”When I think about sales, it's really nurturing relationships and manufacturing opportunities. That is your job all day, every day.” - Adam Kurzawa
The 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-newsletter
- Digital 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/ddc
- Connect with Adam here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamkurzawa
- Check 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.
