
Sell With Authority
The Sell with Authority Podcast is all about helping marketing agencies sell more of what they do for a higher price. How do you attract a steady stream of well-prepared prospects into your sales pipeline? How do you step away from the sea of competitors so you stand out? How do you price your services? How do you get clients to say yes to your proposal?
Each episode contains valuable insights, recommendations, and tangible examples of best practices — not theoretical prose. Every step — every tool you need to establish your authority position, to grow and nurture your audience, and to sell more of what you do is all here in full transparency.
The podcast is hosted by Stephen Woessner, CEO of Predictive ROI. And — Drew McLellan, CEO of Agency Management Institute and co-author with Stephen of the book “Sell with Authority”, will be a frequent guest expert and contributor.
Latest episodes

Nov 29, 2023 • 44min
Getting Back to the Strategic Seat, with Lenya McGrath and Hannah Roth
Have you ever left a client meeting frustrated, feeling like you’ve lost that strategic seat at the table? On this episode of Sell With Authority, we dive deep into this issue with two incredible guests who have not only faced this challenge head-on — but have also successfully overcome it. Joining us is Lenya McGrath, the Executive Director of Business Development for BLVR, a company dedicated to helping wellness brands turn belief into behaviors that drive meaningful growth. Lenya and her team not only built a methodology to redefine their role beyond being seen as just a branding agency, but also quantified their impact with metrics, including the innovative concept of “Return on Belief.” But that’s not all — we’ve also brought in our very own mad scientist and strategist here at Predictive, Hannah Roth. She shares the unique perspective she gained from working in the trenches daily with our clients, helping them reclaim that strategic seat at the table. Our guests today guide you through the process of not just embracing the challenges — but turning them into opportunities. What you will learn in this episode: Why the first step to getting back the strategic seat at your client’s table is to lean into their pain points Why BLVR runs towards the numbers when most agencies run away from them Why Lenya and her team at BLVR decided to build out their point of differentiation around belief and methodology How Lenya defines the Say-Do Gap Actionable tips for a business or brand to effectively close the Say-Do Gap Resources: Website: https://blvr.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenyamcgrath/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blvr/ Additional Resources: Website: www.predictiveroi.com Visit our newly expanded Resource Library Join us in our free How to Fill Your Sales Pipeline Facebook Group

Nov 22, 2023 • 47min
How to Narrow Down Your Target Market, with Corey Quinn
How to narrow down your target market? Refine your business strategy by exploring these techniques on how to narrow down your target market. For this episode of Sell With Authority, we are going on a bit of a mining expedition — and unearthing some super valuable golden nuggets that you can take and apply straight away. My guest is Corey Quinn — and if you’re meeting Corey for the first time — he has a 25-year record of extraordinary success as an entrepreneur, sales leader, and marketing executive. His most recent in-house role was serving as Scorpion’s Chief Marketing Officer, which is a small business-focused agency that Corey and his team grew from $20 million a year in recurring revenue to $150 million in under seven years. Holy Bananas — right! Corey is also the host of The Vertical Go-to-Market Podcast, where he interviews 7, 8, and 9-figure business owners who have been widely successful because they niched down. How to narrow down your target market? If we go a mile wide and an inch deep — we deplete our resources before we can have any impact. Instead of going wide and attempting to attract a broad audience by writing generic content that is suitable for everyone, true authorities do the reverse. They go narrow. That’s where the gold is! Not only did Corey help lead an agency that was niched, and they crushed it — but he’s also a curator and collector of stories and data points of other agency owners who are also crushing it because they niched. If you take and apply the golden nuggets that Corey shares during this episode, you will be positioned and ready to crush 2024 and make it your most successful and profitable year yet…because you went narrow. What you will learn in this episode is about how to narrow down your target market: One of the biggest misconceptions that often derails biz dev efforts Leveraging both inbound and outbound sales tactics Why specializing in specific customers and industries helps you differentiate The benefits of taking a vertical marketing approach to your agency How to narrow down your target market How to avoid some of the roadblocks to taking a vertical marketing approach Resources: Learn more about how to narrow down your target market, and you can find Corey here LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreyquinn/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/coreyquinn Newsletter: https://www.coreyquinn.com/free-resources Learn more about how to narrow down your target market by tuning in to this podcast of Corey Quinn: Additional Resources: Website: www.predictiveroi.com Visit our newly expanded Resource Library Join us in our free How to Fill Your Sales Pipeline Facebook Group

