Across the Pond: How to grow your Insight Agency

Paul@clientadvocates
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Steve Henke (Harpeth Marketing) and Paul Griffiths (Client Advocates) talk about all things "Marketing and Sales" and how market research and insight agencies can more effectively grow. If you are a leader in an insight agency, or are interested in how to more effectively use brand building and sales activation to grow the market research company you work for, this is a podcast for you.

  1. Across the Pond: Miami Nice! Observations from the CEO Summit

    JAN 30

    Across the Pond: Miami Nice! Observations from the CEO Summit

    In this episode, Steve Henke and Paul Griffiths discuss their experiences and key takeaways from the recent CEO Summit in Miami. They explore the importance of networking, the impact of AI on business decision-making, the role of synthetic data in the insights industry, and the value of in-person events for building relationships. The conversation highlights the evolving landscape of insights agencies and the need for transformation in response to technological advancements. Takeaways The CEO Summit fosters authentic connections among business leaders. Networking is a key component of the event's success. AI was a major topic of discussion, emphasizing its role in decision-making. Presentations highlighted the transformative power of insights in organizations. Synthetic data is becoming an accepted part of the insights landscape. In-person events provide unparalleled opportunities for relationship building. The insights industry is rapidly evolving due to technological advancements. Agencies must adapt to remain relevant in a changing market. The importance of transparency and openness in discussions was emphasized. Future episodes may explore AI's impact on agency operations. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the CEO Summit Insights 02:39 Networking and Authentic Connections 05:23 Key Presentations and AI Discussions 07:56 The Role of Synthetic Data in Insights 10:35 The Future of Insights and AI Integration 13:07 The Value of In-Person Events 15:58 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Keywords CEO Summit, insights agency, networking, AI, synthetic data, in-person events, business transformation, insights industry, growth strategies, market research

    19 min
  2. Across the Pond: HOTSEAT 🔥The Art of Managing Seller-Doers in Insight Agencies

    JAN 8

    Across the Pond: HOTSEAT 🔥The Art of Managing Seller-Doers in Insight Agencies

    In the second of our HOTSEAT 🔥episodes, it is Steve Henke's turn to be grilled by Paul Griffiths. Steve talks about the advantages and disadvantages of the seller-doer model that many insight agencies employ. He goes on to give advice, tips and tricks that will mean you get your seller-doers to be as effective as possible in the way they approach sales and client engagement. Key Takeaways: There's a balance in managing seller-doers between activity and results.A fully flushed out sales pipeline is crucial for effective management.Understanding each stage of the sales process is key.Knowing the next steps and probability of close is essential.Sales goals can be tracked through a clear sales pipeline.

    21 min

  3. 12/11/2025

    Across the Pond: HOTSEAT 🔥The Overlooked Power of Client Feedback

    In this special HOTSEAT 🔥 episode, Steve Henke puts Paul Griffiths through his paces! Paul is grilled about the often overlooked importance of internal feedback within agencies. He highlights the irony that while agencies focus heavily on client feedback, they neglect to apply the same principles to their own operations. Paul emphasizes that feedback is a valuable and cost-effective tool for agency growth and development. Key Takeaways We're so busy thinking and talking about our clients, we just don't do it to ourselves.Feedback is a really easy way of getting input - it is almost free!Agencies need to harness feedback for growth.Neglecting internal feedback can hinder agency development.Understanding feedback can lead to better agency practices as well as growth.

    24 min
  4. Across the Pond: The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Marketing and Sales

    11/24/2025

    Across the Pond: The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Marketing and Sales

    Steve Henke and Paul Griffiths discuss the pros and cons of outsourcing sales and marketing functions for market research and insight agencies. When is it beneficial to outsource, and when it is better to keep functions in-house? They also discuss the importance of understanding the disadvantages of outsourcing, including costs and communication challenges, and the need for agencies to build their own capabilities over time. Key Takeaways Outsourcing can provide immediate access to expertise.It's essential to evaluate the size and scale of your agency before outsourcing.SEO is a good candidate for outsourcing.Account management should not be outsourced to freelancers.Building internal capabilities for lead generation is crucial.Outsourcing can be expensive but may be efficient for specific tasks.Communication challenges can arise with outsourced teams.Outsourcing marketing can be beneficial if internal skills are lacking.Hiring agencies with industry knowledge is vital for effective outsourcing.Agencies should consider their long-term strategy when deciding to outsource.

