Overcome These 2 Common Agency Objections—And Open More Doors: 3 Takeaways Ep. 111
If you’re an agency or professional services firm, you’ve likely faced, and had to overcome these 2 common agency objections when prospecting: ‘We already work with an agency‘ or ‘We handle that in-house.’
Today, I’ll share exactly how to overcome both and open doors instead of closing them.”
Welcome to “3 Takeaways”, our new business video series where we give you three takeaways to help improve your new business program.
Let’s jump to your first takeaway: Embrace the Existing Agency Objection.
First, let’s talk about the objection: ‘We already work with an agency.’
Believe it or not, this is actually good news—it means your prospect values external expertise and understands agency relationships.
So respond positively: That makes sense—we often collaborate with other agencies to bring additional expertise or bandwidth where our clients need it. Many of our clients have strong agency partnerships, and we step in to support specific areas like [and mention your specific expertise].’
By positioning your firm as complementary rather than competitive, you differentiate yourself and stay in the conversation.
Alright, your second takeaway: Focus on complimenting those in-house strengths.
It’s actually similar to the first objection, so let’s tackle that one: ‘We handle that in-house.’
Many prospects believe their internal teams have it covered.
Maybe, but your approach here should focus on complementing their strengths:
We frequently collaborate with internal teams, providing specialized expertise or additional resources, when they need it most. We specialize in [X]—could your team use support there?’
Your role becomes clear: not as a replacement, but as a valuable strategic partner, enhancing and elevating their in-house capabilities.
And your third takeaway: Remember this crucial insight: While 54% of marketers handle much of their work internally, the routine stays in-house, leaving specialized, high-value projects up for grabs.
To win these opportunities, your firm has to clearly demonstrate expertise and some innovative thinking—areas where internal teams typically fall short.
Clearly communicate how your agency uniquely solves specific client challenges.
Overcoming these objections is all about strategic positioning.
Embrace collaboration, emphasize complementary strengths, and always lead with your unique expertise.
If you do, you’ll not only overcome objections—you’ll transform them into opportunities. make sure and subscribe for more business development content.
