Joel have kindly offered a hefty discount to Small Spark Theory listeners (and subscribers to my newsletter). Just use SMALLSPARK at the checkout.

And of course we will be giving away a copy of Emily's recommended read: Integrity Etc.: Turn uninspiring company values into future-shaping strategy by Dave Greasley and Rob Alderson - listen in to find out how to win. 

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of our guests and listeners over the last 100 episodes (over almost nine years). Let's keep learning together and landing the small and the big wins!

This episode is supported by Zack Southall Fitness. 

Any regular listeners to this podcast will know that I love agencies. I have a deep fascination for the dynamics of what are often small businesses, almost always servicing larger organisations and adapting to the continually shifting sands of markets, consumer behaviour, the economy, competitors – and of course, technology.

In this episode I discuss the challenges of maintaining relevance with the brilliant Mark Wilson, one half of the agency previously known as Wilson Fletcher, newly rebranded as Futurestate Design.

How do you decide when to transform? When to stick and when to twist? How to you find the language to articulate your offer when technology moves so fast that 'digital' is no longer helpful.

As always we are giving away a copy of Mark's recommended read: No Rules Rules by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer. Listen in to find out how to win.

Also mentioned in this episode is Mark's own book Futurestate Design: How to step out of the past to create a business fit for the future.

Powerful by Patty McCord

This episode is sponsored by E2M, the #1 white label digital agency partner. Visit https://www.e2msolutions.com/smallsparktheory/ to enjoy 20% discount on your first month.  

Additional music: "Show Me" by Josh Woodward

How do you feel about the year ahead? Confident? Concerned? Uncertain?

Wherever you are on this spectrum, one thing we must be, is ready. 

I particularly like the work that Steve Parks does at Convivio because he focuses heavily on the macro issues facing clients and prospects and encourages agency leaders to use this insight to plan, adapt and respond as necessary. We discussed this approach when Steve joined me on the podcast back in episode 57, so I was keen to bring him back to get us in the right frame of mind for our first episode of 2023. 

This is a bumper conversation, full of solid insight and brilliant, practical advice. We discuss some familar themes from last year and identify the potential hurdles and opportunties that lie ahead.

As always we'll be giving away a copy of Steve's recommended read: The Alliance by Reid Hoffman- listen in to find out how to win. 

Also mentioned in this episode:

Books

Anti-fragile: things that gain from disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport

The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

Further reading

The Agency Radar

High Altitude Thinking

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Whichever way we cut it, 2022 has been A LOT.

The last few years have seen so much change; for individuals, businesses and our industry. Many of us are still adapting. Whether we are recalibrating, reinventing, surviving or thriving, we're doing it all against a backdrop of relentless economic and political turmoil and uncertainty.

So for our final episode of the year I wanted to focus on how we can maintain our confidence and positivity as we close off the year and look ahead to 2023.

Wendy Bollard is a mindset coach with many years' experience in the creative industry. Working with artists, designers, performers and directors, she uses her brilliant box of tricks to help her clients manage the day to day noise and bring out their very best performance.

Listen in as Wendy shares her valuable tools and advice and helps us understand how to give our minds a daily workout. As always we are giving away a copy of Wendy's recommended read: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.

Thank you all listening this year and continuing to support Small Spark Theory, every time we get your feedback and reviews it really is like a big internetty hug. Wishing you all a warm and restorative break.

Also mentioned in the episode: Atomic Habits by James Clear

It's been a little while since we had a client perspective on this podcast, and given the current economic wobbles, now feels like an excellent time to remedy this.

So I'm delighted to share this conversation with Gareth Turner. Having enjoyed a stellar marketing career with brands such as Johns Smith's, Bulmers and Lurpak, Gareth was most recently Head of Marketing at Weetabix and earlier this year, published his own research on client / agency relationships.

We pick though the six key themes of this research to provide practical, actionable tips to help reinforce your relationships. You can download a copy of the report here – and while you're at it, I highly recommend subscribing to Gareth's newsletter: Sporadic Brand Ramblings.

As always we'll be giving away a copy of Gareth's recommended read: How not to plan: 66 ways to screw it up by Les Binet and Sarah Carter. Listen in to find out how to win.

For more information about Gunpowder's client audit programmes – get in touch.

It's been a while since we talked about new business talent on this podcast. But after a bumpy couple of years, it seems like the right time to shine a spotlight on the superstars in our industry who willingly show up every day to seek out new clients for their agencies.

