By the time your ideal client asks for a proposal, how much of their decision has already been made?

Probably more than most agency owners realize.

CMOs are paying attention long before they formally enter the market for an agency. They're looking for signs that a potential partner understands their business, can move quickly, and won't add more risk to an already high-pressure role.

So, what makes a small agency feel like the right choice?

Christian Banach, founder of Next Big Win, and I dug into that question. He has spent more than 20 years helping agencies win new business, and his CMO Journey interview series keeps him in regular conversation with senior marketing leaders.

In this episode, we get into:

• Why CMOs treat hiring an agency as a risk decision
• What a specialist signals before the first call
• What CMOs are still outsourcing, and what's moving in-house
• Where to look for early signs a company may need support
• What to send a CMO once you've spotted a signal
• How thought leadership keeps you visible while timing sorts itself out

Knowing which CMOs to reach out to, and what to say when you do. This episode covers both.

Show Notes:

-The Next Big Win: thenextbigwin.com

Get the full show notes and more information here: https://audreyjoykwan.com/podcast/ep162

Podcast Edits by Lindsay Curtis