The session was expertly hosted by the Managing Partners of Future Factory, Sam Wheatman and Lucy Young, alongside an all-star panel of experts:
Alison Ralph
Head of New Business Training & Development at Future Factory
Kabillian Navaratnarasa
Head of New Business at Uncommon Creative Studio
Gill Huber
Managing Director of Ingenuity+
How can your agency nail that first chemistry meeting?
You’ve finally landed that coveted first chemistry meeting. Now, the real work begins. This is your chance to shine and show the brand why your agency is the right partner.
But before you jump in, take a moment to prepare—this isn’t a standard pitch. It’s an opportunity to connect, get to know one another, and understand if you’re aligned in terms of values, goals, and creative potential.
As Kabillan puts it,“It’s essentially a therapy session for the brand to share their pain points and challenges. For you as an agency, it’s more about how you can communicate different strategic territories or spaces for them to play in to solve those challenges.”
Start by diving deep into what makes your agency special. What’s your secret sauce? What can you bring to the table that no one else can? This is the time to talk about the unique strengths that set your agency apart.
However, resist the temptation to launch into a lengthy presentation or detailed case study. This meeting is not the time for a slide deck full of past projects. Instead, focus on building rapport and understanding each other’s perspectives.
Listen and let the ideas flow
Be mindful that what’s interesting to one prospect might not be interesting to another. That’s where your research prior to the meeting comes in, but you also need to make sure your asking questions about their specific pain points, so you can showcase your relevance to them, always bringing it back to how your offering can support those specific needs.
Gill pointed out, “It’s not the end of the world if they don’t like some of your ideas; this isn’t a final pitch. That first meeting is about finding out if you and the brand have the same goals, sharing suggestions, and building that all-important rapport and chemistry.”
The first meeting is all about discovery—so make sure you’re listening carefully to their brand challenges. Don’t rush to solve everything on the spot, but instead, tap into your agency’s creative potential. This is your moment to present some of those “bottom draw” ideas—the concepts that might not be fully formed but could spark something amazing. And if they don’t immediately love every idea? That’s ok.
Build trust and authenticity
The goal of a chemistry meeting isn’t to hard-sell your agency—it’s to build trust and start forming a genuine connection. Too many agencies go in ready to pitch, but that’s often the wrong approach.
Alison shared, “we see so many agencies going into those meetings ready to pitch, and it just isn’t the right time. This is your chance to be disarmingly honest and vulnerable with your prospects, share opinions, ways of working, and your strategic beliefs.”
The first chemistry meeting is about showing who you are as an agency—your values, creativity, and approach to problem-solving. With the right mindset, it can be the beginning of a powerful, mutually beneficial relationship.
Once you’ve cracked how to land that all important chemistry meeting and make a great first impression. Check out this article on how to nurture your prospects and keep them engaged until the right opportunity arises.
Are you ready to power up your new business strategy for 2025?
If you’re looking at how you can implement these techniques into your new business strategy for 2025, or are interested in how our lead generation services and training can support your agency’s growth, email: sam.wheatman@thefuturefactory.co.uk and let’s chat.
Looking to take control of your new business strategy and deliver successful chemistry meetings?
Our ‘Take Control of New Business Meetings’ training workshop is here to help you do exactly that. Check out all the details on our new business training here.