I wrote about the challenges for new business practitioners for Mental Health Awareness week highlighting the importance of getting the right support in place to retain our industry talent. So I was delighted to chat to Adam Graham about his new business community, BD Matters.

Together we discuss the highs and lows of marketing and prospecting, managing expectations, the power of community and share some top tips for agency owners looking to support their new business folk.

Adam's recommended read is a Small Spark Theory favourite, To Sell Is Human by Daniel Pink. Join in the conversation on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram using #smallsparktheory for your chance to win a copy.

You can find out more about BD Matters here.

To chat in confidence about Lucy's mentoring, feel free to book in a time here.

The theme for this series has always been to explore how we can use a marginal gains thinking to improve agency new business and marketing performance.

That said, I'm conscious that in some episodes, when we do a deep dive into a particular element of new business and marketing mix, our reference to marginal gains may seem a little abstract.

So with September upon us and in keeping with that 'back to school' vibe, I wanted to dedicate an episode to practical examples of how this marginal gains thinking can deliver tangible results.

Joining me for this conversation is Joe Perkins, founder and MD of Chaptr. Joe started working through Gunpowder's New Business & Marketing Bootcamp with me back in 2020 and shares his experience of the warts and all process and his top tips for applying this approach to performance improvement.

As always we have a book giveaway - Joe's recommended read is Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility by Patty McCord. Join in the conversation on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn using #smallsparktheory for your chance to win a copy.

Also mentioned in this episode:

Agency Collective

Agency Hackers

Agency Local

The Trussell Trust New Business Trouble Shoot

There is no doubt these are troubling times. As the economic storm clouds gather, we are all bracing ourselves for some pain in the months ahead as marketing spends come under pressure.

But what concerns me most is the timing. For most of this year, I've witnessed agencies juggling an influx of projects, finally unlocked after the stranglehold of the pandemic, with the twin challenges of resourcing and post-Covid working practices.

Inevitably, when all hands are to the pump to deliver and bill client work, even the best laid new business and marketing plans fall by the wayside. And now, more than ever, this cannot happen.

So before we head into the most important window in the new business and marketing calendar, in this episode I share the best advice I can give to any agency, struggling with resource, knowing they are neglecting the pipeline and worried about the forecast six months from now.

Of course if you want to talk in confidence about any of the issues raised in this episode, please get in touch at lucy@gunpowderconsulting.com

Referenced in this episode:

Rory Spence at Wow Company

Blair Enns on pricing

Kelly Molson on marketing

IPA Bellwether

 

Over recent episodes we've been taking a deep dive into some very specific elements of agency marketing and prospecting. 

We revisited agency positioning with Roland Gurney at Treacle, really got to grips with thought leadership with Mark Wellings at Grist and in the last episode on relationships, Trenton Moss talked about the prospect communities he created and how they translated into billing clients. 

So for this episode I wanted to showcase an agency founder who has brought all of these elements together to really demonstrate how ANY agency can implement these ideas. 

Kelly Molson is co-founder of Rubber Cheese  a web development agency focussed on supporting the visitor attractions sector. We talk about the road to specialisation and positioning, and how immersing yourself in the challenges of your audience builds community, grows relationship, and in turn, your new business pipeline. 

For anyone who has found the strategies we discuss on this podcast interesting but perhaps inaccessible - maybe due to a perceived lack of time, resource or confidence, I urge you to listen to this episode and take inspiration from Kelly's experience. 

Kelly's recommended read is the evergreen How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. We will of course be giving away a copy - listen in to find out how to win. 

For any visitor attraction owners or marketers listening, you can access the Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey here. 

Want to see how you can refine your new business strategy? Contact Lucy.

After a tough couple of years, I've been spotting some really positive signs in agencies over the past six months; clients seem to be spending, delayed projects are being given the green light and new business pipelines are flourishing.

But there is no escaping the wider economic picture and we should rightly be bracing ourselves for impact on future marketing spend. And whilst there is much we can't predict, or control, strengthening our relationships and communication with our clients is only going to stand us in good stead for the future.

In this episode I chat to the brilliant Trenton Moss from Team Sterka. We discuss the rollercoaster of agency ownership, what happens when inbound new business referrals dry up, the power of growing prospect communities and how to become a relationship master.

We are giving away a copy of Trenton's book: Human Powered. Simply listen in to find out how to win.

Take the quiz to find out your communication style here!

For details of Gunpowder's client development workshops, get in touch.