Nov 15, 2023 • 44min
How to Own the Business, with Jeff Bush
I am thrilled to welcome my guest to this episode of Sell With Authority, Jeff Bush. Jeff started his formal career in sales and marketing, and then transitioned into becoming a business owner of B2B and B2C companies. He has since become a seasoned entrepreneur with over three decades of experience under his belt and is President of Grow My Profit. He has quite an impressive track record, but what sets Jeff apart is his extraordinary ability to build and scale companies quickly and profitably. He’s not just a business owner; he’s a master at “owning the business” rather than “owning a job.” Jeff is a true expert in marketing, lead generation, and sales, but what distinguishes him is his perspective as an owner – always prioritizing the creation of systems, processes, and the acquisition of the right talent – to enable him to truly own the business. If your goal is to build and scale your agency so you can be in the best position to roar through 2024 and make it your most profitable year ever — the insights and wisdom Jeff shares are incredibly helpful! What you will learn in this episode: Jeff’s philosophy around ownership One simple metric that can help owners build a big business that is scalable Why it is important to set goals for your overall revenue How Jeff scaled lead gen so quickly, and kept it going How to build a scorecard to help you reach your revenue goals Resources: Website: https://growmyprofit.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-bush-50b24117/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grow-my-profit/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowMyProfit Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growmyprofitnow/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092302372705 Tiktoc: http://tiktok.com/@GrowMyProfit Additional Resources: Website: www.predictiveroi.com Visit our newly expanded Resource Library Join us in our free How to Fill Your Sales Pipeline Facebook Group

Nov 8, 2023 • 40min
Co-opetition Strategy, with Nicole Mahoney
Co-opetition Strategy? Discover the possible effect if you didn’t collaborate with competitors by exploring our guide on co-opetition strategy. In this episode of Sell With Authority, I’m thrilled to welcome our guest expert, Nicole Mahoney. Nicole is the Founder of Break the Ice Media, a PR and digital marketing agency specializing in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. She also serves as CEO of Travel Alliance Partners — is the host of the rock solid awesome podcast, Destination on the Left — and is the author of the brilliant book, Stronger Together: Building World-Changing Business Collaborations. Why am I so excited to have Nicole join me on the podcast today? It’s because Nicole’s approach to building her businesses, her unwavering commitment to serving her industry, and her refreshing perspective on competitors are truly unique — and so refreshing — in an industry where many are very willing to race each other to the bottom on profit just to win that next new client. A co-opetition strategy is a better alternative to competing. Nicole shows you how to collaborate with competitors and helps you learn how to collaborate with them, resulting in more client wins, opportunities, and room for growth. Nicole calls this innovative strategy in collaboration “coopetition.” But it’s more than a strategy; it’s a way of life for Nicole. It’s the guiding principle behind her leadership, her teaching, and how she and her team serve their industry. If you take and apply the insights and wisdom Nicole shares on co-opetition strategy, you’ll unlock a world of new opportunities and forge partnerships, and perhaps even alliances, with former competitors. This will position you perfectly to charge into 2024. What you will learn in this episode is about the co-opetition strategy: How Nicole defines coopetition Why Nicole sees collaboration and co-opetition strategy as one and the same Why you are losing out if you are not pursuing collaborations with competitors What are the three types of collaborators Nicole discovered in her research How to set up a framework that will set you up for success in building collaborations Resources: Want to learn more about co-opetition strategy? You can find Nicole here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemahoney/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MahoneyNicole Destination on the Left Podcast: https://breaktheicemedia.com/podcast/ Stronger Together: Building World-Changing Business Collaborations Travel Alliance Partners: https://www.tapintotravel.com/ Learn more about co-opetition strategy by tuning in to this podcast by Nicole Mahoney: The 3Cs of Successful Collaboration, with Nicole Mahoney Additional Resources: Website: www.predictiveroi.com Visit our newly expanded Resource Library Join us in our free How to Fill Your Sales Pipeline Facebook Group

