The New New Business: Jess Parish on Why There's No 'One Size Fits All' Approach
Jess Parish leads Impero’s growth strategy, marketing and PR, to ensure that the agency is set up to win new clients and continue on its path to becoming a world famous agency which creates work that connects with culture and steals back attention for its clients.
Jess has lived and breathed new business for 15 years, helping very different agencies grow in very different ways. She brings a fresh perspective on what it means to be successful in the specialism, and has a track record of running successful new business and marketing programmes. Prior to joining Impero, she held roles at FCB, Wunderman (now VML) and AMV BBDO.
LBB> What was your first sale or new business win? (Was it a big or small job? How difficult or scary was it? What do you remember about how you felt? What lessons did you learn?)
Jess> The first pitch win I got under my belt was for The Dorchester Collection, whilst working at (the then named) Draft FCB. It was a small job on the scale of things, but an exciting creative opportunity that had the agency raring to go.
I felt elated that all of the hard work over the last few weeks had paid off. The client had bought into us as an agency, and loved our work. There’s no better feeling (in agency life at least).
LBB> What was the best piece of advice you got early on?
Jess> There are two bits of advice that I was given early on that have stuck with me:
1. Learn to say no. Just because it’s an opportunity, it may not be the right one to pursue. Interrogate each one with a fresh perspective.
2. Know what you are good at, and stick to it. Both as an agency and an individual.
LBB> And the worst?
Jess> I don’t think I’ve had any bad advice. Certainly, I have experienced approaches to new business that were misjudged. Early on in my career I worked with a CEO who believed that the agency should go hell for leather for every single opportunity that came our way. There was no qualifying, people were pitch fatigued and we ended up not performing at our best due to the sheer quantity of pitches on the go.
LBB> How has the business of ‘selling’ in the creative industry changed since you started?
Jess> Luckily, I do think the business of ‘selling’ in the creative industry has changed for the better – it’s more inclusive now, more of a team sport. It used to be reserved for the founder, C-Suite or new business director to get out there and do a ‘hard sell’. Now, I think our role is to make sure that the pipeline is healthy, that you’re building your network, that the marketing and PR are working properly, and that the team is set up for pitching success.
LBB> Can anyone be taught to sell or do new business or do you think it suits a certain kind of personality?
Jess> I think that anyone can be taught to do new business if they have the appetite and passion for it! There is no one size fits all when it comes to new business, but you do need a tough skin, an ability to listen and stay calm in stressful situations, along with an ability to pick people up when things go wrong. Being trustworthy and adaptable are key to surviving in new business.
LBB> What are your thoughts about the process of pitching that the industry largely runs on?
Jess> Hats off to any agency which is able to refuse to pitch, I think it’s a place where we’d all love to be, but unfortunately, it seems most of us are unable to extricate ourselves from the current process. Brands which adhere to the likes of the pitch positive pledge and which run respectful pitch processes give you the sense that they will be good client partners if you were to win.
Clarity on the brief, budget, timings and deliverables should all be mandatory at the start. Also access to the client - there shouldn’t be an impenetrable wall of procurement or intermediaries in between. The best pitches are when all parties are working together to get the best out of the agency and answer the client brief.
We have rarely participated in a paid pitch, but I think some kind of remuneration would be brilliant. A fairly paid pitch would show the brand’s commitment to finding a new partner and acknowledge just how much time and money agencies put into pitching for new business.
LBB> How do you go about tailoring your selling approach according to the kind of person or business you’re approaching?
Jess> Get to know the people and their business inside out. Listen. And then tailor the team and the response appropriately. Most importantly, only go for the opportunities that are a good fit.
LBB> New business and sales can often mean hearing ‘no’ a lot and quite a bit of rejection - how do you keep motivated?
Jess> Back to the tough skin I mentioned earlier. It’s inevitable and all too frequent (even with Impero’s current 70% pitch conversion rate!). Remember not to take it personally. Motivation to win, to build the agency, to get more brilliant work into the world will always keep the new business machine turning.
LBB> The advertising and marketing industry often blurs the line between personal and professional friendships and relationships… Does this make selling easier or more difficult and delicate?
Jess> I think it makes it easier. Relationships and people are what it’s all about. It may make certain situations more delicate but contacts, existing relationships, recommendations, and trust are the foundations.
LBB> In your view, what's the key to closing a deal?
Jess> Clients buy people and at the end of the day the decision may well come down to an emotional response. Something which I heard first from Mark at jfdi is: the key to closing a deal is to build emotional persuasion with the clients.
LBB> How is technology and new platforms changing sales and new business?
Jess> New platforms (like Salesforce and Hubspot) have certainly changed sales and new business for agencies, enabling us to be in closer contact with prospects, with relevant comms, and start building those important relationships. They offer a seamless integration between your marketing activity and outreach. They let us track our activity and be more accountable.
LBB> How important is cultural understanding when it comes to selling internationally?
Jess> It’s huge. Just like selling any product in a new market place, selling your business to an international audience can’t be successful without having a cultural understanding of that market. The key is balancing the company values, its personality and identity, and your marketing activity, with each market’s nuance.
LBB> There’s a lot of training for a lot of parts of the industry, but what’s your thoughts about the training and skills development when it comes to selling and new business?
Jess> There is a lot of brilliant training for newbies coming into new business. The likes of AAR, NABS, jfdi and Oystercatchers all have great training for junior-mid new business and marketing teams.
You might have to look a bit harder when you work your way up, to find new business specific courses. I think it’s then about looking in different places to find training that will stand you in good stead for new business. Nothing beats learning on the job from those around you. That’s the best way to develop your skills and grow. I’ve been lucky enough to have brilliant bosses over the years, who have taken the time to teach me all the tricks of the trade!
LBB> What’s your advice for anyone who’s not necessarily come up as a salesperson who’s now expected to sell or win new business as part of their role?
Jess> Find a way to sell or win new business that works for you. Remember, it’s all about relationships, so find a way to read the room and build those relationships with your teams, clients, intermediaries and prospects. Be open to learning from those who have experience, bring in others that can help with business development, establish a working team around you, even if you’re the only one in an official new business role. Remember to listen - to the client, to the team and to yourself.
Lastly, roll up your sleeves and get stuck in. Be the person that the agency can rely on, from the smallest typo to blue sky thinking.
