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See below for the news and views from Alchemis.
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by Rob Anning
What is a new business audit and does your agency need one?
The team is busy and the client work is going well, yet new business arrives in fits and starts and nobody can say why. If that sounds familiar, a new business audit may be the right place to start. A…
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by George Thomas-Corr
The UK Agency Climate: Looking Ahead to 2027
As 2026 draws to a close, the UK agency market is entering 2027 in a more positive position than many might have expected – but it remains a challenging environment. Client spending is still moving in the right direction. UK…
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by Rob Anning
How marketing agencies can survive a client loss without panicking
One of the most important reasons for ALL agencies to maintain an ongoing new business strategy is because there will inevitably be situations where you lose an existing client. Whilst this may sometimes be through under delivery on your own…
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by Jim Piper
Better, Not Different – Why evolution is better than revolution for agency new business
In business, there is a constant temptation to reinvent. New channels emerge. New technologies promise to transform the way we work. Competitors reposition themselves. And suddenly, doing what you have always done can feel dangerously close to standing still. It…
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by Jim Piper
Be Curious: New Business the Lasso Way
The success of comedy and entertainment shows such as Ted Lasso comes from the depth in which they explore human psychology, empathy and emotional intelligence. In this particular series, also leadership and people management. The best comedy shows tend to…
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by Rob Anning
What is agency positioning, and why does it matter for winning new business?
With so many agencies vying with each other for new business, why should a client pick you? This is what agency positioning is all about. It’s basically a question of knowing how to get yourself noticed by creating a unique…
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by Rob Anning
In-house new business vs outsourced agency: which is right for your agency?
New business development is obviously vital for agency growth. But while an in-house team and an outsourced agency both serve much the same function, the key differences between them are worth considering before deciding which will work best for you.…
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by Jim Piper
Top tips on agency positioning and proposition to genuinely cut-through in 2026
We have already written about the phone being one of the most powerful tools in the new business mix. Just to recap, this is because: However, when engaging with a senior buyer, what is spoken needs to be relevant and…
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by Jim Piper
Phone-based prospecting is experiencing a resurgence. Here’s how to utilise it effectively
Pulp, Suede, The Manic Street Preachers, The Lightning Seeds and even Mis-Teeq are all reuniting for live performances. TFI Friday is back on our TVs and Number 10 has welcomed back Gordon Brown. Even Tony Blair is back on the…
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by Wil Grove
Why leave voicemails when doing cold new business outreach?
Picture this scenario: You are a new business manager for a creative marketing agency. You are trying to win new clients for your agency, and a significant part of this sales drive is an outbound calling campaign. You have a…
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by Rob Anning
Why new business prospects ghost you, and how to prevent it
In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, ‘ghosting’ is the act of suddenly ceasing all communication with someone without any explanation. The term is generally used in reference to a romantic relationship, but it can technically refer to any scenario…
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by Rob Anning
How New Business Agencies Can Add Real Value During Unpredictable Economic Times
It’s unlikely to have escaped your attention that the world seems to have gone “a bit mad” lately. Whilst I know there’s always been geo-political turmoil somewhere or other, it feels like following the economic shock of Covid (six years…
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by Rob Anning
Decades of new business experience
There may be cause for a small celebration at Alchemis this week, as another of our Account Managers hits the 10-year mark in their job here. Whilst some of you may wonder what the big deal is, this level of…
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by Rob Anning
Should AI recording tools be used in first time new business meetings?
With the ever-increasing range of AI tools entering the market, the temptation for Sales and New Business Managers to utilise these as a way of streamlining their jobs is understandably pretty high.Some might see it as having your own virtual…
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by George Thomas-Corr
Building a Reliable New Business Pipeline in 2026: Why Real Conversations Matter More Than Ever
In 2026, businesses are surrounded by more technology, data, and automation than ever before. AI writes emails, schedules meetings, scores leads, and predicts intent. Yet despite all this innovation, many pipelines are weaker, slower, and less predictable than they were…
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by Jim Piper
How to plan your 2026 new business strategy
No doubt you have received numerous “first week back” emails. However, these are the start of the year realities – fresh starts, grand plans and big ambitions!! New business is high on the agenda. A smorgasbord of thoughts, initiatives and…
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by Rob Anning
How marketing agencies can ask clients for referrals (without the awkwardness)
For most marketing agencies, referrals are the single most powerful source of new business. Referred leads tend to convert faster, trust you sooner, and stay longer. Yet many agencies avoid asking for them because it feels uncomfortable or overly direct.…
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by Rob Anning
The Myth of “We’ll Start Biz Dev Later”
As we are in the penultimate week before the Christmas close-down, we know it’s a distinct possibility that your agency may be more focused on putting fallen baubles back onto the office tree than ramping up your new business plans. However,…
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by Rob Anning
Why might marketing decision makers be more receptive in the run up to Christmas?
