John Heenan on How Can New Agencies Overcome the Hurdles of Limited Experience and Knowledge?
Welcome, everyone! Today, we’re delighted to have John Heenan join us to discuss how new agencies can overcome the hurdles of limited experience and knowledge.
With over 20 years in the advertising industry, John brings a wealth of insights. He has worked with hundreds of ad agencies, creating compelling stories that boost sales, drive traffic, and grow brands.
John specializes in brand strategy, prospect identification, marketing, content strategy, engagement, proposals, pitching, prospecting analysis, and business development recruiting.
Having helped numerous ad agencies reset their sales approach, John’s expertise will provide invaluable guidance for new agencies facing these challenges.
Let’s get started…
Q.1- Can you introduce yourself and share your experience in coaching agencies, particularly those with limited experience and knowledge?
I am John Heenan, an agency growth consultant. For the last two decades, I’ve been helping ad agencies of all shapes and sizes, including those with little experience or knowledge of industries, find and acquire new clients.
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Q.2- Which agencies have you mentored in the past, and who are the founders of these agencies?
In my work, I’m bound by strict nondisclosure agreements to not name agencies or the work I do for them.
Q.3- What are the most common challenges new agencies face due to limited experience and knowledge?
The single greatest challenge is to convince a prospect to consider them for an assignment when over 70% of marketers want their agency to have prior industry experience. The next greatest challenge is to effectively differentiate the agency from far more qualified firms.
Q.4- Can you share an example of a new agency successfully overcoming these challenges? How did they do it?
In my work, I’m bound by strict nondisclosure agreements to not name agencies or the work I do for them. That said, I’ve helped an agency without any prior adult beverage experience win an assignment from the second-largest spirits brand, an agency without any prior transportation experience win one of the largest railroad brands, and an agency without any prior destination marketing experience win a major east coast vacation and tourism destination, to name just a few.
Q.5- In your opinion, how important is it for new agencies to have a strong mentorship or advisory network?
Extremely important. They will need as much help as they can get, both in processes and procedures as well as networks and connections. The first thing a marketer does when she starts looking for a new agency is to ask around to peers and colleagues, professional networks, and industry experts. Any connection to people who might be in the orbit of such marketers is golden.
Q.6- What strategies can new agencies use to quickly build and showcase their expertise to potential clients?
Networking, networking, networking!
Utilize all agency leadership networks to reach out, introduce, nurture, cultivate, and seek referrals. Leverage in-person events to meet and introduce the agency. Join professional, industry, marketing, and local and national associations to network.
Q.7- How can new agencies leverage industry research and trends to compensate for their lack of experience?
Industry research is essential to staying current and showcasing the agency’s expertise and initiative by turning that research into business-building insight and opportunities for prospective clients.
Q.8- What role do continuous learning and professional development play in helping new agencies build knowledge and expertise?
It is mandatory. The agency world is constantly evolving, and agencies can quickly become outdated if they don’t stay on the cutting edge.
Q.9- How can agency partnership programs, such as the Cloudways Agency Partnership Program, help new agencies overcome their lack of experience and knowledge?
I’m not familiar with the program.
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Q.10- What advice would you give to new agencies struggling with the challenges of limited experience and knowledge?
Industry experience and knowledge are important to marketers. Agencies must find something they can do that will be more valuable to the marketer than the expected experience.
Experience and knowledge shorten ramp-up, eliminate the learning curve, avoid rookie mistakes, and accelerate the time it takes the agency to have an impact. That’s the effect they have to overcome.
Q.11- In addition to yourself, are there any other agency coaches you would recommend we contact for an interview?
Peter Levitan, Jody Sutter, Mark Duval, Matt Chollet
Abdul Rehman
Abdul is a tech-savvy, coffee-fueled, and creatively driven marketer who loves keeping up with the latest software updates and tech gadgets. He’s also a skilled technical writer who can explain complex concepts simply for a broad audience. Abdul enjoys sharing his knowledge of the Cloud industry through user manuals, documentation, and blog posts.
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