Small Spark Theory: a marginal gains approach to new business and marketing

In previous episodes we’ve tackled various aspects of pitching and presenting, specifically with Tony Spong from AAR (episode 10) and Catherine Allison at Master the Art (episodes 3 and 33). In those discussions we concentrated largely on our behaviour – our pitching processes, how we question, how we listen. But the area we didn’t really touch on is our presentation materials.

We’ve all heard the statistics about how much of our verbal vs visual communication is heard and seen, but at a time when we are mostly communicating through a Zoom window and many of the other subtle body language cues are missing, the pressure is on to make sure our presentation materials are working harder than ever.

And as a marginal gains exercise, this one is a whopper! Presentation decks are so often overlooked, either hastily rehashed or totally over engineered. Time spent rethinking how we approach this vital part of our new business armoury is undoubtedly time well spent.

So who better to unpick this than presentation expert Shan Preddy. Design Business Association members will know Shan well as a founder member of the Experts Register and trainer and advisor to swathes of organisations across the sector.

Listen in to hear Shan’s best tips and tricks for powerful presentations (and a bonus insight into the communication skills of the new US Vice President-Elect....!)

Shan’s recommended read is Slide:ology by Nancy Duarte.

Preddy & Co

Shan Preddy

“I’m speaking...”

The post EP46: Presentation materials | Shan Preddy | Preddy & Co appeared first on Gunpowder Consulting.

Let’s be honest. These are uncertain times.

Even those agency owners who are highly proficient in keeping the new business pipeline bubbling, will probably have had a heart-stopping moment or two over the last 18 months. An unexpected decision by a client, the surprising cancellation of a new project after the green light has already been given, or as one observer recently described to me – client paralysis.

So far in the Small Spark Theory we’ve been examining all the parts of the sales and marketing process to understand where we can make marginal gains.

But understanding not only how we sell but, what we sell, has never been more important.

In this month’s episode, we chat to Erica Wolfe-Murray, of Lola Media. With a unique mix of experiences from finance and the creative sector, Erica is an established thought leader on the subject of business growth through creative use of IP.

This is our first eye-opening episode from Erica who’ll be joining us later in the year to discuss revenue models.

As always we’ve got a competition and will be giving away a copy of Erica’s recommended read: A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin. Listen in to find out how to win.

The post EP14: Intellectual assets | Erica Wolfe-Murray | Lola Media appeared first on Gunpowder Consulting.

As we wrap up 2024 with this final episode, I’ve been reflecting on the many conversations I’ve had with agencies throughout the year, as well as the recurring themes shared by our amazing podcast guests.

It’s been a challenging year for many, which makes this the perfect moment to focus on an invaluable asset every agency has, no matter its size, discipline, or sector: our people.

So in this episode, we’re diving into how empowering our people through effective leadership and a strong culture can drive real growth. Joining me is culture transformation coach Zoe Tuffs from Times Ten.

Together, we’ll unpack some of the biggest leadership challenges agencies face—like ignoring culture issues, promoting "accidental managers" without proper support, and overvaluing productivity metrics at the expense of meaningful outcomes.

Zoe will also share her top tips for creating lasting change in 2025 and of course, we'll be uncovering more opportunities for marginal gains.

And don’t forget, we’ve got a book giveaway! Join the conversation on LinkedIn or Instagram using #SmallSparkTheory, and you could win a copy of Reculturing by Melissa Daimler, Zoe’s must-read recommendation.

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Connect with Zoe on LinkedIn here: to discover more insights on transforming your people & culture strategy, values-led leadership development and team dynamics.

Book a free 30-minute chemistry call: here to explore how Zoe can help you achieve your goals.

See the impact: Watch a client success video here showing the outcomes achieved with Sledge; a creative film and live experience agency.

Transform your people strategy: Explore Times Ten's People & Growth Workshop here. (There’s a 20% discount for Small Spark Theory listeners using the code **SST20**).

There is no doubt there has never been a better time to rethink the way that agencies deliver their services to clients.

With endless technology options, flexible workspaces, and an increasing supply of freelance talent, the barrier to entry is lower than ever for budding agency founders.

So far so good. And yet I’ve met so many founders of small, start-up agencies who are reticent to show their size or ‘virtual’ status for fear of putting off potential clients.

For this episode, I met with the multi-tasking design thinker and doer Emma Sexton, CEO of MYWW, creator of the Inside Out Awards and co-presenter of TalkRadio’s Badass Women’s Hour.

I wanted to find out how Emma has perfected her remote-first agency without compromising on ambition. Are clients willing to try something new? Or is there still safety in size?

Tune in to find out more and be in with the chance of winning a copy of Emma’s recommended read: The Courage To Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga.

The post EP37: New agency models | Emma Sexton | MYWW appeared first on Gunpowder Consulting.

So far in our Small Spark Theory podcast series we’ve been exploring the ways we can make marginal gains in our agency new business and marketing performance. We’ve discussed the tweaks and improvements, the tips and tricks that can help us perform better, and see a better return on our time and money.

So far so good.

But even with clear objectives, effective planning, brilliant processes and all the communication skills we have discussed, our best efforts can still be undone by a lack of productivity.

How many times do we find ourselves finalising a pitch deck in a cab on the way to a meeting, scrabbling to submit an RFI seconds before the deadline or simply looking at our new business pipeline and knowing we just haven’t implemented enough of the plan to generate sufficient new opportunities?

Most of us will be familiar with the feeling. The procrastination, indecision and ultimately – paralysis.

So why does it happen? And what can we do about it?

In this episode, we talk to best-selling author Robert Kelsey. Founder and CEO of a successful London PR agency, co-founder and deputy chairman of a leading entrepreneurs’ think tank: The Centre for Entrepreneurs, Robert’s books: “What’s Stopping You?“, “What’s Stopping You Being More Confident?” and “Get Things Done” have sold over 100,000 copies and being translated into 10 languages.

Spoiler alert: The answer to our lack of productivity is rather more complex that we think and requires some honest self-appraisal. The good news is, a tidy workstation and good stationery are still very important. We’re stocking up on nice notepads and post-its right away...

As always, we’ve got a competition for you and will be giving away a copy of Robert’s book “Get Things Done”. So listen in to find out how to win.

Follow us on Twitter @gunpowdertweets and join the conversation at #smallsparktheory
For more information on improving your agency new businesses effectiveness, get in touch with Lucy Mann.

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