Sell With Authority

I’m excited to welcome our guest expert to the podcast today, Tim Kilroy. If this is your first time being introduced to Tim — he’s the Founder of Build Your Agency Better, where he helps agencies fix what’s broken and grow the right way. He’s been in the trenches, he’s led from the front — and he knows his stuff when it comes to agency growth. I invited Tim to join me today because I wanted to dig into his perspectives around agency biz dev — specifically, I recently read one of Tim’s LinkedIn posts and thought, “Yep — this is right on the money.” The headline of that post? “5 things to fix that will boost your close rate.” And that’s exactly what we unpack in this episode. Tim and I break down each of the five — piece by piece — so you can take his insights and apply them directly into your sales process. I’d like you to keep two questions in mind as we go through Tim’s 5 fixes: First — are you actually doing all five? If not — you’ve now got a clear set of action steps to put into practice. Second — if you are doing them — could you be doing them with deeper excellence, more consistency, and greater impact? If you take the insights and wisdom Tim shares in this episode and actually apply them — you’ll remove friction from your sales process, you’ll create more momentum with prospects — and you’ll make your agency an easier “yes.” What you will learn in this episode:  Why knowing what problem you’re solving, and for who, makes biz dev so much easier Why premature pitching shuts down momentum — and how to keep your sales conversations on track The “return on understanding” metric that could transform your discovery process How to use your right-fit prospect’s language, pain points, and context to position your agency as an easy yes Why clarity around next-steps is essential The truth about many agency case studies Simple but overlooked shifts that can turn your biz dev into a repeatable, reliable system — no matter what the market is doing Resources: Website: https://timkilroy.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timkilroy/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agencygrowthcoach/ Agency Assessment

Now — more than ever — it’s time to double down on nurturing your leads with excellence, so you can sell more of what you do. Back in Episode 131 of the podcast my business partner and Predictive’s Chief Strategy Officer, Erik Jensen, dropped some serious wisdom about how uncertainty kills sales. He laid out how showing up consistently — for your audience, for your right-fit prospects, for your clients — with helpful, relevant content that leans into their biggest business issues — that’s how you remove friction from your sales process. And when you do that — something pretty amazing happens. You create hope. You create certainty. But maybe you’re thinking — well, that’s great in theory — and we think we know the challenges our prospects are facing — but we’re not 100% sure which ones they actually care about most. That’s exactly what we dive into today with Erik — to help us go deeper. Erik walks us through a quick refresher on what we call the Transformation Triangle — it’s one of the best tools we use when helping agencies and B2B businesses get clear on the real value they deliver and the real problems their prospects want solved. But that’s not all. We introduce you to a new strategy we call the 7:1 Cadence — a process Erik and Hannah built for collecting the right data, analyzing what’s working, and making smart adjustments to your content and distribution strategy. The result? Your prospects gain more certainty. You reduce friction. Your biz dev strategy wins more often. If you apply the insights and action steps Erik shares, you and your team will remove uncertainty, collect better insights, and create content that actually lands with your right-fit prospects. What you will learn in this episode: How the Transformational Triangle can sharpen your agency’s focus Why specificity creates certainty in your sales process and enhances client trust Understanding your clients’ business issues versus tactical ones Why the 7:1 Cadence is a game-changer for nurturing leads — and what it can reveal about your audience How to refine your strategy using meaningful data and insights for faster, more lucrative decision-making Resources: Website: www.predictiveroi.com Transformational Triangle: www.predictiveroi.com/triangle/ Visit our newly expanded Resource Library Join us in our free How to Fill Your Sales Pipeline Facebook Group Erik’s LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-jensen-b9946068/ Order your free paperback or Kindle copy of our Book: Sell with Authority

