Two Prospecting Objections That Stifle Agencies—And How to Overcome Them
, ,

Two Prospecting Objections That Stifle Agencies—And How to Overcome Them

There are two prospecting objections that stifle agencies , and they get hung up, or worse, give up when faced with them: 

  1. We already work with an agency 
  2. We handle that in-house 

Let’s tackle each: 

How To Handle The “We already work with an agency” Objection 

As an initial aside, you should actually want to encounter this objection. 

If your prospects don’t typically work with agencies, you could be in for trouble. 

Unless you’re intentionally targeting small/mom & pop prospects, odds are: 

  • They won’t understand the monetary value of your services 
  • How to work with you 
  • Or appreciate “why they can’t just do it themselves.” 

With that out of the way, this one is straightforward. 

Your reply to this objection is: 

“That makes sense—we often collaborate with other agencies to bring additional expertise or bandwidth where needed. Many of our clients have strong agency partners, and we step in to support specific areas like [X services].

We may actually be a solid compliment to your current agency, are they handling your [X] work?

While it will depend on the size of the company/prospect, as you know, this industry is cyclical, and companies will either look for multiple agencies with key specialties or look to that firm who has all the capabilities they need in one shop. 

Ideally, you’ll hit the “multiple” phase of that cycle. 

A brief interlude here on in-house agencies from our 2025 New Year Outlook Report: 

54% of Marketers Handle Over Half of Their Work Internally 

Two Prospecting Objections That Stifle Agencies—And How to Overcome Them

Marketers’ reliance on in-house teams has leveled off at high levels—no longer a trend, but the new norm. 

For agencies, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. Routine work is staying in-house, but high-value, specialized projects remain wide open. The key? Differentiate where in-house teams can’t compete. 

For agencies, the path forward is expertise, leadership, and strategic innovation—areas where in-house teams fall short. To stand out, agencies must cut through the noise with a sharp, value-driven proposition that directly aligns with client needs and business challenges. 

How To Handle The “We do that in-house” Objection 

This objection is similar to “We already work with an agency,” but with a key difference: the prospect sees their internal team as possibly the best (or only) solution.  

Your goal is to position your agency as a strategic complement rather than a replacement. 

Your response: 

“That makes complete sense—we often collaborate with internal teams to bring specialized expertise or additional bandwidth when needed. We specialize in X – could your team use support there? 

Remember, many in-house teams are stretched thin, lack deep expertise, or need outside perspective to push creative and strategic thinking forward.  

Your job is to help them see where an external partner could make them even stronger. 

/by
Blog
,

Blog For Love! (or for new business, that’s probably better)

The blog tends to get overshadowed these days, doesn’t it? With all the other social platforms out there, we’ve heard more than once about the death of the blog.

But from a new business standpoint, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

You can have the greatest Facebook page in the world, but if your actual .com or blog is the first place prospects visit, you have to make it work for you with relevant and meaningful content.

Which leads me to an interesting post by Steven Hodson on the Shooting at Bubbles blog.

He doesn’t discriminate between a personal and a business blog specifically, but for the purpose of this post, I’m writing in the context of business. He makes a great point about posts becoming veiled cold calls:

Well, the short of it is that blogging should never be about the cold call.

When you start writing only to try and get your foot in that door you aren’t just cheating yourself of an enjoyable moment you are also cheating your reader.

When you become the machine behind the counter performing more by rote than by love of what you are doing your readers will feel it.

Blog

We’ve had success integrating client blog content into our new business reach-outs, but it only works if that content doesn’t shove the company down the reader’s throat. In fact, the company is rarely mentioned-it’s about the reader, (in this case, the prospect) their world, and their challenges.

It may be a stretch to say you have to love the content you’re writing, but I agree completely with Steven, it needs to come from the heart.

If you’re blogging for your company as part of your overall new business program, take a look at your last several posts: are they disguised cold calls or meaningful, useful communication?

/by
Productization for Ad Agencies – Pros & Cons
, ,

Productization for Ad Agencies – Pros & Cons

For the past several years, productization has been a consistent topic in our industry, however, since we included questions on it in our latest report (RSW/US 2025 New Year Outlook Report), I’ve had several agency principals ask about it, and what exactly it looks like. 

So, for the uninitiated, and even for those agency principals that are initiated, consider this a basic primer on productization for ad agencies, including the associated pros and cons. 

