Presentation at AgencyCon - 10-16-18 - Colorado

1. Client Growth
Strategies
AgencyCon 2018
October 15-16

2. Serin Silva
Founder
Ripe Strategy
HELLO

4. Analysis
Why?
Synthesis
How?
Concrete
Do
Abstract
Think
Build & Test
IdeationInsights
Observation
Solve Problems Through Design Thinking

5. "Growth is not an accident. It takes
leadership, vision, collaboration and
a plan."
Ripe Strategy

6. Today’s talk –
Client growth in 2 parts
New business
Maximizing current client value

7. Part 1 -
New Business Growth

8. New business is
everyone's business
Make it cross-functional
Each staff member is required
to help at points
Bake plan +process into
agency's DNA
Leads are still primary
responsibility of BD

9. Hold up a mirror to
your agency
• Don't be afraid to define
yourself
• Know whom you want to help
and why
• Determine the business
problem you are most excited
to solve
• The businessproblem should
align with your current talent

10. Revisit your agency's value proposition
Understand what sets you apart from the competition
Identify why clients come to you for a product/service
Determine what makes you relevant, differentiated and
credible

11. Define your growth
strategy
• Revenue is essential to
growth but it's not the
wonder cure
• Decide where you would
like the revenue to come
from
• Areas that you excel at
and differentiate
• Projects that fit your
current talent

12. • Growth objectives should be
supported by marketing
• Communicate and align with Sales for success
• Marketing doesn't need to be exhaustive but
consistent (do a few things well)
• Think of the effort your team uses to market
your clients – turn effort inwards
Yes, you need to market yourself

13. • Focusing on revenue alone can pose
challenges
• Don’t win business no one wants to work on
• Teams complain about agency values –
‘all about money’ – leading to attrition
• Make sure you’re equipped to handle
what you sell
Think holistically about growth goals

14. Think of how big you
can get without
losing the culture
• Bring on clients who
understand, believe in,
and support how you
approach work
• Don’t hire more talent
that isn’t a fit for your
culture just to be able to
support a client win

15. Part 1: New Business Imperatives
• New business is everyone's business
• Hold up a mirror
• Revisit your value proposition
• Align your Sales +Marketing
• Plan for growth

16. Part 2
Maximizing
current clients

17. "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
• Originated in the 16th century
• Still true today

18. 80%
of future
growth
comes from
20%
of current
clients

19. Source: 2018, Proposify.com
Agencies typically underestimate value of
current clients

20. Treat current clients
as prospects

21. • Analysis
• Dedicate a resource to lead the charge
• Engage senior deputies to help
• Make sure you have a keen eye on
which clients are happy / who is not
Where to start?

22. Prep the soil
• If clients are less than
thrilled, they will be less
likely to entertain a
proposal for incremental
spend
• Make sure you have a
feedback loop for clients

23. Staff should be adding value with clients
• Remember - the most important contribution
to your clients' business is your knowledge
and expertise
• Define value in the same terms as your
customer

24. • Look beyond the numbers
• Understand business
• What keeps them up at
night
• Biggest profit drivers and
drains for their business
Ensure clients have a
special relationship

25. Key Account Planning is “Key”
• Identify your key accounts - carefully
• Train your key account manager contacts on how
to manage your key accounts
• Set satisfaction metrics across all accounts
• Identify programs that could be added on a
quarterly basis
• Do monthly readouts
• Determine what level of support your teams
need to approach client

26. Establish a partner strategy for client
gaps
• Partners could work under your agency's
management
• Offer a more complete solution to your current
client, increasing client retention

27. Part 2. Current client imperatives
• Treat current clients as prospects
• Prep the soil
• Staff should be adding value
• Ensure clients have a special relationship
• Key account planning is key
• Consider a partner strategy for gaps

28. Serin Silva
ripestrategycoaching.com
THANK
YOU