All agencies will come across this objection at one point or another. Companies want to partner with an agency who has had previous success helping similar clients.
Who can blame them? If you have no experience in their industry they are taking a greater risk in partnering with you. But are they really? That is what we will discuss in this episode.
When you are starting a brand new agency your first few clients will ask this. If you are an experienced agency planning on entering a new vertical prospects still want to make sure you are the right fit.
Let’s dive into how to approach the objection surrounding a lack of experience in a new industry you are servicing at your agency.
Is Industry Experience What Is Important?
When speaking with the prospect you want to answer directly. Acknowledge that you understand their concern. When you answer the question you should be challenging the premise of the question itself.
Is industry experience really what is important? Or is a proven system that works across multiple industries more important?
Every agency has a system for handling work. Every agency should also have a solid on-boarding process to develop a winning strategy for your clients. At our agency we call ours the Inbound Marketing GamePlan.
Use An Analogy
Use an analogy to help a prospect understand why process is more important than industry experience.
Given my background I love to explain the importance of process using a builder analogy.
The builder analogy goes like this. When you commission a builder to build your house it is not important that they have built that exact house before. What is important is that they use great materials and have a solid team that can all build from the blueprint.
The blueprint and the system in which the team executes it will determine the outcome of the house. At our agency we have developed a solid process and “blueprint” to help you reach your goals. Industry knowledge is important, but we gather that knowledge from you and work it into our system.
The Importance of the Partnership
A great partnership is the cornerstone of great results. The reality is that if the prospect is not invested and lacks great communication your system will break down.
Set the expectation from the beginning that the best way to overcome a lack of industry experience is for them to be great communicators. Your job is to take their knowledge and communicate it in a way that engages and connects with their audience.
Niching and Case Studies
This objection is another great reason to find a niche or two and stay within it. If you do serve a particular industry then you have a great answer to this question. That answer is case studies and success stories.
Use case studies as a tool to prove the value you can provide to the prospect based on past success. If you are just starting out in that industry be sure to create case studies quickly to help overcome this objection in the future.
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