Winning Agency New Business Before the RFP

The future of agency new business isn't won in the pitch room; it's built in the quiet months and years leading up to it. This conversation with Drew McLellan reveals a stark reality: buyers are already sold on a preferred vendor by the time an RFP lands, often influenced by invisible forces like algorithms and peer recommendations. The hidden consequence? Agencies clinging to outdated sales tactics are unknowingly losing opportunities before they even know they exist. This analysis is crucial for agency owners and leaders who want to shift from reactive pitching to proactive influence, gaining a significant competitive advantage by mastering the buyer's pre-RFP journey.

The Invisible Shortlist: Winning Before the Pitch

The traditional agency pitch, once the main event, has devolved into a mere formality--a final exam for a class that's already been passed or failed. Drew McLellan argues that the vast majority of B2B buyers, a staggering 92% according to Forrester, have already identified at least one preferred vendor, with 41% having a clear favorite, before the RFP process even begins. This means the "agency shootout" is largely a charade; buyers are using the pitch to confirm a decision already made, not to create one from scratch. The real competition unfolds in the months, even years, prior, on an "invisible shortlist" that agencies must actively seek to join.

This shift means agencies that rely on traditional sales methods--assuming a blank slate when an RFP arrives--are fundamentally misjudging the buyer's journey. The crucial work happens when the buyer isn't actively looking for an agency, but is quietly consuming content, seeking advice, and forming opinions. McLellan highlights that buyers typically engage with around a dozen pieces of content before even considering an agency. This content includes an agency's website, case studies, thought leadership on platforms like LinkedIn, podcast appearances, and guest articles. Simultaneously, they are actively participating in peer groups, Slack channels, and forums, asking for recommendations.

"The reality is the pitch isn't where you win anymore. The pitch is really where you go to not lose."

-- Drew McLellan

This invisible groundwork is where competitive advantage is forged. Agencies that consistently publish outcome-focused content, engage in relevant communities, and build relationships with "trust brokers" position themselves as the obvious, safe choice when a buying need arises. Conversely, those who remain discoverable only when actively pitching are relegated to the role of an afterthought, a vendor added for procurement purposes rather than a true partner of choice. The core question for agency leaders becomes: "What are we doing today that deliberately gets us onto those invisible shortlists 6 to 18 months before an RFP ever hits our inbox?" This proactive approach, focused on building authority, visibility, and trust over time, is the new battleground for agency new business.

The Trust Brokerage: Navigating the Skeptical Buyer

In an era increasingly defined by a "trust crisis," where seven in ten people hesitate to trust those with different worldviews, the role of peer validation and trusted networks has become paramount. The Edelman Trust Barometer’s findings underscore that trust is no longer top-down from institutions but flows horizontally across personal networks. For agencies, this translates into a critical reliance on "trust brokers"--peers, partners, and influencers who actively or passively vouch for an agency's capabilities.

McLellan illustrates this with an anecdote of an agency landing a seven-figure account not because of a superior pitch, but because three trusted individuals independently recommended them to the CMO within a single quarter. This pattern of social proof, built over time through consistent positive interactions and referrals, creates a sense of safety for the buyer. Agencies that treat referrals as a passive hope rather than an active strategy are missing a fundamental lever of influence.

The implication for agencies is clear: cultivating and nurturing these relationships is not a soft skill, but a strategic imperative for future growth. This involves identifying clients, peers, and influencers who already love and trust the agency, and then actively working to strengthen those connections. The goal is to move relationships from "cold" or "dormant" to "warm" and eventually "active referrers" through genuine curiosity and generosity, without an immediate ask. This "slow burn" approach, while demanding patience and effort, builds a robust pipeline of opportunities that are pre-vetted and de-risked for the buyer, creating a durable competitive moat.

Marketing to Machines: The Algorithmic Gatekeeper

Beyond human influence, agencies must now contend with a new gatekeeper: algorithms and AI. As McLellan points out, buyers are increasingly using AI assistants to research and shortlist agencies. These AI systems, unlike humans, rely on visible, structured data to make recommendations. They crawl websites, LinkedIn profiles, case studies, and third-party mentions, looking for consistent patterns in niche focus, problem-solving, and outcome language.

This algorithmic reality demands a dual approach to marketing: making expertise human-readable through clear, compelling language, and machine-readable through consistent terminology and structured content. An agency that positions itself inconsistently--as a "full-service integrated marketing agency" one day and a "digital storyteller" the next--will appear generic or irrelevant to AI. Conversely, an agency with a clear, repeated focus on a specific niche and demonstrable outcomes will be surfaced confidently by AI when a buyer queries for that expertise.