Whether your agency has a fast track growth plan or a more modest desire to maintain the status quo, there are innumerable challenges that can derail even the best laid plans.

Client insecurity or overexposure, floundering new business pipelines or skills shortages not to mention the wider economic backdrop, can all create pinch-points for agency leaders. At each of these moments critical decisions must be made. Those agencies of real scale, with a sizeable exec board have some safety in discussion and consensus, but for the small to mid-size agency owner these can be lonely times. How do you find the right sounding board?

Many listeners of this show will know Daniel de la Cruz. Having experienced exactly these challenges running his own agency, and grown The Agency Collective alongside The Wow Company, Daniel has created Polymensa to provide the 'non-ego' board for independent agencies.

In this episode we get together to discuss the challenges of scaling, avoiding the echo chamber and why differing perspectives matter.

Daniel's recommended reads are: What You Do Is Who You Are: How to Create Your Business Culture by Ben Horowitz and Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire, and How to Want What You Need by Luke Burgis. Also mentioned in this episode is The First Minute by Chris Fenning. We'll be giving away a copy of What You Do Is Who You Are, simply listen in to find out how to win.

Read Daniel's thoughts on the shortcomings of the traditional non-exec director.

I'm always fascinated with innovations in the space that exists between agencies and their potentail clients, whether that's new marketing channels (hello podcasting!) or services that are designed to make the process of agency selection or client aquisiition more effective. 

So I was delighted to be introduced to Pete Sayburn, co-founder of StudioSpace, a brand new agency marketplace model allowing clients to easily access the very best independent agency talent. 

In this episode we discuss Pete's own experience of scaling an agency to successful exit, how the StudioSpace model is cutting through some of the tradtional agency selection red tape and most importantly, the agency attributes that are resonating most with clients. 

Of course we'll be giving away a copy of Pete's recommended read: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight - listen in to find out how to win. 

This episode is supported by Zack Southall Fitness.

Within the ecosystem of agency new business, marketing, client development and the wider sphere of agency growth, there are certain topics which we will undoubtedly revist again and again. So, not for the first time, and certainly not the last, I wanted to talk about agency positioning. And not for the first time, and I hope not the last, I wanted to talk to Roland Gurney.

Roland joined us on the podcast in January 2020 to help us unpick some agency messaging pitfalls. So many people loved that episode and got in touch with Treacle for help, that it seemed only fitting get together again and take stock of where we are now.

How has the landscape changed in the last two years? Should we be thinking differently about difference? Is niching still the answer?

Listen in as we discuss all this and more. Roland's recommended read is The Advertising Concept Book: Think Now, Design Later by Pete Barry.

Thought leadership – in its various forms, is a topic we have covered in a number of episodes over the years. Done well, it can be a game-changer for agency marketing, sparking and re-igniting meaningful prospect and client conversations. However, there are a number common hurdles I tend to encounter when speaking with agency founders which means that great content either never gets made, or worse, is created but not optimised.

To really get to grips with how to master thought leadership I got together with Mark Wellings, co-founder and client services director at specialist thought leadership agency Grist. Mark and his team work with leading B2B brands like PwC, PA Consulting and DLA Piper delivering insight-led programmes designed to fuel sales pipelines.

In this episode, Mark shares his 6 Golden Rules of Thought Leadership – so grab a pen and paper, there are marginal gains a-plenty!

Mark's recommended read is the ever-popular Win Without Pitching Manifesto by Blair Enns, listen in and find out how to win a copy.

As I know so many of you are keen cyclists, you may also be interested in Mark's own book RIDE! RIDE! RIDE! The Story of British Track Cycling.

Also mentioned in this episode:

The Leadership Book by Mark Anderson

You can read more of Grist's insights here.

I have a constant fascination with the power of agency marketing. I'm sure it's my age - having cut my new business teeth in a pre-digital era, but my enthusiasm for the growing array of channels available for anyone to share their message with an audience shows no sign of abating.  

So forgive me for revisiting the subject of profile building once again. Last year I dedicated three episodes to content resourcing, personal branding and LinkedIn profile building and back in episode 25 I chatted to Brandhook's Pip Stocks who shared her story of successfully building out a thought leadership campaign. 

For this episode, I wanted to showcase another small agency, but with a slightly different challenge - how do you balance the profile of the founder with the profile of the agency?

Dr Kat Arney is a multi award-winning science writer and broadcaster, and founder and Creative Director of First Create The Media. Having started the agency in 2018 after over a decade at Cancer Research UK, Kat continues to publish books, produce numerous podcasts and, given the opportunity, take to the stage to speak about science and society. Join us as we talk about the trials of the accidental agency owner, juggling personal profile projects with billable time and much more. 

