NBZ talks agency-client matchmaking and the importance of showing up as yourself
NBZ Partner is both a consultant to agencies and a consultant to brands. Their focus is working with small to mid-sized agencies and matching them with like-minded brands. The founders of NBZ Partner, Simone Mandel, and Rachel Segall are champions for empowering the unusual suspects, i.e., smalls like us!
If you’re a CMO looking for a new agency, NBZ says stop the Google search and give them a call. They can connect brands through a flexible agency matchmaking process. If you’re not interested in a full agency review process, they opt for coffee dates and chemistry meetings. In an interview with the founders, they share advice for getting found and getting hitched.
Why agencies should invest in their own branding
Agencies work tirelessly to position their clients in their respective marketplace but often need help positioning themselves. Simone and Rachel stress that strong agency branding is necessary to have a successful shop. In fact, strong branding has the power to fill your pipeline. They tell agencies to build their brands that serve a specific audience. That means not being everything to everyone. Focus on who you are and what you do best. While this seems obvious, many agencies are afraid of narrowing their identity since they have a fear of being too niche and missing out on broader opportunities. Truth is: Knowing who you are is essential to getting the kinds of clients you want and the work you’re good at.
How to turn your network into currency
A strong network leads to strong opportunities if you activate it. Simone and Rachel have a mantra “to activate your network, you have to show up.” They explain that some agencies aren’t showing up in front of their network. That means they aren’t putting in the necessary work to show up consistently on social, email, website – AND in person. Agencies should live their positioning by producing content like podcasts and thought leadership articles that feed the business pipeline.
How to have the most engaging meeting in the shortest amount of time
Agency and client meetings can be costly, time-consuming, and – if not done well – boring. Here’s how to make them more engaging: Quickly get through the basics: who you are, what you do, and how you do it. Then focus on the client’s business problems. Who should you send to the meeting? Simone suggests that putting in your best people always pays off. That often means putting in the people who can build chemistry quickly and have the right expertise.
Which is best AOR gigs vs. project-based work?
Recently, project-based work has become more common. Some clients may be more hesitant to enter long-term AOR relationships. Project-based work allows clients to see how well agencies answer a brief before fully committing to a long-term relationship. This can be a great option for smaller shops as it gives the agency a chance to show off its superpower while getting paid. Their words of advice for project work: Be proactive, continually invest in the relationship, and tap into your new biz mindset to increase the chances of repeat success.
Want more relationship advice about agency and clients? Listen to the full episode. Drop your favorite takeaways on our social posts and be sure to leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. See you next month.👋
ABOUT THE QUESTION EVERYTHING PODCAST
Part interview, part therapy, part Price Is Right, the Question Everything podcast puts your favorite CMOs and thought leaders in the hot seat. That means while they're facing off against our game board, you'll learn from the successes and failures of the best in the biz who were daring enough to be curious.