"AI is looking for those patterns. It's looking for repeated phrases about who you serve, repeated topics that you talk about, clear outcome language: 'We increase demos,' 'We reduce churn,' 'We lifted sales,' third-party sites that describe you."

-- Drew McLellan

The challenge is to optimize for both human connection and algorithmic discoverability without resorting to keyword stuffing. This means ensuring that core positioning, niche focus, and outcome-driven language are consistently reflected across all digital touchpoints. The ability to be found by both humans and machines, through deliberate and consistent communication, is no longer a technicality but a foundational element of future-proofing an agency's growth strategy.

The Four Pillars of Obviousness and Safety

To navigate this evolving landscape, McLellan outlines four essential pillars that buyers--both human and algorithmic--seek when evaluating agencies: clarity, evidence, social proof, and humanity.

1. Clarity: This is about immediate, unmistakable positioning. If an agency's website or elevator pitch could apply to any number of firms, it lacks clarity. Buyers need to instantly understand who the agency serves and what specific problems it solves. Ambiguity leads to immediate disengagement.

2. Evidence: This pillar demands proof of competence, primarily through outcome-focused case studies. Generic statements like "raising awareness" are insufficient. Buyers want to see quantifiable business results--increased demos, reduced cost per acquisition, improved sales--tied directly to the agency's work. The question is, "Can you do for us what you've done for people like us?"

3. Social Proof: This encompasses all external validation--testimonials, referrals, podcast appearances, guest articles, awards, and client mentions. It answers the question, "Do other smart people trust them?" In a skeptical market, third-party endorsements provide a crucial layer of safety.

4. Humanity: This relates to the agency's personality, values, and the genuine human beings behind the brand. Buyers want to know if they can connect with and trust the people they'll be working with. Authentic points of view, transparent communication about how the agency works, and a clear sense of values contribute to this pillar.

Mastering these four pillars--ensuring an agency is clear, provides evidence, garners social proof, and exhibits humanity--is the blueprint for becoming the obvious, safe choice in the buyer's mind, long before the pitch even occurs.

Key Action Items

• Immediate Actions (Next 7-30 Days):

  • The 5-Minute Stranger Test: Conduct this audit with your leadership team. Incognito browser, search for your agency and niche. Answer in writing: What do you do? Who is it for? Is it clear? How easy is the evidence to find? Score your likelihood of being shortlisted (1-10). If below a 7, flag as a 90-day fix.
  • Trust Broker Map - Initial Draft: List 5-10 current/former clients who love you, 5-10 peers/partners, and 5-10 influencers/curators in your niche. Label each A (active referrer), B (warm relationship), or C (cold/dormant).
  • Buyer Email Test: Send a short email to 3-5 trusted clients asking what they read, heard, or saw that made them consider your agency and what surprised them about their own process.

• Short-Term Investments (Next 30-90 Days):

  • Case Study Deep Dive & Rewrite: Select your top 5 clients from the last 2-3 years. Document their problem, your solution (high-level), and measurable outcomes. Rewrite these case studies to be buyer-centric and outcome-focused.
  • Trust Broker Map - Nurturing: Set relationship goals: move 3-5 "B" contacts one step closer (e.g., coffee, Zoom call, share something useful). Reactivate 2-3 "C" contacts with a simple, non-ask note.
  • Authority Building Sprint - Channel Selection: Identify one primary channel where your buyers pay attention (LinkedIn, newsletter, podcast ecosystem, etc.). Commit to this channel for the next 90 days.

• Medium-Term Investments (Next 90 Days - 6 Months):

  • Authority Building Sprint - Execution: Within your chosen channel, commit to:
    • 3-5 substantial posts/pieces sharing a point of view, client lesson, or addressing buyer confusion.
    • 1 signature piece (webinar, guest article, podcast interview).
    • 1 collaborative effort with a trust broker (co-host, guest on peer's webinar, panel participation).
  • Case Study Publication Plan: Develop a plan to publish at least three outcome-focused case studies within the next 60 days. Prioritize consistency over perfection.
  • Positioning Refinement: Based on the Stranger Test and Buyer Email Test insights, refine your agency's core positioning to enhance clarity. Ensure this language is reflected on your website and key marketing materials.

• Longer-Term Investments (6-18 Months):

  • Consistent Content Cadence: Establish and maintain a regular schedule for publishing outcome-focused content across your chosen channels. This builds both human and algorithmic discoverability.
  • Proactive Relationship Building: Continuously nurture your trust broker network, focusing on consistent engagement and value exchange.
  • Algorithmic Optimization: Ensure your agency's digital footprint consistently uses clear, buyer-centric language and outcome-focused terminology to be easily understood by AI and search algorithms. This pays off in sustained, inbound lead generation.