Nov 1, 2023 • 35min
Standing Out in a Crowd, with Mark Levy
Standing out in a crowd. If your agency applies the principles from this episode — you’ll be better at standing out in a crowd. I am thrilled to welcome our special guest expert to this episode of Sell With Authority, Mark Levy. Mark is the Founder of Levy Innovation and has an impressive track record of helping clients break free from the sea of sameness. He’s done it over 25,000 times for prominent figures like Simon Sinek, heads of divisions within two different White House administrations, the Strategy unit of the Harvard Business School, the CEO of Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen, and even individuals associated with Major League Baseball who have spoken at the United Nations. I invited Mark to join us today because he’s a true expert in solving a chronic problem that many agencies and consulting firms face — the challenge of standing out in a crowded market. Mark understands that even though you and your team might be branding, demand generation, or PR experts when it comes to showcasing your own uniqueness, it can feel like you’re the cobbler’s kids. Standing out in a crowd is the key to success, strategically showcasing your unique qualities in a sea of competitors to capture attention and gain recognition. Candidly, one of the most effective ways to attract a steady stream of right-fit clients into your sales pipeline is to stake your claim, own the ground you’re standing on, and, most importantly, stop sounding like everyone else. Mark and I focus on how to pick the right story to tell and strategies for standing out in a crowd — because by telling it — you step away from the sea of sameness in a real and differentiated way. What you will learn in this episode is about standing out in a crowd: Why agencies and consulting firms excel at helping clients but struggle to differentiate themselves The common challenges that agencies face when being stuck in the sea of sameness Standing out in a crowd is the key to attracting right-fit clients How agencies can distinguish themselves authentically How to artistically select the perfect narrative to set your agency apart Resources: Website: https://www.levyinnovation.com/ Learn more about standing out in a crowd by tuning in to this virtual event by Mark Levy: How to Differentiate Your Company — Even If You’re in a Hard-to-Differentiate Industry Explore effective techniques for standing out in a crowd and discover Mark’s insights here. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levyinnovation/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LevyInnovation November Intensive We’re getting our Predictive ROI clients together for our next 2-day Intensive on Wednesday & Thursday, November 15th & 16th, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon Central on Zoom. It’s a private client-only event designed to help everyone in the room move their businesses further faster. Would you like to join us? Just email Stephen (Stephen at Predictiveroi.com) with the word “ONWARD,” and we’ll be in touch with the full details, calendar invites, and Zoom links. Additional Resources: Website: www.predictiveroi.com Visit our newly expanded Resource Library Join us in our free How to Fill Your Sales Pipeline Facebook Group

Oct 25, 2023 • 50min
Sales Call Strategy, with Stephen Woessner
Stephen Woessner shares insights on how to architect a successful sales call, including using a 'Help Me Understand...' worksheet and structuring proposals. He also discusses the importance of analyzing successful companies that navigated recessions and the vital metrics to measure for client success.

Oct 18, 2023 • 45min
How to Get a Key to the Private Elevator, with John Emmerson
On this episode of Sell With Authority, Predictive’s own strategist and scientist Hannah Roth, and I are joined by special guest expert John Emmerson. John is currently Director at London Agency, a healthcare specialist communications agency. John and his team have a depth of expertise in helping clients speak the “local language” of their clients – and their client’s clients. John’s approach to unique industry insights helps his clients not only earn a strategic seat at the table – but also keep it. Effective marketing requires localization and a deep understanding of those nuances of each market. John calls this “the private elevator,” — and Hannah and I ask John to walk through and shine a bright light on every aspect of the strategy — because it’s brilliant! If you take and apply the insights and wisdom John shares during this episode — you’ll be in a much better position to help your clients help their clients, which in turn — will shorten your sales cycle. What you will learn in this episode: What are the benefits of niching down Why it is critical to speak the local language of your prospects What is the “Private Elevator” How to get and keep your key to the Private Elevator What are the mistakes that cost people the key to the elevator Resources: Website: https://londonagency.com.au/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-emmerson-1804132a/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/london-agency-pty-ltd/

