How to get on your target client's short list

Your ideal clients will only seriously shop a small handful of agencies.  

Three to five at most. 

If they don't already know your agency, the chances of getting on their shortlist are slim. 

The chances they hire you are even slimmer. 

One way to put the odds in your favor?

Make sure they know your agency and what makes you different before they start shopping.

Questions to ponder: 

👉 Do our target clients know who we are and what makes us different?

👉 How are we staying top of mind for our target clients?

Have a great day!

CQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does it matter that ideal clients only shop a small handful of agencies?

Because with only 3 to 5 agencies realistically making the shortlist, there's very little room for an unfamiliar agency to break in during the actual shopping process itself.

What happens if a target client doesn't already know an agency before they start shopping?

The chances of making that shortlist are slim, and the chances of actually being hired are even slimmer. Familiarity has to exist before the shopping process begins, not during it.

Why does being known before the shopping process start matter more than competing during it?

Because the shortlist tends to form quickly, often based on prior awareness rather than research done during active shopping. An unfamiliar agency is competing from behind before the process even really starts.

What's the practical way to put the odds in an agency's favor?

Making sure target clients already know the agency and what makes it different well before they're actively shopping, rather than relying on being discovered fresh once a buying decision is already underway.

What questions are worth asking to check on this readiness?

Whether target clients already know who the agency is and what differentiates it, and what's actively being done to stay top of mind with them well before any active shopping begins.