We’re at that time of year again where expectations and reality don’t quite tally. But not in a bad way. Often, clients and prospective clients are under the impression that December is a quiet month for new business and maybe…
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by Jim Piper
Why are European digital, creative and marketing agencies looking at the UK for growth?
Over the past few years, there has been a flurry of European creative, communications and marketing agencies opening London offices and bases elsewhere in the UK. It is not surprising as the UK advertising and creative marketplace is one of…
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by Jim Piper
Don’t Stunt Growth by Focusing on Brand New Business!!
New business is tough. It’s a journey, a process and not always immediate unless a significant dollop of luck is involved. Growth, however, can still be achieved in a faster timeframe and it is not all about new logos and…
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by Rob Anning
Human Relationships Still Win Deals
If you’re sitting in your creative agency, biting your nails and worrying whether you may be obsolete by the new year, I’m sure you’re not alone. The AI bubble is expanding at an incredible rate. A couple of decades ago…
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by Jim Piper
Winning the New Business You Want in 2026
Strategy and prospect management + data + real conversations = new clients Outbound new business is all about that extra 10%. A smart strategy will include inbound and referrals, but we know from our clients it is that extra 10-15%…
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by Rob Anning
What your agency website needs to convert more visitors into clients
Let’s be honest: you didn’t build your agency website just to look good. It’s there to win business. And yet, far too many agency sites miss the mark when it comes to converting visitors into leads and leads into clients.…
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by Jim Piper
Steal a March on New Business Opportunities for 2026
What to Expect in 2026 and Beyond As we move further into September, the run in to the end of the year is now well and truly upon us. Agency life moves at a frightening pace and, if you haven’t…
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by George Thomas-Corr
The benefits of a new business push now to sure up your agency for 2026
As we start the final month of Q3, 2026 is starting to loom into view for many businesses. Both the UK and the global economy still seem to be teetering on a level of uncertainty, but here are some simple…
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by Rob Anning
8 reasons why your agency needs a blog (even if you’re too busy)
I’m sure a lot of you are familiar with the following situation: You’re bombarded with messages from all directions which are screaming “content is king.” Meanwhile, the role you have in your agency requires you to keep 50 plates spinning…
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by Rob Anning
Marketing trends agencies should be using to attract new business
In a business so dependent on innovation and a constant stream of new ideas, it’s crucial that marketing agencies adapt and incorporate the best of them into their own marketing plans if they want to stand out from the crowd.…
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by Rob Anning
5 simple ways to build trust with potential clients
Building trust with potential clients begins with being honest, open and transparent. Communicating a sincere desire to listen to their needs. Demonstrating your professional expertise. Then delivering on your promises by providing them with a high value service. Below we…
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by George Thomas-Corr
The Power of the Phone as a New Business Tool
For years, many agencies have prioritised a ‘content-led approach’ for building relationships, often resorting to mass cold emails and LinkedIn messages. However, our experience has shown that picking up the phone remains the most effective way to initiate meaningful conversations…
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by Jim Piper
SME Agencies in 2025 – The Gloves Are Off for New Business
As agency specialists working across multiple disciplines and sectors, we have a good sense of the marketing, communications and creative commercial landscape. In 2025, the rules have changed for new business and for small to medium-sized marketing agencies, the gloves…
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by Rob Anning
How to handle price objections without undervaluing your services
Price objections are an everyday aspect of commercial life. So much so that figuring out how best to handle them has become something of a science that involves clarifying the underlying reasons for the objection in order to decide the…
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by Rob Anning
How to use case studies to attract new clients to your agency
Case studies are one of the most powerful marketing tools, which is why they’re used by more than 42% of marketers in their strategy. Think of them as testimonials or reviews from people who’ve had personal experience of a product…
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by Jim Piper
Lead generation for pharmaceutical, medical and healthcare communications agencies
Whether your agency’s sole focus is healthcare/pharma/medical communications, or if that is just one aspect to your offer, the pharmaceutical marketing landscape has undergone profound transformation over the past few years. This has been driven by technological advancements and changing…
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by Rob Anning
What is a sales funnel?
