The Agency Advisory

It really feels like we are into the swing of things as we move into the 2nd half of Quarter One of 2025. I’m hearing mixed messages about the health of the industry – some are extremely bullish as shown by the headline in the PR Week January Trading Tracker which exclaimed: ‘New-biz pipeline full to bursting’, a sentiment I put down to a large degree of hubris from those quoted – through to 1st hand conversations that suggests cautious optimism at best.

However you look at it, we are all having to work harder to build pipeline and to convert sales. And that’s why I will continue to summarise the great content that leaders share over LinkedIn – content that contains helpful advice and experience which might make a small difference.

This week’s issue is no different. It contains wise advice to stop doing the unnecessary things; to look closely at your proposition and to drop the “fluff”; and ways to build a sales mindset in your agency. Add to this a quick dive into share of model – an AI metric for the future; a link to the Gov AI Playbook; and a call to find a seat at the adult’s table and you have issue #50 of The Agency Advisory.

Thank you as always to the individuals and organisations who have shared expertise, opinions and thoughts through this past week.

Replace your “to do” list with a “not to do list”

This is a thought-provoking opinion from Tim Williams who suggests that agency leaders “hone their anti-skills and commit to more anti-doing”. What does he mean by this? Simply put, Tim asserts that “effectiveness is largely the art of deciding what not to do”. In his LinkedIn post, he cites several examples from big business of organisations that are successful by sticking steadfastly on their core competencies. Tim goes on to apply the learnings of big business to us as individuals, saying that no agency can do it all but that most try to respond to every challenge they are presented with. The message I took away from Tim’s post is that leaders should identify and describe the “anti-priorities” – the things their teams are not focusing on and why.

Unpack Tim's advice in his LinkedIn post here:

What your ‘About Us’ says about you

Some wise observations here by Steve Fair who makes the point that no one really cares how many years of experience your agency has or what your culture or business ethos is. What prospects care about is who you’ve worked with and the results you’ve achieved. Like Steve, I’ve seen far too many websites that focus on the agency rather than the impact delivered to clients. Always keep in mind that your website is a cold channel and as such, is often the first touch point a prospect will have with your agency. So by focusing on the impact you have and by using language that speaks to the work you do, the narrative could have a profound effect on what that prospect does next.

Steve's LinkedIn post is here:

It’s time to bin your fluffy consulting proposition

Building on Steve’s views around what your ‘About Us’ says about your agency, Luk Smeyers has offered up some typically robust opinion around “stupid blah blah proposition statements.” In his LinkedIn post, Luk shares an example of a fluffy proposition statement used by a supply chain consultancy and shows how by shifting the language to showcase the specific problems of the target audience, the expertise provided by the consultancy firm, and the outcomes that can be achieved, it grabbed the attention of the buyers and decision makers it was targeting. Luk’s post is a useful reminder to any agency seeking to standout of the importance of focusing on the client rather than the agency in the proposition being used.

Read Luk’s example on LinkedIn here:

In case you missed it: the UK Government AI Playbook

With thanks to PR Futurist, Stuart Bruce , who shared and commented on this just launched UK Government Playbook which is intended to “provide departments and public sector organisations with accessible technical guidance on the safe and effective use of AI.” ?As is often the case, the government has created a resource that can serve as a reference point not just for those it was intended for but any public sector, third sector or indeed private sector organisation grappling with the fast-moving world of AI.

Check out Stuart’s summary of the Playbook and find the link to download it via LinkedIn

The new AI metric: share of model discussed

I’m grateful to Stephen Waddington for this post that explores the concept of share of model - a new metric that tracks how often a brand appears in AI-generated answers – and for the various experts who have commented on it ?In his post, Stephen references an interesting report from Hard Numbers ?? that explored the impact of LLMs on reputation and trust (link below) and cites Jellyfish who developed the concept and who have written multiple articles on the subject.

Interestingly, several commentators question how to capture the data to calculate the metric with Andrew Bruce Smith , Jesper Andersen , and Matt Oakley offering up possible solutions. It seems we’ll be hearing a lot more about this because as a linked Substack from Antony Mayfield states: "As people use AI chatbots for more and more queries, LLMs will increasingly influence customer behaviour. Brands that dominate AI-generated answers could win market share simply by being the name the AI remembers."?

Check out Stephen’s post and the debate that ensued here:

Hard Numbers Research – Reputation in the Age of AI

A follow-up to demystifying sales

Last week’s post by Richard Goold generated a lot of interest and so I’m pleased to share this follow-up post from him which provides five simple ways to embed sales into a consulting business without making it feel salesy. As we are halfway through Q1 of 2025, more and more agencies are ramping up their pipeline efforts as the economic outlook continues to be challenging. Embedding a sales (or growth) mindset across the agency is, in my opinion, a business imperative and so Richard’s tips are well worth checking out. Here’s a summary:

1.???? Reframe sales as problem solving

2.???? View sales as a relationship not a transaction

3.???? Sell through insight not just credentials

4.???? Follow-up with value, not just reminders

5.???? Make sales a skill everyone owns

Do check out Richard’s post on LinkedIn which contains detail behind each of these steps

Do you enjoy a seat at the adult’s table?

I’ve long talked about the difference between having a transactional order taking relationship with clients and enjoying a true strategic consultative partnership. In this LinkedIn post, Max Traylor , neatly explains why by not sitting at the adult’s table - where conversations are held after leadership has decided on priorities and budget – “we’re losing clients faster than we can replace them.” He lists four questions that I feel will hit home with most agencies:?

1.???? Do you chase goals that don’t translate to business objectives?

2.???? Implement tactics with short term impacts?

3.???? Find that activities are easily replaced with cheaper alternatives?

4.???? Deliver reports that leaders never use?

?If you answer yes to some or all of these, then it’s time to find a place on the adult’s table.

?Find out what Max means by the adult’s table and the kid’s table in his LinkedIn post:

Podcast of the week: PR pitches & M&A news – January

As always, I highlight this podcast between Ben Smith of PRmoment and Andrew Bloch because it serves as such as useful barometer on the health of the industry in the UK.

Check it out here: ?

If you like what you have read in this newsletter, please do repost it to your network, comment on one or other of the topics that have been covered, and if you don't do so already, follow me for more shared posts on matters relating to agency management and comms in general.

https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/andyjhwest/

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Andy