At the start of last year, I met Robin Williams at the Sheffield Digital AGM.
At that point, Bravand wasn’t in a good place.
Historically, around 80% of our business has come from people we know: retained business, repeat business, referrals and recommendations. The other 20% new-new business - the bit I had become accountable for since opening the Sheffield office - was effectively non-existent.
As a business owner, that’s uncomfortable. I was questioning why I was paying myself a salary and seeing no meaningful return.
And when I spoke to other agency owners, most were saying the same thing: "it’s tough out there". Different industries were telling me a similar story, too, and, for a while, I accepted that narrative.
But, eventually, I stopped, believing what I was telling everyone else. Because, if not everyone is struggling, then surely there must be something within our control.
A Coffee We “Couldn’t Afford”
When I relayed this story to Robin he suggested we meet for coffee and chat. I was completely upfront with him: things are tough, and I can’t afford to pay you - even if we need help.
But we met anyway (coffees were on him...).
We talked honestly about where we were and what needed to change. We agreed a structure that was all upside for us. If it worked, brilliant. If it didn’t, we weren’t any worse off.
I bit his arm off.
Five Months Later
Five months on, we were in a very different place.
External factors continued to impact us, and the usual swings and roundabouts of agency life continued unabated.
But the biggest shift had been internal. We had clear direction. We had a plan, we were sticking to it, and we were seeing positive results.
The tide was turning and, ultimately, there was hope. That changed our outlook (for the better) completely.
We were no longer hiding behind “it’s just the market.”
What Actually Changed
The reasons this worked (and continues to work) include:
- Robin didn’t arrive with a generic growth playbook.
- He took the time to understand what we do, how we do it, and why we do things that way.
- Then he helped us make it better.
Not different for the sake of it. Not over-engineered. Not theoretical. Just "better".
We created a bank of evergreen content that made creating and scheduling LinkedIn posts a breeze. We've upped our game in terms of amplifying out Company page posts, too. We're much more consistent now than we've ever been, and that's improved engagement and enquiries.
We also really tightened up our outreach and pipeline process, reducing the time from initial connection to booking a call.
In fact, whilst you're here, why not check out some of our fabulous case studies?
He didn’t change who we are. He helped us become better operators.
Control What You Can Control
It’s easy to blame market conditions and, sometimes that blame is 100% justified. But sometimes it’s also a shield.
We’ve been here before. That’s what bothered me most. If this wasn’t our first rodeo, why were we back here again?
Working with Robin forced us to look inward and fix the things within our control. And that’s what's made the difference.
It Worked
When Robin offered that initial pilot engagement, we made a deal: if it worked, we’d sing his praises.
Well: It worked!
We continue to working with Robin, and we’re better for it.
Thank you, Robin!
It Might Just Be Worth a Coffee
We nearly didn’t have that first conversation.
If you’re in a similar place - questioning things, unsure what to fix first, wondering whether it’s you or the market - start with a coffee.
Robin won’t arrive with a generic playbook. He’ll take the time to understand how your agency works, and help you make it better.
You can find out more about Robin and his work here at www.robindoesdigital.com.
Want more of Robin’s thinking? Check out Field Notes for the Creative Operator at creativeoperatorfieldnotes.substack.com.
