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Agency Outbound Prospecting: Stop Ignoring the 3 Easiest Methods Right in Front of You

Why New Business Always Comes Last at Agencies

The easiest agency outbound prospecting starts with people who already know you: your 1st-level LinkedIn connections, past clients, and brands where you came in second.

When it comes to driving new business, small and mid-sized ad agencies, marketing services, and PR firms all share these traits: 

  1. Clients come first, so new business comes last (not enough time in the day) 
  2. They are typically not inherently salespeople 
  3. They, for the most part, don’t really want to do it 
  4. They, for the most part, don’t really know how to do it (See #2) 

To be self-serving for a moment, this is why RSW/US exists. 

Referrals, Inbound, and Outbound: Where Each Fits

However, you still have to drive it somehow. 

Referrals are fantastic, and along with organic growth, should be actively pursued. 

Content and inbound are tougher to accomplish (see 1, 3, and 4 above), but also necessary. 

And outbound is absolutely necessary, but the toughest to accomplish (see 1-4 above). 

But there are 3 ways you can pursue outbound that can be lower-hanging fruit, you will be more comfortable with, and we know work because we include all three as part of our outsourced effort for our clients. 

Interestingly, firms generally know all of these exists, but either don’t think about it, or again, just never get around to it.  

So what are they? 

Man in glass elevator contemplating prospecting methods

3 Ways to Start Agency Outbound Prospecting Today

1. Mine Your 1st-Level LinkedIn Connections

A handful of clients, when they come on board with us, have been mining this source with success, but it’s continually fascinating to me how many don’t. 

Ask an AI platform how to download those individuals, or better yet, ask it “the easiest way to view your 1st level LinkedIn connections”, because this will take less time: set aside an hour or even half an hour every day. 

 Start at the top and scroll through those connections. 

When you hit one that has potential (a past conversation, past client, etc.), send that person a message.  This is not cold outreach, they know you, so the message should reflect that.  

And of course, include any details from your past connection. 

A great way to easily break through, and it’s right in front of you. 

2. Reconnect With Past Clients

Of all of these, this is one firms tend to actually do, albeit without much regularity. 

 But if you haven’t, this is the time to track them down. 

 This one will potentially take a bit more effort if you don’t have the info available in one place, but most agencies do. 

And this is where LinkedIn and AI are your friend, in order to easily track down these individuals.   

And if you can’t find an email, a LinkedIn message is always there in the majority of cases. 

3. Stay on the Radar of Brands Where You Finished Second

This is one of the most missed opportunities we see.  

You busted your collective humps to win the piece of business, and they loved you, but they went with the other agency. 

And when this happens, agencies often ask why, occasionally get an answer, but are not in the best headspace (understandably) and at that point just want to move on. 

Which they should, but, we see time and time again, 3 months later, the agency they picked is not working out. 

This is a longer play, but in these cases, unless they just really hosed you, you need to stay on their radar, especially with success stories, trends, or a piece of content you’ve written they could find helpful, and end it with a CTA that if they ever need further help, you’re there. 

Make It a Weekly Habit

Take some time every week, set a schedule, and put these three into motion. 

Will you ultimately need to do more?   

Yes.  

But at least you’re doing something on an ongoing basis. 

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