What is Productization? 

In recent years, more advertising agencies have increasingly adopted the productized services model, which involves standardizing and packaging services with predefined scopes and pricing. 

More formally, productization involves transforming traditional, bespoke agency services into standardized, packaged offerings that clients can purchase as defined programs or products.  

Instead of tailoring every project from scratch, agencies develop repeatable solutions with set deliverables, timelines, and pricing structures.  

RSW 2025 New Year Outlook Report: Productization 

We were pleased to have Tim Williams of Ignition Consulting Group, provide the following questions.

The first, to agencies: 

To what degree have you ‘productized’ your business, where you are selling programs/products instead of services and capabilities? 

A majority of agencies (52%) indicated they “sometimes” productize their business by selling programs or products instead of traditional services and capabilities. marketers remain more inclined toward purchasing services and capabilities.

 We then asked Marketers:  

Do you prefer buying ‘productized’ offerings from marketing agencies or prefer buying services and capabilities? 

38% of marketers prefer “services and capabilities” somewhat more, while another 27% prefer “services and capabilities” much more — compared to just 8% expressing any preference for productized offerings. 

Tim William’s Take 

Per Tim, “Our view is that productization (along with burying the billable hour) is the most important trend not only in the agency industry, but in professional services across the board. Law firms, accounting firms, architects, and engineering consultancies are all engaged in moving toward a productized business model.” 

“We expect these findings (on the marketer side) to change within the next few years as marketers acclimate to the concept of productized services. We predict a strong preference to emerge for programs and products over the typical bullet-point list of agency services and competencies.” 

What Agencies Are Currently Offering Productized Services? 

While you can Google or ask your generative AI of choice this question, I wanted to provide you 5 examples since you’re here: 

  • Loganix: Specializing in SEO and digital marketing, Loganix offers productized services such as link building, local SEO, and content creation. Their services are packaged with clear deliverables and pricing, allowing clients to select and purchase services directly from their website.  
  • Scribly: A content marketing agency, Scribly provides scalable content packages tailored to various business needs. They transitioned from offering unlimited copywriting to structured content packages, resulting in improved client retention and streamlined operations.  
  • Design Pickle: Offering unlimited graphic design services for a flat monthly fee, Design Pickle has productized graphic design by providing clients with a consistent and scalable solution for their design needs.  
  • WP Speed Fix: Focusing on WordPress speed optimization, WP Speed Fix offers predefined service packages to improve website performance. Clients can choose from various packages with set deliverables and pricing, making the optimization process straightforward.  
  • FATJOE: A white-label SEO and link-building service provider, FATJOE offers productized services to agencies looking to outsource specific tasks. Their services are clearly defined with transparent pricing, allowing for easy integration into existing agency offerings 

Productization for Ad Agencies – Pros & Cons

Sensing a pattern here? 

SEO, Content Marketing, WordPress? 

And if you search around, you’ll see a lot of these types of agencies productizing, which makes sense. 

What you’ll see a good deal of in 2025, in terms of successful agency productization, are those firms combining rigorous process standardization with niche expertise, leveraging AI to maintain margins while delivering consistent results. 

That’s all well and good, but of course, many agencies can’t so easily fit into the above description. 

Nevertheless, According to HubSpot 75% of agencies offering productized services report improved operational efficiency, and 60% see faster scaling compared to custom services.   

But what about creative agencies, for example?   

I dug around and found several examples of how creative firms could get in on the action: 

Ways a Creative Agency Can Productize Services 

1) Brand Identity Packages 

  • Fixed deliverables: Logo, color palette, typography, brand guidelines
  • Standard pricing based on business size (e.g., startup vs. enterprise) 

2) Social Media Content Bundles 

  • Monthly package of posts, captions, and design templates
  • Different tiers based on the number of posts and platforms 

3) Video Production Kits 

  • Pre-defined scope for social media ads, explainer videos, or testimonial reels 
  • Set pricing based on length, complexity, and edits

4) Website Design Packages 

  • Templated website builds with predefined structures 
  • Optional add-ons like eCommerce functionality or SEO setup 
  • Fixed number of slides and revisions per package 

Productization for Ad Agencies – Pros & Cons

Let’s start positive and talk about the Pros first.  

