In this episode, Steve Henke and Paul Griffiths discuss the critical aspects of key account management for insights agencies.
We explore the importance of building strong relationships with key clients, the challenges posed by relying on a few large clients, and the necessity of diversifying client bases.
Our conversation emphasizes the need for active account management strategies, accountability within agencies, and the significance of setting revenue targets for key accounts.
We also highlight effective strategies for maintaining client engagement and ensuring that agencies remain top of mind with their clients.
Takeaways
What do end-clients really want from their insight agencies?
As Across the Pond: How to Grow your Insight Agency launches Season 2, Steve Henke (Harpeth Marketing) and Paul Griffiths (Client Advocates) share their observations and advice for what insight agencies need to do, if they really want to deliver that their clients want. Crucially, based on real evidence, interviews and conversations they have had with end-clients.
20 minutes, if you are a leader, owner, commercially accountable person that you cannot afford not to listen to!
We asked our audience for questions. And they gave us some!
In Episode 10, as a Season 1 wrap-up, Paul Griffiths (Client Advocates) and Steve Henke (Harpeth Marketing) set themselves the challenge of answering questions from their audience... six questions, six opportunities to get advice and ideas about How to Grow your Insight Agency.
The questions:
• I'm an independent consultant with a very limited budget... what are my best marketing options?
• Beyond, "We need to grow by 10% next year," what are some tips for setting good sales goals?
• I know I need to post on LinkedIn 3-4x per week, but what can I post about that often that isn't salesy? And how do I come up with those ideas?
• What can an agency do, post-project, to keep engaging with a client?
• Do you think researchers can ever be good salespeople, and if so, how have you seen them do it?
• How can a small agency differentiate itself against larger agencies, with bigger marketing spend and resources?
If you want quick fire Q&A, this is the Across the Pond Episode for you...
In-person events and conferences are a rich and effective way of growing your insight agency.
But too often, the ROI on them is not realised. Poor prep, average focus on the day, no follow-up.
In Episode 9, Steve Henke (Harpeth Marketing) and Paul Griffiths (Client Advocates) give their advice and ideas about how to maximise the positive opportunities from in-person events.
If you or your team are heading out to a conference or event, or you are wondering if you should commit to involvement in one, then this is the Episode you need to listen to.
In-person = growth for insight agencies, if you do it right!
If you want to grow your insight agency, then the most obvious and immediate place to focus is with your existing clients.
But that doesn't mean it is straightforward or a given.
In Episode 8 of Across the Pond, Steve Henke (Harpeth Marketing) and Paul Griffiths (Client Advocates) give their ideas and advice about what is needed to win more work from existing clients.
Whether it is upsell, cross-sell or referral, Steve and Paul discuss how you can systematically approach managing your client relationships more effectively.
What are the most effective low cost or no cost marketing and sales activities you can implement as a leader growing your insight agency?
In this episode, Steve Henke (Harpeth Marketing) and Paul Griffiths (Client Advocates) discuss and suggest ways to boost your sales and marketing activities and impact - and they don't cost much, or indeed, anything at all!
Growth at no cost... What's not to love? And all in less than 20 mins.
If the insight industry could get three things for Christmas, what would they be?
In this Christmas special, Paul Griffiths from Client Advocates and Steve Henke from Harpeth Marketing talk about the things that they think they like to see the insight industry get from Santa Claus, to help with agency growth this festive season.
Amidst the references to Christmas carols and Paul's festive jumper (we can only apologise for both), get some ideas for what you, as an agency leader, should be thinking of when it comes to improving your marketing and sales activities and focus as we enter 2025.
Oh, and Merry Christmas!
How do you structure your marketing and sales teams to maximise the growth of your insight agency?
What's the optimal set-up that means that you get the most value from your marketing and sales activities and investment?
In Episode 5, Paul Griffiths and Steve Henke talk about what they have seen work well and how to make sure your brand building and sales activation are aligned and supporting each other. So that you get the greatest possible impact and value from both.
How do you encourage a more commercial culture in your market research and insight agency? How can you get more conversations going, to talk about sales and marketing, to promote a growth agenda?
In Episode 4, Steve Henke and Paul Griffiths talk about what they have seen work , to engender everyone in your research and insight agency to become more focused on the commercial agenda.
How do you make sure sales and marketing is a priority? What helps build familiarity and confidence in your colleagues? How can you encourage everyone in your agency to take some responsibility for engaging with prospects and clients?
Listen to find out!
In Episode 3 of Across the Pond, Steve Henke and Paul Griffiths debate how to most effectively differentiate your market research and insight agency's brand and proposition.
Can you? Should you? What not to do (!) and what works most effectively to create and communicate the difference between your insight agency and the competition; so that clients and prospects see the value you create and your agency grows.
In Episode 2 of Across the Pond, Steve Henke and Paul Griffiths discuss what the biggest marketing and sales challenges facing insight agencies are, right now.
They come up with suggestions and solutions for how insight leaders can deal with these, and ensure growth for their agencies.
In Episode 1 of Across the Pond, Steve Henke and Paul Griffiths talk about the three things leaders in insight agencies can do to before the end of the year to boost their growth.