Kat's recommended read is Story Dash: Find, Develop, and Activate Your Most Valuable Business Stories . . . In Just a Few Hours - listen in to find out how to win a copy. 

Also mentioned in this episode:

Rebel Cell - buy signed copies https://www.rebelcellbook.com/ or find it wherever books are sold

Genetics Unzipped podcast https://geneticsunzipped.com/

Ingenious https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000h0fy/episodes/player

So here we are in 2022.

I'm not really one for resolutions, but there is something about a new year that makes me want to clear the decks, remove distractions and create a renewed sense of focus. A new notebook and a tidy Dropbox tend to help but I find data the most useful tool. Whether that's marketing data, new business pipeline analysis or attributing the source of new client wins, good data removes emotion and really allows us to identify marginal gains.

With this in mind I wanted our first episode of the year to focus on agency performance data – and who better to talk to than The Wow Company.

This year, Wow launches the 10th annual BenchPress report, the largest survey of independent agencies in the UK, so I invited Rory Spence to join me to pick through a decade of statistics and uncover the insights that can give us confidence – or caution – for the year ahead.

Spoiler alert – you might need to increase your prices!

Whatever your agency plans are for this year I hope you are feeling refreshed, energised and inspired. Let's make 2022 one to remember.

You can find all the previous BenchPress reports here and contribute to the 2022 report here.

Rory's recommended read is I'm an Agency Owner, Get Me Out of Here by Jonathan Leafe.

 

 

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There has been much written on the subject of agency new business, but I'm not sure there has been a book which has resonated so deeply with agency founders and new business practitioners alike, as the Win Without Pitching Manifesto by Blair Enns.

So as we come to the end of another extraordinary year and the final episode of 2021, I wanted to chat with Blair about his reflections on the Manifesto, over a decade from its publication and his outlook for the year ahead.

Do the proclamations set out in the book still apply in these altered economic times? And can we still gain traction with the value pricing approach in Pricing Creativity?

Join us as we explore the challenges and opportunities ahead, and tackle a few listener questions!

This episode marks the 5-year anniversary of Small Spark Theory. So a heartfelt thank you from me to all of the listeners and guests who have been along for the ride so far. We'll be back in the New Year with more guests and more marginal gains. In the meantime wishing you all a wonderful festive break.  

Also mentioned in this episode

Icelandverse

Four Regrets You're About to Have

Win Without Pitching

In my work with agencies I witness a great deal of discomfort about the new business process. Of course there are brilliant, natural new business professionals out there who thrive on networking and relationship building, but for many, the possibility of rejection looms large and the process of prospecting or, shudder, 'selling', feels wholly unnatural.

This realisation was the basis for starting Gunpowder as a consulting business almost a decade ago and latterly, the understanding that taking a marginal gains approach could ease the some of that discomfort, the premise for launching this podcast.

Hot off the press, Catalyst: Using Personal Chemistry to Convert Contacts into Contracts  is a wonderful new book by Louisa Clarke and David Kean which gets to the very heart of new business. Exploring how our human interactions determine how we succeed and jam packed with actionable tips, this must read manual confirms that being a catalyst isn't just the preserve of the new business professional, but a set of skills can (and should) be learned by anyone, one marginal gain at a time.

Louisa and David join me in this episode to share their own 'catalytic' experiences and pass on their advice. This is an energising listen for anyone who has lost their new biz mojo or simply wants to feel more confident starting, maintaining and growing a professional network.

As always we'll be giving away of copy of Catalyst, listen in to find out how to win.

Also mentioned in this episode:

How to Win Friends and Influence Profits

Pitching to Win

The Caffeine Partnership

Forthwrite

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Carnival of Snackery by David Sedaris

We've talked a lot about leadership on this podcast, and rightly so. Sustainable new business performance starts with a growth mindset and that has to come from the very top of an agency.

No matter how many people I speak with on the topic of agency leadership, every conversation brings a fresh perspective. And none more so than this conversation with Steve Parks of Convivio.

Earlier this year Steve and I were both named as "Inspiring People" in the BenchPress report from The Wow Company, something we were both so chuffed about that we reached out across the internet for a for a virtual high five. Our resulting conversation was so interesting that I knew I wanted to get Steve to chat on here.

In this episode we explore the wider role of agencies, high altitude leadership, the many hats of an agency leader and a window into the world of a private investigator!