I found a thorough and transparent Reddit thread (don’t roll your eyes) that I’ll take examples from, but I encourage you to read the whole thing to get very specific monetary and process examples. 

Top 10 Pros of Productization 

  1. Predictable Cash Flow: Prepaid monthly models eliminate payment chasing  
  2. Scalability Through Systems: Minimal overhead 
  3. Client Acquisition Simplicity: Fixed pricing reduces negotiation time – “No proposals needed”  
  4. Automated Referral Engines: One user gained SEO partner referrals through standardized 100/100 page speed websites 
  5. Labor Cost Control: In one example, $125/hr internal rate enforcement keeps margins at 65%+ for managed services. 
  6. Niche Specialization: Micro-offerings like $8k e-commerce packages  
  7. Reduced Client Management: “Cancel anytime” models coupled with template libraries cut revision requests by 80% in one example 
  8. Enterprise Upsell Potential: Productized services become gateway to premium custom work 
  9. Operational Transparency: Clear scope boundaries reduce “endless Zoom call” culture 
  10. Talent Optimization: Global teams enable 24/7 service delivery at 20-30% of domestic labor costs 

These look pretty tasty. 

Would they all apply to your firm currently? 

For many, the answer is no. 

But could you adapt this approach and get there?  Possibly. 

Well, let’s look at the cons. 

Productization for Ad Agencies – Pros & Cons

Top 10 Cons of Productization 

  1. Margin Erosion Risk: Copywriting services dropped to 20% margins after outsourcing in one example. 
  2. Quality Perception Issues: “Big players never choose this – they think it’s for broke clients” 
  3. Scope Creep Trap: Unlimited editing packages at $1.5k/mo risk negative margins with active clients 
  4. Talent Bottlenecks: $987/mo packages require expensive specialists to maintain quality. 
  5. Commoditization Pressure: Flood of identical $1k/mo design offers will; inevitably spark price wars. 
  6. Implementation Complexity: Requires “years” of process refinement to avoid chaos. 
  7. Client Education Burden: 68% of buyers still expect heavy customization despite fixed packages 
  8. High Churn Vulnerability: Easy cancellation policies lead to 30%+ monthly attrition in some models 
  9. Service Limitations: SEO deemed “unpackageable” except for basic GMB optimization. 
  10. Volume Dependency: Requires 100+ clients to offset automated system costs 

Several of these give very specific situations, to be fair, but the potential difficulties nevertheless are clear.  

Where Does This Leave Agencies? 

The Agency Perspective on Productization 

For agencies, productizing their services offers the potential for greater scalability, efficiency, and profitability.  

By creating repeatable, packaged offerings, agencies can simplify engagements, reduce complexity, and improve margins. 

However, from our RSW report, the fact that only 2% of agencies “always” and 11% “usually” sell productized services suggests that many are still figuring out how to integrate this model into their business.

Meanwhile, the majority—over half—”sometimes” productize, indicating that while they are experimenting with this approach, they may not yet be (aren’t) fully committed or confident in its long-term effectiveness.

Marketer Preferences for Services and Capabilities 

From the marketer’s perspective, the preference for customized services over productized offerings likely stems from their need for tailored solutions to address unique business challenges.  

Marketers often view agencies as strategic partners, valuing high-touch, customized support over prepackaged solutions. 

Meanwhile, the 27% of marketers who expressed “no preference” in our report may suggest that some clients are open to productized offerings in certain situations, though this openness is not yet widespread. 

Bottom Line 

While I’ve really just scratched the surface on productization here, agencies considering it must carefully balance scalability and customization.

Successful productized offerings should deliver clear value while remaining flexible enough to feel tailored to individual client needs.

(It’s just that easy!) :)

If agencies choose to explore this path, educating marketers on the benefits—such as faster delivery, cost predictability, and proven effectiveness—will be essential for driving adoption.

By aligning productized services more closely with marketer expectations, agencies can better position themselves for success.

We shall see. 

/by
Personal Care and DTC eCommerce
, ,

Marketer’s Edge with Kelley Thornton: Personal Care and DTC eCommerce

RSW/US is an outsourced ad agency business development firm that works specifically with ad agencies, PR Firms, and Martech Firms to find better-qualified new business opportunities and get you closer to close

In this episode of Marketer’s Edge we’re talking personal care and DTC eCommerce with Kelley Thornton, Founder & CEO of Tiege Hanley

If your ad agency focuses on personal care and DTC eCommerce, or subscription commerce, you should watch this episode of Marketer’s Edge.