As a big fan of the film/play Glengarry Glen Ross, an unforgettable scene for me is when Alec Baldwin is standing at a blackboard lambasting a team of desperate salesmen at risk of losing their jobs as he explains buying…
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by Rob Anning
What are the pros and cons of AI lead generation?
There’s no denying that, whether we like it or not, artificial intelligence will become more and more commonplace as businesses attempt to secure an increasing number of new customers at an ever-lower cost per acquisition. But human interaction has been…
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by Rob Anning
How to differentiate your marketing agency
Having worked at Alchemis for 23 years, I have come across a multitude or marketing, creative, digital and, what seems like to me, hundreds of other seams, strands and splinters of weird and wonderful industry disciplines. I can look through…
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by Rob Anning
10 Tips to Help Your Agency Win New Business
Winning new business is a key element to the success of any agency’s development, whatever discipline you specialise in. Whilst this may come in many shapes and forms, there will always be common themes underpinning the process. You may just…
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by Rob Anning
Shout out to Frank’s Big TOE!
Whilst I find the physical exertion of running for a bus these days a little bit of a struggle, an old mate of mine is in the process of running 2,000 miles in 62 consecutive days. No, there is not…
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by Rob Anning
10 Interesting insights about winning new business
We all know that winning new business is essential for the growth of any company. In fact, I don’t think I would be exaggerating to say that, ultimately, no organisation can survive without it. So, with the help of good…
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by Rob Anning
Why risk using a new business agency when I can do it myself?
Before I give you any opinion about this subject, let me shed some light on what we actually do, so you can read this with some context. Alchemis is in the business of generating new business. We work with a…
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by Jake Blaney
Integrating Fanatical Prospecting and Gap Selling for Marketing Agencies
In the competitive arena of marketing agencies, where the pursuit of top-tier clients and standout projects becomes ever more challenging, two philosophies emerge as beacons of strategic outreach: Fanatical Prospecting and Gap Selling. When marketing agencies vie for the same…
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by George Thomas-Corr
Hard Sell vs. Soft Sell
In a world where economies both large and small stand or fall on selling their goods and services, the way you sell can be just as important as what you sell to your bottom line. For that reason, it’s essential…
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by Rob Anning
New Business – why it’s good to talk.
Does anyone else of a certain age have a nostalgic affection for TV adverts from the 80s and 90s? For someone like me, who has been “39” for the last 11 birthdays, I do miss some of the classic ads…
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by Rob Anning
Lead vs. prospect vs. sales opportunity: What’s the difference?
Leads, prospects and sales opportunities are often confused with each other, but they all mean something quite different, as becomes clear when you know how they all work together as necessary parts of the overall sales process. What is a…
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by Rob Anning
The Absence of Intelligence in AI New Business Targeting
If you’ve read many of my previous blogs, you may be aware of my belief that cold B2B new business targeting takes a fair amount of time and effort. Particularly if the service you’re selling will cost the buyer tens…
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by George Thomas-Corr
Top 10 tips on asking effective questions in new business meetings
As you will no doubt be aware by the very fact you have landed on this page, Alchemis is a new business agency. We help our clients however we can to achieve their business growth objectives and this includes helping…
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by Rob Anning
What’s the difference between sales and marketing?
Sales and marketing are the two major components needed to run a successful business. Both work together with the aim of finding, attracting and retaining customers for a company. Yet while both sales and marketing are integral features of this…
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by Rob Anning
The Christmas Effect On New Business Prospecting
Having been at Alchemis for almost 22 years now, I feel I can say with some level of confidence that I know a thing or two about how the company operates (what with that being my actual day job) and…
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by Rob Anning
What is an exhibition and how can they help lead generation
What are the advantages of exhibitions and trade shows for your business? Simply put, they’re a great way of showing off whatever you have to offer, and that makes them such an indispensable tool not just for generating new leads…
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by George Thomas-Corr
Get the best from your new business agency relationship
It’s the old cliché of you get out what you put in, but it is all too true when working with almost any supplier, and this is amplified if you engage with a business development agency. You have budgeted for…
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by Rob Anning
What is an icebreaker and what are the benefits of using one?
