EP 474: Laying cobblestones for effective agency thought leadership with Susan Baier

20 snips

Nov 4, 2024

Susan Baier, the owner of Audience Audit, helps agencies navigate the challenges of winning new business in today’s landscape. She emphasizes the power of research studies to enhance thought leadership and attract clients without heavy prospecting. By teaching and educating their audience, agencies can build trust and shorten sales cycles. Baier suggests transforming research insights into compelling content, emphasizing adaptability, and highlights the importance of positioning as a strategic partner for better client relationships.

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ADVICE

Internal Merchandising

Use research data to inform internal teams, from strategists to content creators.
This data provides insights into audience behavior and preferences.

ADVICE

Client Benefits

Share research findings with existing clients to demonstrate value and inform strategies.
Use the data to recommend adjustments and improvements for current campaigns.

ANECDOTE

Hidden Client Budgets

The Agency Edge research revealed that clients often have budget flexibility.
They are willing to increase spending if agencies present compelling reasons.

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It's no secret that new business for agencies was brutal in 2023. And for some in 2024, it's been equally difficult. So, for 2025, we want to challenge you to get unstuck from those difficult sales cycles and lay the groundwork for some new energy as we come to the end of this year.

This week, Susan Baier joined me again to help us look at the agency sales cycle a little differently. Next year, it's all going to be about using research studies to build your thought leadership portfolio, create cobblestone content, and attract right-fit clients with little to no prospecting on your end.

If you haven't done research studies before, it's time to start. Get some data, find your unique perspective, and share it openly and with authority. In 2025, it's going to be all about teaching and educating your audience to build trust so that by the time they pick up the phone to call you, they've already bought into your expertise.

If you're looking to get out of the funk of 2 slow sales years, you'll want to stop what you're doing right now so you can take some notes on this episode.

A big thank you to our podcast's presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They're an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

How does doing research make agency employees and the agency better?
Why agencies need to constantly be adapting and learning new things
Using new knowledge and research to make your team smarter
How agencies can use their research to innovate and be better
The surprising effects of new research and thought leadership on client budgets
Using research to shorten the sales cycle, build trust, and promote thought leadership
3 big things that happen when agencies conduct their own research
Innovative and creative ways to present new research to clients and prospects
It's not just about data — it's about your unique perspective on the data
Building cobblestone content out of larger research studies