Before I introduce you to our special guest expert today, I want to take a moment to share some context I think will tee up today’s topic — and why we wanted to have this conversation. Right now, 70% of business leaders rank “showing care” as a top priority — but many of them struggle with how to express “care” effectively.   If you’re looking for strategies to make your agency an easy yes for your right-fit prospects — or how to get onto their radar in the first place — crafting a plan to build strategic engagement should be a key part of your mix. That’s why we’re excited to have Jamie Shibley, CEO of The Expressory, back for this encore interview. We unpack the research findings, explore key insights — and most importantly map out some action steps you can take and apply right away. I also invited Hannah Roth, our Director of Strategy and resident mad scientist here at Predictive, to join in the conversation. Hannah works in the trenches every day alongside our clients, helping them sell more of what they do. If you take and apply the insights Jamie shares with us, you will absolutely help your right-fit prospects feel the care you want them to feel, deepen relationships — and sell more of what you do in the process. What you will learn in this episode:  Why only 34% of companies craft a documented engagement strategy — and how you can easily outshine the competition The key elements of a successful engagement strategy How to implement a documented engagement strategy Steps to shift from a transactional mindset to a relational one The synergy between personal storytelling and intentional gifting Real-world examples of how businesses use strategic engagement to fuel growth Resources: Website: https://www.theexpressory.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-shibley-76a3402/

Before I introduce you to today’s guest, I want to take a quick moment to share a recap from our recent 2-day Intensive that we hosted for Predictive clients and guests on March 19th and 20th. If you’re not familiar with our Intensives, three times a year — March, July, and November — we bring our Predictive clients together on Zoom for what we call the “2-day Intensive.” It’s where we pull back the curtain on Predictive’s best strategies and tactics, breaking everything down in full transparency so our clients can take the key insights and install them into their agencies. This past March, we focused on one critical goal — helping agencies sell more of what they do. Drew McLellan, CEO of Agency Management Institute, kicked things off on Day 1 with a deep dive into how to build and nurture a thriving community.  On Day 2, Hannah Roth — our Director of Strategy and resident Mad Scientist here at Predictive — absolutely crushed it. She walked us through key components of the sales process — including a technique she calls Align and Prescribe. That’s exactly why I invited Hannah to join me on today’s episode. We break down Align and Prescribe step by step, so you can see how it works — and most importantly, how you can put it into action inside your agency. If you take what Hannah shares today and apply it, you and your team will be Aligning and Prescribing like pros and closing more sales in a way that feels natural, confident, and right-fit. What you will learn in this episode: How to set the stage with confidence and own the conversation Recapping your prospective client’s concerns turns potential pitfalls into trust-building moments Hannah’s high impact questions that will shorten the sales cycle How to leverage storytelling instead of relying solely on facts The subtle transitions from help me understand calls to aligning on solutions that resonate deeply with right-fit prospects How you can get Hannah’s new eBook on Align and Prescribe Resources: Website: www.predictiveroi.com Visit our newly expanded Resource Library Join us in our free How to Fill Your Sales Pipeline Facebook Group Hannah’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-roth-387a6b223/ Order your free paperback or Kindle copy of our Book: Sell with Authority

I’m over the moon excited for today’s conversation because we have a special encore guest joining us — the absolutely brilliant Dia Bondi. If you’re meeting Dia for the first time, here’s what you need to know — she works with senior leaders, founders, and ambitious professionals to help them find their voice and lead with it. She’s helped her clients secure hundreds of millions of dollars in decisions and resources that have shaped the future of their teams and businesses. Back in Episode 143, I shared how my Predictive team and I first experienced Dia’s magic — watching her absolutely command the stage at the Build a Better Agency Summit in 2023. She had the entire room hanging on every word, and it was clear she had mapped a specific path for her audience. Every single piece of that keynote was intentionally framed. It was powerful, it was masterful, and in that episode, Dia and I broke down exactly how she did it. We ran out of time though, before we could dig into something big — The Platform Map. That is the focus of this conversation. Joining is our Director of Strategy and Mad Scientist, Hannah Roth. Hannah was in that same audience, experiencing Dia’s keynote in real time, and when I asked if she’d be game to join this encore, I barely finished my sentence before she said, “YES!!!” If you take what Dia shares about Purpose, Providence, Point of View, and Principles — and how they all come together in The Platform Map — you’ll be able to build stronger rapport with your right-fit prospects — and make it easy for them to see why they should buy from you. What you will learn in this episode: How to cultivate the courage to speak from the heart and become a masterful communicator Why aligning your authentic voice with your business strategy is key to leadership success The power of using a framework — like the Platform Map — to develop a distinctive leadership voice How your origin story and accomplishments serve as evidence of your unique voice How you can join Dia for her next virtual session to develop your Platform Map Resources: Website: https://www.diabondi.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dia-bondi/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dia-bondi/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diabondia/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@diabondi The Transformational Voice Intensive: https://www.diabondi.com/intensive Resources for Podcast Listeners: https://www.diabondi.com/swa Ask Like An Auctioneer: https://www.diabondi.com/book How to Master the Perfect Ask, with Dia Bondi