Tiege Hanley is a men’s skincare company that provides uncomplicated and affordable skincare solutions.

Founded by four friends, the brand focuses on simplifying skincare routines with clinically relevant products tailored for men.

Their mission is to help men achieve healthy skin through easily understandable systems that cater to various skin needs, emphasizing accessibility and effectiveness.

Why Ad Agencies and Marketing Services Firms Should Watch This Episode – Kelley talks:

– Kelley’s multifaceted role as Founder & CEO
– Direct-to-consumer marketing challenges faced by new brands
– Strategies for building brand awareness and competition against established brands
– Content production efforts: 300-400 pieces per month!
– Importance of skin health and prevention of skin cancer
– The use of influencer marketing and long-form content to reach target audience
– Tiege Hanley’s mission and products for men’s skincare
– Advice for agencies reaching out to marketers such as Kelley
– Kelley’s previous entrepreneurial experiences
– His motivation to enter the men’s skincare market
– Advice for marketers seeking agency partnerships
– Positioning of Tiege Hanley as uncomplicated skincare
– Collaboration with University of Connecticut athletes for marketing initiatives
– Their top-selling products and routines offered
– Challenges of marketing in the crowded skincare market
– Importance of perseverance and grit in entrepreneurship

If your firm is struggling with new business, contact Lee McKnight Jr. at lee@rswus.com for a conversation. That’s our sole focus at RSW/US.

/by
, ,

The Art of Skateboarding & Business Development: Lessons from My Son’s Journey

The Art of Skateboarding & Business Development: Lessons from My Son’s Journey 🛹💼

This weekend, my son is competing in a skateboarding competition, and as I watch him practice, I’m reminded of the parallels between skateboarding and business development.

🔄 Resilience & Repetition

Landing a new trick takes hundreds of attempts—falls, adjustments, and breakthroughs.

In business development, hearing “no” is just part of the process.

Success comes from refining the approach, learning from feedback, and staying persistent.

The Art of Skateboarding & Business Development: Lessons from My Son’s Journey

⚡ Creativity & Adaptability

Skaters see opportunities everywhere—rails, ledges, and gaps become places to create something new.

In business, the best opportunities often come from seeing possibilities where others don’t. Innovation and adaptability define long-term success.

🤝 Community & Support

The skateboarding world thrives on mentorship, encouragement, and shared knowledge. Similarly, business growth isn’t a solo act. Relationships, trust, and collaboration fuel long-term success.

As I cheer my son on this weekend, I’m taking these lessons to heart in my own work—pushing through challenges, embracing creativity, and leaning into meaningful connections.

Here’s a quick clip of him in action—proof that persistence pays off! 👇

The Art of Skateboarding & Business Development: Lessons from My Son’s Journey

/by
Selling
,

You’re Here to Help, Not Sell!

Recently, I read a great post on Mike Myatt’s N2Growth blog Stop Selling and Add Value, and wanted to share it. I know the title of my post is a bit kumbaya, but it’s the way we (at RSW/US) represent and reach out on behalf of our clients. And if you’re handling new business internally, this is how you should be handling it as well.

Before I throw in my two cents on how Mike’s post relates to new business, here are some key points from his post:

Trust me when I tell you that your prospects and customers have heard it all before. They can see the worn-out, old-school closes coming a mile away. They can sniff antiquated selling strategies, and will immediately tune out on presentations not deemed relevant.

If your sales force is still FAB-selling, spin-selling, soft-selling, or using any number of outdated/one-size-fits-all selling methodologies, your sales are suffering…whether you realize it or not.

Frankly, most people I know would rather talk to a knowledgeable customer service person over a sales rep any day of the week.

The reason for this should be obvious: the perception is that a customer service professional is providing information and helping them meet their needs. A salesperson is trying to sell them something.

Call me crazy, but I don’t want to talk to someone who wants to manage my account, develop my business, or engineer my sales. I want to communicate with someone who wants to service my needs or solve my problems.

As you can see from the above, Mike’s post is focused more on selling a product, but it can be applied directly to any new business effort.