Oct 11, 2023 • 44min
Strategic Selling Techniques, with Lisa Bragg
Strategic Selling Techniques? Explore effective strategies on how to use purposeful self-promotion with our strategic selling techniques. Strategic selling techniques — On this episode of Sell With Authority, we focus our time and attention on a goal that will help you roar into 2024 and crush it throughout the year — how best to leverage your smarts in content and self-promotion that enables you to sell from a position of authority — without looking self-promotional. I am excited to welcome Lisa Bragg. Lisa is the Founder of MediaFace, a Toronto-based content and consulting firm. She has literally written the book on how to talk about success, Bragging Rights: How To Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion. Lisa’s book provides a structured approach and framework to enhance your visibility through purposeful self-promotion. She is sharing her invaluable insights and expertise on how to be genuinely helpful to your audience while promoting your work effectively, ultimately moving the needle in your business. What you will learn in this episode is about strategic selling techniques: Why you should market to where you want to go How you can craft a signature story in which your right-fit prospects can see themselves How to teach in both helpful and meaningful ways Ways to best leverage your smarts and best strategic selling techniques How to sell from a position of authority without sounding self-promotional Resources: Want to learn more about unique and effective strategic selling techniques? You can find Lisa here: LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabragg/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lisa-bragg-consulting/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThatLisaBragg/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatlisabragg Bragging Rights Riff Tool: https://www.lisabragg.com/listener-love Learn more about strategic selling techniques by reading this book: Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion by Lisa Bragg

Oct 4, 2023 • 44min
Steps in the Sales Process, with Karl Sakas
Karl Sakas, an accomplished author specializing in agency management, dives into the sales process. He reveals a powerful three-step strategy—niching, honing, and delegating—that helps agencies thrive. Listeners learn why specializing is crucial for profitability and stress reduction. Karl emphasizes refining outreach messages to connect better with clients, alongside the importance of knowing industry nuances. He also discusses how effective delegation can enhance team growth while managing client relationships, ensuring agency success in a competitive landscape.

Sep 27, 2023 • 39min
How to Cold Call, with Tom Martin
How to Cold Call? Tom Martin — an internationally recognized sales and marketing keynote speaker shared his top secrets on how to cold call. On this episode of Sell With Authority, we have a special encore guest expert, Tom Martin, who has been in the trenches of the agency business for over 30 years. How to cold call? Tom is an internationally recognized sales and marketing keynote speaker and the Founder of Converse Digital. He helps agencies just like yours and mine strategically turn conversations into clients, and today, he is sharing some invaluable wisdom on how to do just that. Recently, Tom wrote a game-changing blog post about raising the bar of excellence in how we show up on LinkedIn, not just for content but also for making those all-important connections without coming across as pushy. We are focusing on the right LinkedIn approach for Tom's encore episode. Here’s the reality — the more you educate, share, and lead with valuable content, the more trust you build with your audience, clients, and right-fit prospects. These teaching moments on how to cold call will also become excellent biz dev opportunities for you and your team in Q4 of this year, and you'll be in a wonderful position to roar into 2024. What you will learn in this episode is about how to cold call: Why you should optimize your LinkedIn profile Tom’s strategy on how to cold call with content strategy methodology How to open doors with right-fit prospects without sounding pushy The results of Tom’s LinkedIn automation experiment Why you should just stop selling and just start helping Resources: Learn more about How to Cold Call and find Tom Martin here LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommartinjr/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/conversedigital/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomMartin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConverseDigital Agency Business Development Resources: https://conversedigital.com/agency-business-development-resources Painless Prospecting Newsletter: https://conversedigital.com/painless-sales-prospecting Building Connections That Matter: LinkedIn Sales Prospecting Strategies For Introverts How To Sell Your Agency's Services Even When You Hate Selling BSGC Pricing Approach & Template: Use Promo Code HolyBananas for 25% off Regular Price Learn more about How to Cold Call by listening to our first interview with Tom Martin: How to Never Be Without Prospects