The 3 Barriers to Getting Out of Founder-led Sales

 

Moving Beyond Founder-led Sales

Agency owners often dream of growing their businesses to a point where they can step back from day-to-day operations. However, the reality is that many of us find ourselves stuck in the sales role long after we’ve delegated other responsibilities. This is particularly common in small to medium-sized agencies looking to expand.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with founder-led sales in a boutique agency, it can become problematic when growth and scaling are your main goals. Corey Quinn, agency growth expert and former CMO of Scorpion, breaks down the 3 biggest barriers that prevent an agency owner from leaving founder-led sales behind once and for all. 

 

Find Your Niche

The problem: Many agencies fall into the trap of trying to be everything to everyone, serving a wide variety of clients across multiple industries. This may seem like a way to cast a wider net, but it actually creates significant challenges in the sales process, especially if you’re a well-established agency. 

Corey explains, “You end up having a very bespoke sale where a founder can talk to a prospect, diagnose their situation, and prescribe a perfect solution. But of course, it’s completely custom. There’s no repeatability. And part of that is because they’re servicing clients of all shapes and sizes.” As the founder, you might excel at this customized sales approach. However, it lacks repeatability, making it difficult to scale or delegate to a sales team.

The solution: Consider narrowing your focus to a specific vertical market or client type. By specializing, you can develop a more standardized sales process that’s easier to replicate and teach to others. Having a specific vertical also allows you to build deeper expertise in your chosen niche, enhancing your value proposition.

 

Strengthen Your Market Positioning

The problem: Corey shares that many agencies suffer from “watery positioning”. This refers to a lack of clear, compelling differentiation in the market. He says, “When you’re selling your services, your buyers aren’t necessarily professional buyers. They’re not sophisticated in the world of agencies. So they have a difficult time discerning the value that makes you different from all the other competitors.”

When your positioning is weak or generic, you’re more likely to end up competing on price rather than value. This can lead to losing deals to less qualified competitors and struggling to maintain a healthy pipeline of new business.

The solution: Focus on developing a unique value proposition that clearly communicates what sets your agency apart. This might involve highlighting specialized expertise, a unique methodology, or exceptional results in your chosen niche. Strong positioning makes it easier for potential clients to understand and appreciate your agency’s value, reducing the need for founder involvement in every sale.

 

Keep Growing Your Pipeline

The problem: The final barrier becomes apparent when the founder finally steps away from sales — nothing happens. Without a robust system for generating new leads and opportunities, the agency’s growth stagnates. This often results in the founder being pulled back into the sales role out of necessity.

When this happens, it’s a big sign that the founder was too involved in the sales role from the start. Marketing efforts are nearly nonexistent outside of the founder, which means there can be no growth without them. 

The solution: It’s crucial to develop a sustainable pipeline generation strategy that doesn’t rely solely on the founder’s efforts.

This can look like: 

• Implementing a content marketing strategy to attract inbound leads
• Building a team of business development representatives
• Developing strategic partnerships or referral networks
• Investing in targeted advertising or account-based marketing initiatives

By creating a system that consistently generates new opportunities, your agency won’t rely on your personal network and sales skills in order to survive.

 

Paving the Way for Scalable Growth

When these three barriers — lack of focus, weak positioning, and insufficient pipeline generation — occur simultaneously, they create a perfect storm that keeps founders trapped in the sales role. To break free and achieve scalable growth, agency founders must address each of these challenges head-on.

Start by narrowing your focus to a specific client base or vertical market. Then, work on developing strong, differentiated positioning that clearly communicates your agency’s unique value. Finally, invest in creating a sustainable pipeline generation strategy that can operate without constant founder involvement.

By tackling these barriers, you can create a more scalable agency model that allows for growth beyond founder-led sales. This not only frees up your time as the founder but also sets the stage for long-term success and expansion of your agency.

To dig deeper into how agency owners can grow their businesses by removing themselves from the day-to-day operations, tune in to this episode of The Progressive Agency Podcast to hear more from our guest, Corey Quinn.