The key, of course, is being able to position your firm appropriately so that you have the opportunity to help them meet their needs. That, of course, is the hardest part.

Sure, you want an internal new business person who has something of the hunter mentality, but they also need to have a healthy dose of the farmer mentality. If you shove your firm down their throat with every call, you’ll get nowhere-and 100 calls a day won’t get you anywhere either if you aren’t asking questions AND listening to the answers. Mike sums it up well with this statement:

The reality is that until I know that you care more about meeting my needs than yours, you’ll remain on the outside looking in. By the way, in order to understand my needs you have to actually know something about me.

Selling

Prospecting words to live by.

Click here for Mike’s full post.

 

/by
https://dagsson.com/
, ,

Actionable AI Business Development Strategies for Ad, PR & Marketing Firms

AI won’t take your job. It’s somebody using AI that will take your job. 

Richard Baldwin, economist and professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute in Switzerland 

Agencies believe they’re holding their own when it comes to trends and tech, but marketer confidence is eroding. 

77% of Agencies Confident in Staying Ahead of Trends, But Marketer Confidence Drops to 62% 

Actionable AI Business Development Strategies for Ad, PR & Marketing Firms

I’ll be writing a another post specifically around ways agencies can do a better job of getting in front of their clients and their prospects when it comes to staying on top of trends and tech.

For this post I want to get into AI, specifically, and before you stop reading give you 5 very real world examples with actionable steps you can take, so keep reading. 

Setting the table for actionable AI business development strategies for ad agencies 

73% of agencies cite AI-powered personalization as the top trend for 2025, up from 70% in 2024 and only 25% in 2023. 

And from Forrester:

91% of US ad agencies are currently using, exploring generative AI 

And finally, because we focus on small and mid-sized firms at RSW predominantly:  

Large agencies are further along the generative AI adoption path, with 78% of respondents at agencies with more than 201 employees saying they leverage the tech compared to only 53% of small agencies, or those with less than 50 employees.   

With these stats, it’s not specified whether the AI usage is directed at client work or business development strategy, but certainly it applies to both.  

And for this post, I want to focus specifically on driving business development for your firm. 

Before I get into some core strategies, I want to give you a few sentences from a newsletter I receive daily called Inbox Hacking, and one you may want to check out for yourself as well. 

AI Slop – Avoid At All Costs

Specifically this article: What’s worse than AI slop: 

In case you haven’t seen the definition of AI slop… 

The Guardian referred to “slop” as the advanced iteration of internet spam: low-quality text, videos, and images generated by AI. 

Plenty of that crap to go around. And I know AI isn’t perfect. It’s just a useful tool that needs a human to monitor it and check its work. 

What’s happening, though? Humans are avoiding that task. It’s too easy to save time by not checking AI’s work.

I love this term, and I know you’re nodding your head vigorously in agreement. 

I strongly urge you read the entire post, it’s good, and has specific examples of AI slop, to serve as an ongoing reminder of what not to do. 

That’s the caveat here as I get into my actionable AI business development strategies. 

You can’t rely too heavily on AI at this point, it’s not there yet.  (When it is, that might be scary, but let’s not think about that at the moment). 

It is an incredibly useful tool, and so many firms don’t realize what it can actually do. 

And while I am certainly no expert, here are several ways you can use it right now: 

https://dagsson.com/

https://dagsson.com/

Actionable AI Business Development Strategies for Ad, PR & Marketing Firms (with example prompts)

First, let me stress, all of these can be carried out without paying for multiple platforms. 

As you well know, there are a dizzying amount of AI-powered platforms out there, but you can accomplish all of the following with a free version, or an upgraded version, usually $20 or so a month, of Chat, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, or Copilot. 

And a side note, I’m not getting into the image generation, video/animation, music, or coding platform versions, just Text & Conversational AI for this post, which is a good place to start if you’re somewhat of a neophyte. 

 

1️⃣ Prospect Research & Lead Identification  

  • Use AI to research potential clients by generating lists of companies in specific industries, locations, or revenue ranges. 
  • Copy and paste LinkedIn bios or company descriptions and ask AI to summarize their challenges and marketing needs. 

Here’s an example prompt: 

Find 10 mid-sized eCommerce brands in the U.S. with recent funding rounds or product launches.