It goes without saying that finding new clients for marketing and creative agencies and generating new business is critical to achieving an agency’s business goals and to make it futureproof. It’s also true that actually doing this is easier said…
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by Jim Piper
Is an existing marketing budget the be all and end all of business development?
Anyone engaging with a new business agency would see budget as being a key part of the qualification process: “We don’t want to meet anyone without an approved budget for our marketing services!” On face value that is a perfectly…
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by Jason Hesdon
Making intelligent new business calls
In my role at Alchemis, one of my primary objectives is to get my clients in front of the people who will potentially do business with them. One of the key differentiating factors between the many “sales calls” that will…
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by Rob Anning
What is demand generation vs lead generation?
In the world of new business, in which we at Alchemis embrace with the same kind of tenacious enthusiasm as Erling Haaland when he has the chance to pop in the odd goal or two for Man City, we hear…
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by Dan S
Generating new business is much like the dating game
“Botanophobic landscape gardener – seeks similar”. Ok so admittedly, not all of us are going to find our perfect match, but if you’re willing to get yourself out there, a happy relationship awaits. What am I waffling on about? Let…
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by Rob Anning
What is cold email lead generation?
Cold email lead generation is a method used in marketing and sales to identify and reach out to potential customers or leads who have had no prior interaction with your business. If done well, it can be cost effective and…
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by Jim Piper
How to hit the ground running in 2024
If the last three years have taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected. There have been numerous challenges for businesses, not just in the UK but across the world, and the marketing industry is certainly not immune from…
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by George Thomas-Corr
The importance of following up new business leads
Business is a complex world. There are so many intricate pieces of the puzzle for success and many of these factors we can’t control easily. However, for those that we can, we need to control well… especially when it comes…
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by Jim Piper
Real time feedback – we’ve been doing it for over 30 years!
Over the last 15 years or so, the capacity for big brands to focus their efforts in the digital world and use social media to gather quick feedback has enabled them to adapt campaigns in real time. Indeed, some research…
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by George Thomas-Corr
Who should take responsibility for new business?
Marketing agencies come in all shapes and sizes. Each year sees advances in the industry which result in an increasingly diverse creative eco system as more and more specialist disciplines spring up. However, one thing agencies both old and new…
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by Dave Newman
How cognitive biases affect decisions when choosing a research agency
Picture the following scenario – you are a Research Manager or Head of Insight in your office, trying to make sense of a ton of data in a fiendishly complicated spreadsheet that’s just arrived in your inbox. The phone rings…
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by George Thomas-Corr
Lead Generation – How to Generate Quality Over Quantity
It’s the age-old cliché – quality over quantity. In fact, it’s an analogy that can be applied to most walks of life, not least in the lead generation game. Perhaps more accurately, it’s important to achieve a balance when it…
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by Jim Piper
Shorten the odds in the new business casino
New business is a game, a very serious game that can make or break an agency. Get it wrong and it can be expensive and ineffectual. Get it right and it can drive an agency upwards and, as a business…
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by Rob Anning
What are the key factors to consider for choosing the right new business agency?
As we have alluded to in previous articles, trusting an outsourced supplier to run a new business campaign – where they are directly representing your agency – may feel a bit like handing over your kid to the childminder. In…
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by Jim Piper
The collateral debate – case studies, more case studies and even more case studies!
As a co-owner of Alchemis, I get to meet hundreds of owner-drivers of marketing and creative communications agencies every year and one question I am frequently asked is ‘What type of collateral do I need to develop to support a…
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by George Thomas-Corr
Top Tips for Phone and Web Meetings
During the early days of Covid, moving from tried and tested face to face meetings to phone or web meets was an obvious necessity. Whilst we are firm believers in the mantra that people buy from people – and there…
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by Jim Piper
The Psychology of Perceived Value in Selling Your Agency Services
What really matters to B2B customers? It is not always just about the rational in the buying process. People buying agency services may have a range of conscious and subconscious triggers and playing to these may give your agency the…
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by Rob Anning
How Exhibitions Can Help With Lead Generation
As anyone who may have been poking about on our website might gather, I’ve been at Alchemis for a VERY long time. But prior to that – in the final 6 years of the last millennium in fact – I…
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by George Thomas-Corr
Why you need new business at your agency
I spend a lot of my working life meeting agencies of all sizes, disciplines, profiles and locations. Before these meetings are arranged, our sales team quite often hear the phrase “We don’t need any help with new business” when making…
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by Jim Piper
Don’t take no for an answer – a case study in the right approach, busting a gut, tenacity and great results!
