Let’s face it – the world of sales can be tough – even using that word can cause some of us to have a psychological response, so in this episode we have bought a guest that loves everything to do with sales and media… and will make you love it a bit more too! Our guest is the fantastic Amanda Ruddy from ALF Insight which is a business development and marketing tool that makes sales easier for those working in the media and marketing industries. Through data and insights related to the Top 6000 spending UK advertisers, their brands and incumbent media agencies ALF Insight makes the hard job of sales a little bit easier.

Amanda is Head of Sales so she’s perfectly placed to discuss the often taboo topic of getting sales right in this episode. And as someone who sells – specifically to agencies – who is better placed to help us understand the art and science of agency prospecting and standing out during that sales process.

In this episode we discuss:

• What helps you stand out when prospecting

• The challenges of prospecting

• How to spot movement in a marketing team

• What should you be doing?

• What channels can you utilise?

• Putting in the legwork for the long game

Links & References

Katie Street: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/

Amanda Ruddy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-ruddy-6598b623/

Word on the Street is sponsored by Tanba, The Agency New Business Academy, is a brand-new initiative aimed at equipping agencies of all sizes with the knowledge, content, partnerships and opportunities needed to accelerate agency growth by optimising their new business ‘engine’. Tanba is an on-demand and affordable solution for agencies looking to upskill their team via training courses, content and insights delivered by our panel of industry experts, leaders, and partners.

The academy is all about empowering agency teams to get noticed, attract opportunities, increase conversion rates, and reduce the costs associated with the sales process. Visit https://tanba.io/ to find out more and start empowering your agency.

“The 2 major challenges when it comes to prospecting new business are…” – Amanda Ruddy [06:35]

“When you’re getting movement in the marketing team, that is a big signal that there’s going to be change” – Amanda Ruddy [07:42]

“There are so many changes that can signify upcoming movement” – Amanda Ruddy [08:39]

“When we’re running our campaigns, we’re looking at real time engagement” – Katie Street [10:38]

“There are quite a lot of basic things that everyone should be doing now and if they’re not, then they’re gonna’ be lost a little bit” – Amanda Ruddy [16:28]

“I feel like sales is changing so much and this pandemic has accelerated that” – Amanda Ruddy [17:17]

“Buyers want to know an agency through and through” – Amanda Ruddy [18:31]

“First of all you need to define what the problem your potential client has and then what the value exchange that you can provide them with is” – Katie Street [19:07]

“There used to be a reticence around, oh we don’t want to give away all our secrets” – Katie Street [19:34]

“All it’s doing, is it’s showing the world that you really are an expert, in a particular area or with a particular problem” – Amanda Ruddy [21:14]

 “I think using different channels to get your message across is so important” – Amanda Ruddy [23:29]

“What about all the new channels people have to utilise?” – Amanda Ruddy [24:29]

“You’ve just got to think about how you frame your approach” – Katie Street [27:14]

“Nobody is using video for their prospecting” – Amanda Ruddy [28:46]

“The struggle is getting in front of somebody” – Amanda Ruddy [31:09]

“Don’t be a balshy aggressive sales person” – Katie Street [34:19]

“A key thing to remember, decision makers and buyers are getting younger and younger” – Amanda Ruddy [34:50]

“I just think embrace it, be real and give it a go, what’s the worst that could happen” – Katie Street [36:20]

“An obvious market to continue keeping your eye on is D to C” – Amanda Ruddy [37:25]

“You’ve got small local brands, a bakery for example, that have handled Covid by creating a D to C arm” – Amanda Ruddy [38:47]

“I think you need to think about the brands that NEED your help” – Katie Street [40:03]

“It can take a long time to work with a brand and it’s not just a case of finding that particular moment, it’s actually the leg work you put in over a long period of time” – Amanda Ruddy [41:37]

“You’ve got to plan budget, time for at least a year” – Katie Street [44:53]

“Consistency for any sales person has got to be key” – Amanda Ruddy [46:26]