”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.