I am thrilled to introduce my guest expert for this episode of Sell With Authority, Taylor McMaster. She is the Founder and CEO of DOT & Company, where they specialize in helping agencies take exceptional care of their clients so agency owners can stay focused on what truly moves the needle — like growing the shop. Taylor is an expert in account management. She knows all the big and small details that make an excellent account manager…excellent. Today we focus on a thin slice of account management — and it’s the slice that takes place immediately after your client says yes to what you put forward during your biz dev process. You already know that onboarding isn’t just about executing strategies and tactics — it’s your client’s first proof point that they made the right decision in hiring your agency. Did they pick the right team? Did they invest in the right expertise? It’s on you to reaffirm that they made the best choice. But here’s the challenge—how do we do that with excellence? That’s exactly why I invited Taylor onto the podcast. We peel back the layers of DOT & Company’s client onboarding system so you can implement these strategies inside your agency. If you take what Taylor shares and put it into action — you’ll raise the bar of excellence in your onboarding process. That will make selling more of what you do feel like a lighter lift. What you will learn in this episode: How Taylor pivoted from owning a marketing agency to creating an account management agency — and why it skyrocketed Why prioritizing proactive communication post-sale is key to building confidence and trust with right-fit clients Balancing automation with a personal touch in the onboarding process How to delegate task-oriented client information gathering without overwhelming them Setting the gold standard for account management — and why it’s crucial to articulate these standards clearly Resources: Website: www.dotandcompany.co Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dotandcompany LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylormcmaster/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dot_and_company/ YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9_2hri1R1uaNTGeZr0Oyxg/

If you’ve been here before, you know at Predictive we’re all about helping agency owners sell more of what they do for a higher fee. That’s why I’m super excited for today’s conversation — because I have the privilege of introducing you to our guest expert, John Heenan. If this is your first time meeting John — he’s an agency new business expert who rolls up his sleeves and works directly with small to mid-size agencies to refine their biz dev strategy, build out their teams, and execute in a way that wins new business. Recently, I was reading through John’s blog, and one particular post stood out to me: The Business Development Dilemma. In it, he wrote, “In the agency business — standing still is moving backward. The agencies that will win are those that take proactive steps now to grow and evolve.”  I couldn’t agree more! After reading his post, I immediately reached out to John and invited him to join me on the podcast — so we could dig deeper into the dilemmas he outlined. The reality is that the way we go to market, serve our clients, and even how our clients measure success has shifted. And the way we integrate all of this into our biz dev strategy is critical to ensuring that your agency isn’t just another option — but the only option. Delivering great work is one thing. Teaching and selling from a position of authority — so you’re the only one in the room — is quite another. If you take and apply the insights John shares — you won’t be caught standing still.  Instead, you’ll be positioning your agency to sell more of what you do in 2025. What you will learn in this episode: Why John believes agency mergers and acquisitions will spike, boosting agency prospects in 2025 How agencies are moving toward full-funnel capabilities that combine both performance and brand How data management agencies are evolving into comprehensive customer experience providers Knowing your agency’s DNA to leverage your biz dev strategy Ways to be ready for market changes Key factors for crafting a distinguished agency positioning strategy Resources: Website: https://jheenan.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jheenan/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jheenan-consulting/