We’ve used AI for this at RSW, and while it’s very helpful, don’t get overly excited about one aspect: 

It will not generate full contact lists with email, address, etc.

That is where you will have to invest in a platform dedicated to prospect list-building. 

BUT, this is fantastic for finding new companies, which is half the battle in direct outreach. 

 

2️⃣ Personalized Email & LinkedIn Outreach  

  • Paste a prospect’s LinkedIn profile or website copy and ask the AI platform to generate a custom outreach email. 

Example prompt: 

Write a short, engaging cold email to [Prospect Name], the CMO at [Company Name]. They recently launched [Product Name] and are investing in digital ads. Our agency specializes in scaling eCommerce brands through performance marketing.

  • For LinkedIn DMs, here’s an example prompt: 

Craft a casual, non-salesy LinkedIn message for [Prospect Name] introducing our agency’s expertise in [Service]. Keep it conversational.

Again, use this technique with caution and governance. 

Avoid AI slop! 

I will never take an email directly from Chat, because it’s just too evident that AI wrote it. 

As previously stated, that will change as AI evolves, but what this is great for? 

Providing new ways of thinking around your messaging. 

 

3️⃣ RFP & Proposal Writing  

  • Speed up proposal creation by asking ChatGPT (or other platforms previously mentioned) to structure responses, rewrite sections, or enhance clarity. 

Example prompt: 

We’re responding to an RFP for a social media marketing campaign. Can you draft a compelling executive summary and a breakdown of our services?

  • If you have previous proposals, paste them and ask the AI to refine and improve language. (This one is super-helpful!)

I can’t recommend this enough. 

This can save hours of work and make proposals more persuasive. 

I recently had a conversation with an agency principal who created a GPT specifically for proposal writing and he said it cut his time in half. 

But, my previous caveat still holds – it will not spit out a perfect version, especially on the design side. 

And you will absolutely need to make changes and additions, but you should experiment and give this a try. 

 

4️⃣ Thought Leadership & Content Creation  

  • Generate LinkedIn posts, blog ideas, or industry insights to position your agency as a leader. 

Example prompts: 

Summarize the latest trends in digital advertising and how agencies can adapt.

Write a LinkedIn post on why agencies should rethink RFP participation in 2024.

  • And if you want to repurpose content, ask: 

Turn this blog into a Bluesky thread and a LinkedIn carousel outline.

In this case, you’re only using AI + Google Trends. 

Reminder #34: Don’t forget my previous caveat, but wow, this really helps with continuous content ideas and saves a ton of time.

 

5️⃣ Competitive & Market Analysis  

  • Ask AI to analyze competitors and summarize industry reports. 

Example prompts: 

What are the key differentiators of top ad agencies working with DTC brands? 

Summarize this competitor’s services and their strengths vs. weaknesses. (Paste website copy!) 

  • Use AI-generated insights to adjust your agency’s pitch and highlight competitive advantages. 

Again, this is where AI can do the heavy lifting. 

Ideally these have been helpful. 

Time to incorporate them into your business development strategy. 

/by
RSWUS 2025 New Year Outlook Report
, , ,

RSW/US 2025 New Year Outlook Report

This is the RSW/US 2025 New Year Outlook Report.

If this is your first time here, RSW/US is an outsourced lead generation/business development firm that exclusively services ad agencies, PR firms, and marketing service firms (of all sizes and types).

We work with over 50 agencies across the U.S., operating as their outsourced sales and marketing team.

More about us here.

2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for agencies, and we’ve got the insights to help you stay ahead.

Our report has real-world data and actionable takeaways from agencies and marketers across the U.S. and Canada.

Here’s a taste of what’s inside:

  • Growth Expectations: 78% of agencies and 75% of marketers predict growth this year—but how will they get there?
  • Top Discovery Channels: Relationships still reign, but direct outreach surged to 52%. Are you connecting in the right ways?
  • Mind the Gap: 77% of agencies think they’re ahead of the curve on trends, but only 62% of marketers agree. What’s driving the disconnect, and how can you bridge it?
  • AI’s Big Moment: 73% of agencies say AI-powered personalization will define the year—are you ready to leverage it?

We created this report for you and your team to use as an initial blueprint to win more business and grow in 2025.

RSWUS 2025 New Year Outlook Report

The 2025 RSW/US New Year Outlook survey was conducted with senior-level Marketers and Marketing Agency executives in November & December 2024.

