Most small agencies do new business in the gaps: when a project finishes early, when a client goes quiet, when the founder finally has a free afternoon. That is exactly why it does not work. By the time the gap appears, it is too late to fill it.
This playbook is for studios and agencies of one to ten people who want a steady pipeline without hiring a new business director. It takes a few hours a week, and most of it can be shared across the team.
1. Decide what you sell, and to whom
"We do brand, digital, content and campaigns for ambitious businesses" describes almost every agency in the UK. Brands remember specialists. Pick at least one of:
- A sector: food and drink, fashion, fintech, hospitality.
- A capability: packaging, launch campaigns, paid social creative, brand identity.
- A stage: seed-funded start-ups, scale-ups after Series A, established brands going through a refresh.
Then write down your ideal client in one sentence, and build a target list of 50 brands that match it. Split it into three tiers: A (dream clients you can realistically win), B (good fits) and C (worth watching).
2. Build a pipeline, not a to-do list
A pipeline shows where every opportunity is and what happens next. A spreadsheet is enough. Use five stages:
- Watching: on your target list, no reason to contact yet.
- Contacted: you have reached out because something changed.
- Conversation: they replied and you are talking.
- Proposal: you have sent a quote or proposal.
- Won or lost: with a note on why.
Review it every week. If the Conversation column is empty, you know in advance that there will be a quiet month, and you still have time to do something about it.
3. Give new business an owner and a slot
New business that belongs to everyone belongs to no one. Make one person responsible for the pipeline, even if several people help. Block the same three or four hours every week and treat them like client time. Consistency matters far more than intensity.
4. Work all four sources of new work
Existing clients
Your easiest wins are more work from people who already trust you. At the end of every project, ask what is coming up next, and suggest the obvious next piece of work before someone else does.
Referrals and partners
Other agencies, production companies, freelancers and consultants see briefs you do not. Build a handful of partner relationships where you pass work both ways, and ask happy clients directly for introductions.
Proactive outreach
Contacting brands on your target list when something has changed for them: a new marketing lead, a funding round, a launch, a jump in ad spend, a rebrand. This is where most agencies can grow fastest, because hardly anyone does it consistently. See the best time to pitch a brand for the signals to watch.
Inbound
Case studies, a clear website, useful posts on LinkedIn, and talks or awards in your niche. Inbound takes longer to build, but it compounds, and it makes your outreach land better because people can check you out.
5. Make your credentials do the work
Nobody reads a 40-page credentials deck. For each conversation, pick two or three case studies that match the brand's sector or problem. Each one should show the challenge, what you did and the result, ideally with a number the client is happy for you to share.
6. Qualify before you pitch
Formal pitches are expensive. Before you commit, ask:
- Is there an agreed budget, and roughly what is it?
- Who makes the final decision, and will they be in the room?
- How many agencies are pitching, and is there an incumbent?
- How will the decision be made, and when?
- Is free creative expected? If so, is there a pitch fee?
If the answers are vague, the odds are poor. Saying no to the wrong pitches frees up time for the right ones.
7. Measure a few numbers
Once a month, count: brands contacted, conversations started, proposals sent, projects won and average project value. You will quickly see where the pipeline leaks. For most small agencies, the problem is not the win rate but too few conversations at the top.
A 30-day starter plan
- Week 1: write your positioning sentence and build a 50-brand target list.
- Week 2: set up the pipeline spreadsheet, choose an owner and block weekly time.
- Week 3: contact every past client, and reach out to five target brands that have a clear trigger.
- Week 4: follow up, tidy your three best case studies, and review the pipeline.