Why Your Agency Should Conduct a Post-Win Review (And a Framework for Doing It)

We recently got great news from a client who won a piece of business from a door we opened and helped nurture.

Before I get into what made the difference, a quick public service announcement: your agency new business process requires patience.

That may seem obvious, but I’d argue it isn’t. Too many agencies set unrealistic expectations about how long new business actually takes.

But that’s not the focus here.

Our client sent us post-win notes on something we don’t see often enough.

I can’t share their exact approach, but I can share the overall premise and a framework you can apply to your own new business efforts.

What they did is something every agency should build into their process:

Review Your Process Even When You Win

First, to set the stage: when the converse happens and you don’t win the business, agencies will often do a post-mortem on the reasons for not getting the work.  (And if you typically don’t do this, you should.)

The first step in that process is typically trying to get feedback from the prospect as to why.

We all know how often you get that information: not very often.  And that’s frustrating.

But you can and should do your own internal review of the pros and cons of the overall effort, in order to implement any changes for the better, in those areas you have control over.

But back to our client who won the business.

They assembled their team to review why they won.

They’re not the first agency to do this, but when’s the last time you won a piece of business and conducted a similar review?

Speaking specifically to their new business process and the steps they took, they reviewed from beginning to end and came away with notes on how to replicate the process.

Each opportunity will vary and require levels of customization, but without giving away the inner workings, I wanted to give you their initial framework, distilled into “four Ps”.

The Four Ps of a Winning Agency New Business Process

Be persistent: Persistence is non-negotiable in new business, but it’s hard to maintain when you’re wearing multiple hats.

I’m proud to say our client included RSW in this first P, crediting us with opening doors and nurturing leads.

The key isn’t hammering the same channel repeatedly: four or five calls a week to the same prospect doesn’t work.

Alternate your outreach mediums so you’re not hitting the prospect the same way every time.

And when you do reach out, bring value. That’s reflected in the second P.

Be Proactive: Following up isn’t enough. Give the prospect a glimpse of what it’s like to work with your team.

I’m not advocating spec work, but sharing a relevant piece of industry news, a quick finding from current work, or a piece of content someone on your team created signals genuine interest and demonstrates value before you’ve won a dollar of business.

Be Prepared: Do the homework. There’s no excuse not to.

You know the industry, now take the time to research the specific prospect.

AI platforms are your friend here, and after the first or second meeting, you need to go deeper and tie your expertise directly to what they’re asking for.

Show Proof: Whenever you can, show the prospect you can deliver on what you’ve promised.

Whatever way you can bring your work to life when given the opportunity, take it.

Take the time to review losses and wins, you’ll be better for it.