Agency Relationship Sales 101
Corey Quinn
Founder, Deep Specialization™
Dan Englander, author of Relationship Sales at Scale, shares how leveraging common ground and networks converts prospects better than automation ever could.
How do you use relationship sales to grow your agency?
Dan Englander and I explore this question in this brand-new episode of Vertical Go-To-Market. Dan is the author of “Relationship Sales at Scale” and is an expert in helping agencies grow through relationships.
Dan shares what he’s learned through generating millions of dollars in revenue for 100s of clients with his relationship-based approach to business development. He shares exactly how and when to leverage common ground and your network to make personal connections that convert.
We discuss:
Challenges around converting in the sales funnel.
Leaning into relationships to open doors to prospects.
List-building best practices.
How to be specific with your ICP.
How to systematize relationship sales.
Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders:
Referrals can get you from zero to one but not beyond.
If you’re not converting top-of-funnel, it’s usually a case of lack of trust.
Automation isn’t compelling, relationships are.
Anyone can do outreach, not just the CEO.
When it comes to list-building, less is more.
🎧 Listen to the episode now:
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Best,
CQ
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do referrals stop working past a certain point of growth?
Because referrals can get an agency from zero to one, but they don't scale predictably beyond that. Relying solely on them caps growth at whatever level word-of-mouth alone can sustain.
What's usually the real reason for poor conversion at the top of the sales funnel?
A lack of trust, more often than a flawed process or offer. Fixing top-of-funnel conversion frequently comes down to building trust before the pitch, not tweaking the funnel mechanics themselves.
Why isn't automation as effective as genuine relationships in sales?
Because automation isn't compelling on its own, relationships are. Leveraging common ground and real network connections converts in a way automated outreach at scale typically doesn't replicate.
Does relationship-based outreach only work if the CEO is doing it personally?
No, anyone within the agency can do this kind of outreach, not just the CEO. Relationship sales can be systematized and shared across a team rather than depending entirely on one person.
What's the best practice for list-building in a relationship sales approach?
Less is more. A smaller, more focused list allows for the kind of genuine, specific outreach that relationship-based sales depends on, rather than spreading effort across a large, generic list.
About Corey Quinn
Founder, Deep Specialization™
Corey helps founder-led agencies scale through Deep Specialization™ and programmatic M&A. Former CMO of Scorpion ($20M to $200M). Author of "Anyone, Not Everyone."
