”When I think about sales, it's really nurturing relationships and manufacturing opportunities. That is your job all day, every day.” - Adam KurzawaThe finer details of this episode:

Insights on business development strategies for creative agencies.Emphasis on nurturing existing client relationships for agency growth.Discussion on effective outreach efforts and relationship-building in sales.Importance of hiring for business development roles, focusing on soft skills and industry knowledge.Strategies for identifying growth opportunities within current clients.Challenges and considerations in the hiring process for sales positions.The significance of maintaining personal connections in business.

Episode Resources:

Summit Virtual CFO by Anders website: https://www.summitcpa.net/Love our content? Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.summitcpa.net/summit-newsletterDigital Dollars and Cents: A Virtual CFO’s Playbook to help Digital Companies Create a Financial Roadmap to Success, is now an audio book! Download it here: https://vcfo.summitcpa.net/ddcConnect with Adam here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamkurzawaCheck out Infinum here: https://infinum.com/

Timestamps:

Introduction to the Show (00:00:00)

Jamie and Jody welcome listeners to "The Creative Agency Success Show," highlighting its purpose for agency owners.

Friendship and Professional Journey (00:00:35)

Jody discusses his long friendship with Adam and Adam's professional growth in business development.

Practical Business Development Insights (00:01:14)

Jamie emphasizes the practicality of Adam's insights for agencies struggling with business development and sales.

Discussion on Pipeline and Biz Dev (00:03:33)

The conversation shifts to building a sales pipeline and strategies to enhance business development.

The Importance of Existing Clients (00:04:14)

Adam stresses focusing on upselling and nurturing relationships with existing clients for growth.

Outbound Marketing Strategies (00:07:41)

Discussion on effective outbound marketing tactics, emphasizing personalized approaches over traditional methods.

Manufacturing Opportunities (00:10:37)

Adam shares ideas on creating memorable events to foster connections and generate new business opportunities.

Building Relationships for Biz Dev (00:13:09)

Adam discusses the importance of having advocates within client organizations to facilitate business development.

Hiring for Growth Roles (00:16:25)

The speakers discuss key qualities to look for when hiring a strategic growth director for business development.

Complementary Roles in Sales Teams (00:21:07)

The idea of having two types of salespeople: hunters and facilitators, to enhance business development.

Monitoring Sales Performance (00:21:45)

Importance of regular check-ins and analyzing funnel activity to assess sales performance.

Referrals and Trust in Sales (00:26:30)

Discussing how referrals enhance credibility and ease the sales conversation.

The Ineffectiveness of Cold Calling (00:26:40)

Critique of cold calling as a sales strategy, emphasizing its challenges and ineffectiveness.

Text Communication in Sales (00:28:10)

Advocating for transitioning leads from LinkedIn to more personal communication methods like text.

Patience in Sales Conversations (00:31:52)

The importance of patience in conversations and planting seeds for future business opportunities.

Importance of Business Development (00:40:16)

Speakers emphasize the need for proactive steps in business development for 2025.

Contacting Adam (00:40:21)

Adam shares how listeners can reach him for business discussions.