I am over the moon excited to have today’s brilliant guest expert returning to this episode of Sell With Authority. If you’re meeting Marcel Petitpas for the first time — he was my guest generously sharing his wisdom in episodes 95 and 111 of the SWA podcast. He’s off the charts awesome! If you don’t already know Marcel, he’s the CEO and Co-Founder of Parakeeto — and an expert on agency profitability. Today, we dive deep into a critical topic: why scaling your agency without keeping a close eye on profitability can actually do more harm than good. Marcel shares his smarts around the intricate world of profitability traps —those sneaky pitfalls that can quietly erode your margins if you’re not paying attention — and secretly derail your agency’s success. We explore cash flow traps — how payment terms and project timelines can create cash crunches if you’re not careful. We also break down the myth of revenue versus AGI and why a $10 million agency with razor-thin margins might need to operate more like a $1 million shop to stay healthy. If you’ve heard him before — you know Marcel backs up his insights with numbers and examples. He goes by the math to illustrate all of the key points in detail. So grab your notepad to double down on strategies that will help you sell more of what you do — and drive agency profitability. What you will learn in this episode: The difference between cash and accrual accounting — and why getting it wrong will set you back How to recognize and navigate the cash flow traps that could be sabotaging your agency’s profitability The misleading nature of revenue figures and the significance of focusing on AGI (Agency Gross Income) Why simply having more clients or projects isn’t a surefire way to increase your bottom line How payment terms might be quietly eroding your cash reserves — and what you can do to rectify it Smart strategies for structuring contracts and payment schedules to improve financial predictability The psychological shift you need to make to step away from the trap of a false sense of financial health Resources: Website: https://parakeeto.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcel-petitpas-20059588/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agencyprofitability Twitter: https://twitter.com/Parakeeto Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getparakeeto/ Agency Profit Toolkit The Parakeeto Foundations Course Software as a Science: Unlock Limitless Recurring Revenue Without Losing Control

I am super thrilled to welcome back today’s encore guest, Karl Sakas. If this is your first time meeting Karl, he was the brilliant guest expert back in Episode 79 of Sell With Authority, where we dug into his expertise on helping agencies work less and earn more. In that episode, Karl and I broke down three key pieces of the biz dev process — niche, refining and delegating. In this encore interview, we take it further. We peel back even more layers of biz dev and then connect it directly to operations. Wondering why you and your team should care about this conversation? Recently, Hannah, Erik, and I were working with a client here at Predictive, helping them map out what we call the HERO Offer — and then shaping all the sales language they’d use to tee it up in a conversation with a right-fit prospect. Everything was rolling. Great momentum.  And then — we hit resistance. So we tapped the brakes and asked, “Wait, what’s happening here?” After some digging, we realized the HERO Offer wasn’t fully aligned with how their team actually operated and delivered work. That moment was a huge Ah-Ha! Had we not paused and had that candid discussion, selling more would’ve just meant more chaos. So — this episode is about calming the chaos in your agency. Karl breaks down the root causes of chaos inside an agency as well as how to fix it — so you can make it easier to deliver the services your right-fit clients need — and easier to sell more of what you do. What you will learn in this episode: How to identify and define chaos in your agency The root causes of chaos Why the three A’s of communication are pivotal for organizational success The importance of syncing your biz dev processes with operations A framework for making delegation effective Strategies to handle leadership challenges and drive profitability Advanced retrospectives for vision-setting and strategic growth Resources: Website: https://sakasandcompany.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlsakas/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sakas-&-company/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SakasAndCompany/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarlSakas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SakasandCompanyTeam/ Calm the Chaos: 10 Ways to Run a Better Agency: https://sakasandcompany.com/lp/calm-the-chaos-book/ Steps in the Sales Process, with Karl Sakas

Here at Predictive, we’re all about sharing the strategies and frameworks that help agency owners sell more of what you do — with confidence and authority. That’s why I’m thrilled to welcome our guest expert, Scott Ramey, to this episode of Sell With Authority. Scott is a sales expert with 30 years in the trenches, and former Fortune 500 C-suite executive with more than $100 billion of sales under his belt. Today, Scott is the Founder of The Ramey Group. I’ve been especially looking forward to this conversation because we have a rule we live by when we teach — and that’s The Power of Three. We design our frameworks in 3’s. We organize our episodes in 3’s. We run 3 Intensives each year — March, July, and November. Scott also believes deeply in The Power of Three, and we break down his Power of Three into core questions that you can start using right away — the next time you and your team are prepping for a conversation with a right-fit prospect. Scott’s model not only simplifies messages — but also fosters authentic connections and lasting impressions with right-fit prospects, setting you apart from the sea of sameness. If you take these insights and apply them, your right-fit prospects will see and hear that you’re all about helping them win. And when they see that — saying yes becomes a lot easier. What you will learn in this episode: How you can tap into the “Power of Three” to crush anxiety and build confidence in right-fit client conversations The secrets to making your pitch memorable Showing up 100% present for your audience — it’s time to double down on empathy and authenticity How to create a lasting impact by leaving your right-fit prospects with hope and vision Why owning your voice is the doorway to owning the room and securing the pitch Resources: Website: https://thescottramey.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-ramey-53977b14a/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scott.ramey.52/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.scottramey/