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 than done. Like in any new relationship, it is crucial that the initial communication between the two parties is as comfortable as possible to help them open up to the conversation.

What is an icebreaker?

Simply put, an icebreaker is the initial interaction made between parties. The purpose of the icebreaker is to facilitate conversation and help ‘break the ice’ between people who have never spoken before.

In some instances where there are larger groups, the icebreaker may be an activity or game which includes some kind of introduction and helps to warm up conversation among the participants. This then allows them to fully engage in the rest of the session or conversation – without any barriers.

In this context, it is the initial connection between a marketing or creative agency and a prospective new client which requires an effective icebreaker to facilitate a larger conversation about their business’s needs and any requirements that could be supported by the agency.

What are the benefits of using an icebreaker?

Aside from breaking the initial ‘ice’ of a cold conversation, ice breakers can help improve the efficiency of the meeting or training by strengthening the bond between participants.

But they can also work very well for warming up the room even for people who are already familiar with each other.

An icebreaker can get people talking, create laughter and help participants start with an initial level of comfort.

Break the ice with Alchemis

When working with an agency like Alchemis, you don’t need to worry about icebreakers with new business prospects. This is fulfilled by account managers who will work closely with a marketing or creative agency to define the best strategy for generating opportunities and new business, then create a campaign to achieve those goals.

A good business development agency will take the time to understand your agency’s unique personality, its qualification criteria, positioning and special points of difference, then use a range of tools to develop compelling, clear stories to take to a defined list of key target prospects or specific companies your agency wants to work with.

The object of this exercise is to reassure the decision makers at those companies, with the responsibility and budget to appoint a new agency, that your agency will do a good job for them.

When you work with a highly experienced and proven business development agency like Alchemis, they’ll be able to use a range of tools to identify the right prospects for you, ensuring these are fully qualified across a defined range of key criteria. 

As every agency has different new business needs, lead generation alone might be enough for one, another might need wider support with proposition development, collateral and new business strategy.

Our approach

Alchemis find that working as part of an agency’s team delivers the best results, as does selecting the right Account Manager for an agency’s style, culture and approach.

The Account Manager works closely with the Account Director and has access to a full range of resources, along with a campaign support team, for compiling research, data and competitor analysis, clarifying KPIs and expectations.

Using this approach, we are able to create a bespoke, intelligent new business campaign that focuses on a client’s objectives and ambitions. One that identifies and delivers opportunities with decision makers within organisations that fit a client’s defined target profile of specific companies they want to work with.

All of this so that when you come to actually speak with a prospect yourself, your Account Manager will have already have smoothed the way for you through intelligent, in-depth conversations, and gained insights into their needs, challenges and personality.

Our team can even help with training to maximise the meeting itself, besides offering support post meeting to cultivate and move any prospect to the next stage, or keep in touch to ensure the next brief or opportunity is not missed.

If you are looking for a new business partner to identify, and break the ice with potential new clients you want to be working with, please get in touch.