    21 min

  5. 10/31/2025

    Across the Pond: Mastering Key Account management, planning and activation

    In this episode, Steve Henke and Paul Griffiths discuss the critical aspects of key account management for insights agencies. We explore the importance of building strong relationships with key clients, the challenges posed by relying on a few large clients, and the necessity of diversifying client bases. Our conversation emphasizes the need for active account management strategies, accountability within agencies, and the significance of setting revenue targets for key accounts. We also highlight effective strategies for maintaining client engagement and ensuring that agencies remain top of mind with their clients. Takeaways Big clients are crucial for agency survival.Diversifying client bases is essential to mitigate risks.Key account management should focus on building multiple relationships within a client organization.Key account plans often end up unused; activation is key.Accountability in account management is vital for success.Revenue targets should be set for key accounts to drive growth.Cross-selling and upselling are effective strategies for account growth.Referral opportunities can significantly enhance client relationships.Regular engagement with clients is necessary to maintain relationships.CRM systems can help manage account activation processes effectively.

    21 min

  6. 09/24/2025

    Across the Pond: What end clients say they want from their agency partners

    What do end-clients really want from their insight agencies? As Across the Pond: How to Grow your Insight Agency launches Season 2, Steve Henke (Harpeth Marketing) and Paul Griffiths (Client Advocates) share their observations and advice for what insight agencies need to do, if they really want to deliver that their clients want. Crucially, based on real evidence, interviews and conversations they have had with end-clients. 20 minutes, if you are a leader, owner, commercially accountable person that you cannot afford not to listen to!

    20 min

  7. 04/10/2025

    Across the Pond Episode 10: Quick fire audience Q&A

    We asked our audience for questions. And they gave us some! In Episode 10, as a Season 1 wrap-up, Paul Griffiths (Client Advocates) and Steve Henke (Harpeth Marketing) set themselves the challenge of answering questions from their audience... six questions, six opportunities to get advice and ideas about How to Grow your Insight Agency. The questions: • I'm an independent consultant with a very limited budget... what are my best marketing options? • Beyond, "We need to grow by 10% next year," what are some tips for setting good sales goals? • I know I need to post on LinkedIn 3-4x per week, but what can I post about that often that isn't salesy? And how do I come up with those ideas? • What can an agency do, post-project, to keep engaging with a client? • Do you think researchers can ever be good salespeople, and if so, how have you seen them do it? • How can a small agency differentiate itself against larger agencies, with bigger marketing spend and resources? If you want quick fire Q&A, this is the Across the Pond Episode for you...

    29 min

  8. 03/21/2025

    Across the Pond Episode 9: How to get the most from in-person events

    In-person events and conferences are a rich and effective way of growing your insight agency. But too often, the ROI on them is not realised. Poor prep, average focus on the day, no follow-up. In Episode 9, Steve Henke (Harpeth Marketing) and Paul Griffiths (Client Advocates) give their advice and ideas about how to maximise the positive opportunities from in-person events. If you or your team are heading out to a conference or event, or you are wondering if you should commit to involvement in one, then this is the Episode you need to listen to. In-person = growth for insight agencies, if you do it right!

    19 min
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Steve Henke (Harpeth Marketing) and Paul Griffiths (Client Advocates) talk about all things "Marketing and Sales" and how market research and insight agencies can more effectively grow. If you are a leader in an insight agency, or are interested in how to more effectively use brand building and sales activation to grow the market research company you work for, this is a podcast for you.

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