Why the summer months are crucial for new business

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by rob

One of the most common objections we hear when approaching agencies about their new business plans at this time of year is “it’s dead in the summer”.

However, with our decades of experience in helping agencies win new clients, this really is far from the case. Whilst it is true that a significant number of marketing decision makers will take holidays at this time of year (although rarely for more than two weeks at a time), the next three months are actually vital to any agency’s ambitions to boost their new business revenue for the rest of the year and into the next.

So why is this?

Well, for a start, we nearly always see a spike in companies handing out briefs or inviting agencies to pitch for work during the Autumn. This is not just unique to brands giving briefs to agencies, it also mirrors the interest we receive from agencies looking for help with lead generation from companies like ourselves.

So in order to take advantage of this, it is worth remembering the old adage – Rome wasn’t built in a day… and neither is any meaningful client relationship.

An absolutely fundamental element of the new business process is to build up a pipeline. If you want to increase your chances of being on any pitch lists (and therefore increase your chances of winning new clients) you really need to be laying the groundwork now.

This means ramping up activity during the summer months to identify and cultivate the prospects who will be appointing agencies in the Autumn.

To do this takes tenacity, intelligence and good timing.

Realistically, you would be very lucky if the first approach you make to a senior marketing decision maker – who you are hoping may spend tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of pounds with your agency – agrees then and there “let’s do this right now!”

In fact, you would be fairly lucky if they even take your call or respond to your first email approach at all initially.

But, given a little bit of time, you may have a few conversations with them, enabling you to develop a concise understanding about their situation and ambitions/pain points for their brand. Then you’ll meet with them to build up further trust and rapport and from this you are in a position to show them exactly how your agency can help achieve their goals.

It’s like a mating ritual we see time and again, but one you should only ignore at your peril.