We all know new business is tough, yet it remains essential to the survival and growth of any successful agency. There are various ways of going out and getting it, but (among other things) Alchemis are experts in the targeted…
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by Jim Piper
Top 5 tips for briefing your new business agency/partner
In the famous words of Forrest Gump, client briefings are like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get. The shortest I have been involved in is 30 minutes and the longest 4.5 hours. The…
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by Rob Anning
What is a lead generation agency?
A lead generation agency is a company or service provider that specialises in generating potential customer interest or inquiries (leads) for other businesses. Marketing and creative agencies need new clients to build and keep their business going in a fiercely…
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by Rob Anning
The Rise of AI – who is the author of the content you are reading?
One of the key things we pride ourselves on at Alchemis is the element of human interaction. We have always been great believers in the mantra that “people buy from people” and that is why we still spend a significant…
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by Rob Anning
Your first call should be like a work of art for successful new business
Business development in the agency world can be a pretty tough racket at times. It will often require the seller to convince the buyer to take a leap of faith. In many cases, you are effectively trying to put across…
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by Dave Newman
Considering hiring an in-house business development professional?
Recruiting, training, motivating and retaining good sales people is not easy. It’s one of the biggest reasons anyone would outsource the cold calling element of their new business in the first place. If you are a marketing agency that has…
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by Rob Anning
Why the summer months are crucial for new business
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…
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by Jim Piper
The importance of communicating your value to a prospect
What is a good value proposition? Our role in new business development is to help our clients define just that. It doesn’t matter if you are a creative, digital, research or any kind of agency, competition for business is rife…
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by Dave Newman
Spotting Companies Just About to Review Agencies
It’s the Holy Grail. Phoning someone just at the point they are reviewing or may be considering a new agency or indeed using an agency for the first time. If someone tells you that they can accurately predict this, take…
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by Rob Anning
How important is an icebreaker in new business?
In the world of marketing and creative agencies, it would be a fair assumption to say that a decent sized client account will likely have a significant price tag attached to it. Typically, we would expect most clients of the…
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by George Thomas-Corr
Setting the right tone for business development
I have always believed that human interaction is critical in the sales and business development process. One aspect of this has been linked to the physical aspect of picking up the telephone and having an intelligent conversation rather than just…
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by Jim Piper
How appointing a new business agency can feel like handing your child over.
I was at a meeting recently with a really interesting agency (genuinely imaginative, innovative and pioneering) and one of the most common objections for outsourcing business development to an agency like Alchemis came up. The objection is similar to the…
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by George Thomas-Corr
5 Things To Avoid In New Business
With over 35 years experience at the sharp end of business development, we have witnessed absolute talent and frankly, downright nonsense when it comes to agencies trying to win new clients. Here are just a few examples of what NOT…
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by Dave Newman
New Business – Should you outsource or hire internally?
The short answer to this is “it depends on your budget…” But as there are so many variables that contribute to a productive and profitable new business campaign (in fact, far too many to address in one blog), I will…
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by Rob Anning
What does the Apprentice teach us about Lead Generation?
For any Apprentice fans out there (yes, I know it’s not as good as it used to be but it still provides just about enough entertainment to muster an office sweepstake each year), last night’s episode was my favourite of…
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by George Thomas-Corr
What can we learn from the CIM’S CMO75 report?
One of the most prominent issues currently facing this country is the cost of living crisis which, if following logic, would imply marketers are in for a tough time as consumers cut back on spending in non-essential areas. However, the…
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by Jim Piper
Act now to grow your agency in 2023.
As if the last few years had not been challenging enough for businesses across the country, the last few days have surprised us with even more turmoil. However, by following some new business basics and sticking to a sound strategy,…
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