This survey aimed to uncover key insights into marketer and agency perspectives as they prepared for the challenges and opportunities of 2025.

The agency sample included over 5,000 marketing services, advertising, and PR firms in the U.S. and Canada, ranging from under $3M to over $75M in capitalized billings.

These agencies represented a variety of disciplines, including full-service, digital, PR, and marketing consultancies.

The marketer sample was drawn from our RSW/AgencySearch database of 20,000 marketing decisionmakers, representing companies of varying sizes, locations, and categories.

If you’d like to reproduce any of our findings in any format, please reach out to Lee McKnight at 513-559-3111 or via email at lee@rswus.com.

/by

To view please fill out the form below

While we offer the resources found on our site at no charge, we do ask for your assistance in maintaining a certain level of knowledge about who is accessing our valuable assets. We will never sell or distribute your information to any third parties.

Consistency Red Flag
,

Consistency is Next to Godliness

Consistency is vital when it comes to new business for professional service firms. We talk to companies every day, both client and prospective, and have engaged in a few surprising conversations.

Some of these execs conveyed they’ve had a pretty good run lately handling new business internally.

They’ve created a memorable direct mail piece, dedicated themselves to social media, or made more time to reach out, either in person or on the phone.

All are encouraging, and while we’d love to have them as RSW/US clients, timing is everything, and we’re always happy to hear about healthy businesses.

What was surprising about these conversations however was the similarity in how each executive ended the internal efforts conversation.

Each of them stated they hoped to get to the point where they had enough new business coming in from their current efforts that they could take a break.

Insert red flag here.

 

Consistency Red Flag

You probably know what I’m going to say: this will come back to haunt them.

It’s commendable that the effort got started, but you can’t “take a break.”

Not saying you should be chained to your desk either, but even taking a month or two off will set back your efforts, sometimes dramatically.

In the short run, these firms may see no detrimental effects if their initial efforts, combined with their existing clients, keep them busy, but ultimately their pipeline will be empty and they might also find themselves with an uncomfortable amount of business coming from a sole client.

So if you’re giving it a go internally, ensure you’re taking these steps:

  • Make your prospecting list manageable (in monthly chunks)
  • Target your prospects appropriately
  • Do a little homework prior to reaching out
  • Always follow up

No, it’s not easy and yes, it will take time, but as the title of the post suggests, “Consistency is next to Godliness” when it comes to new business.

/by
Giving Up
,

Why Are You Giving Up Too Easily?

Why are you giving up too easily? In an insightful post by John K. Thompson called “To Avoid Overload, Engage Your Audience”, Thompson begins by pointing out the all-too-many sources of information available to us.

Too many twisty knots of overloaded information confusion, and not the filters to hand me what I need when I need it. Too many sites, widgets, snippets, tidbits, documents and files, and not nearly enough brain power to do it all by myself…Not enough options for finding what I need, and too much to find. Not enough guidance on how to actually move efficiently through the gold mines of data, and too many gold mines.

Couple this with a comment a sales guy for a manufacturing firm made to me the other day.

Then He Gave Up

He said he got exasperated with salespeople who didn’t stay with him after a good initial interaction, going on to say “We had a good meeting and then, as always, I get slammed. The salesperson left a voicemail or two, maybe an email and then he gave up.”

Granted, the process is a two-way street, but the comment was certainly revealing.

So, we have too much information to process and even when we’re interested in a service, it’s exceedingly difficult to act on it as quickly as we’d like. Quite an uphill battle for the salesperson trying to break through to their prospects.

Giving Up

So, what’s the solution to not giving up?

It’s the mantra we base our business on: consistency and adding something of value with each reach-out.

John writes the following in his post:

. . . remember that it’s imperative to personalize our communications with customers and prospects, and to keep them permission based. Anything else becomes merely technology-enabled spam. And your customer will treat it, and your relationship, as such. Which is to say, disposable.

Personalization is, in our world, a natural extension of our value-add philosophy. If you’re a firm exclusively handling your own new business program, it should be yours as well.

John ends with the following apt words:

. . . we must remember the purpose of all of this. And that’s to engage our customers in an ongoing dialogue, demonstrating that we truly value them as individuals, and aren’t just using all this neat technology to make it merely seem that way.

/by