Of course, we are giving away a copy of Steve's recommended read: Organize for Complexity: How to Get Life Back Into Work to Build the High-Performance Organization by Niels Pflaeging, simply join in the conversation on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram using #smallsparktheory and we'll pick a winner.

Further reading and listening:

What are agencies for? https://www.convivio.com/blog/what-are-agencies-for/

Too many hats: https://www.convivio.com/blog/too-many-hats/

Your day at the top: https://www.convivio.com/blog/your-day-at-the-top/

The Agency Radar Report: https://www.agencyradar.io/radar/

The Convivio Agency Leaders podcast: https://www.convivio.com/podcast/

Bench Press Agency Inspiration Report

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier this year, Claire Humphris was named CEO at Iris, the agency she co-founded with five other colleagues in 1999.

Iris now numbers over 1000 people across 17 offices worldwide. As agency breakaways go, it is a perfect case study. But of course, what interests me is the new business story. Claire has spent the past 7 years leading the agency's global new business operations, driving growth across the network and winning some of the agency's biggest integrated pitches.

In this episode we get together to discuss new business leadership and culture, the importance of the marketing calendar, marginal gains and making your own luck.

As we shape up for the final marketing and new business push of the year and begin planning for 2022, this is just the inspiration you need.

As always we'll be giving away a copy of Claire's recommended read, The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k by Sarah Knight listen in to find out how to win. 

In 2017 I interviewed Felix Velarde for this podcast to discuss agency growth planning. It was our 4th episode.

Lots of people got in touch to talk about that episode and the way Felix delivered such a calm, pragmatic approach to a subject that frustrates so many agency owners. How do you grow, and just as importantly, how do you sustain that growth?

Later that year, Felix mentioned over lunch that he'd been approached by an agent who had heard the podcast, and suggested he write a book about the process. Fast forward to 2021 and I'm delighted that Felix is back to discuss that very book: Scale at Speed: How to Triple the Size of Your Business and Build a Superstar Team.

This book is such an invigorating read, whether or not you are in a position to take on the full 2Y3X programme that Felix and his team deliver, it is full to the brim of practical tools and advice to motivate anyone to switch up their growth plans.

We always do a book giveaway with each episode but Felix has kindly agreed to donate 10 signed copies to listeners. Simply listen in to find out how to win.

I've said many times that the people in business I admire the most are independent agency leaders. And over the past 18 months, as our industry, largely populated by small businesses has rallied against such unforeseen challenges, my admiration and respect has deepened.

Through all of the conversations I had with agencies during this time I was aware that it was surely those in the events sector who had been dealt the most difficult hand.

In this episode, I speak to Sarah Yeats, Managing Director of events agency Sledge, to understand what happens when your projects are cancelled and your pipeline disappears.

I've called this episode 'overcoming adversity' but it's so much more than that. It's about leadership, resilience, communication, but most importantly, the power of relationships.

Listen in to find out how to win a copy of Sarah's recommended read: Be More Pirate by Sam Conniff Allende.

Against a backdrop of news disproportionately full of business headlines, this month felt like the perfect opportunity to bring a client perspective to this podcast. 

And who better to guide us through todays challenging landscape than John Gleason. 

Having worked at Proctor and Gamble for 20 years before setting up his strategic consultancy, A Better View, John advises both clients and agencies on how to deliver better, more relevant, more valued (and valuable) solutions.

In this episode we explore the current state of design as a discipline and John shares insights from The Future of... - the conference he co-organised and co-hosted last month, bringing together design leaders to discuss whether design is declining, facing diminishing influence, or just struggling to communicate its business value. 

We take a candid look at the pressures design professionals are experiencing, with John offering data-driven observations about design's role in modern organisations and practical advice for agencies and design teams to remain relevant and impactful.

John's recommended read is Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up by Jerry Colonna - listen in to find out how to win a copy. 

Also mentioned in this episode:

Design Business Association Experts

Further reading: 

• The Business of Design by Roger Martin

• Change by Design by Tim Brown (former IDEO CEO)

• Reimagining Design, Unlocking Strategic Innovation by Kevin Bethune

• Non-Linear: Navigating Design with Curiosity and Conviction by Kevin Bethune

Further listening: 

• Strategic Counsel Creative Series Episode 1:  How Agencies Need to Evolve to Remain Relevant 
• 20% The Marketing Procurement Podcast: 8 Things Every Agency Says

Want to know more about client listening? Get in touch.