
How We Help Agencies Build Strategic Partnerships
About this episode
Here's what nobody tells you about referrals: the real value isn't the introduction, it's identifying who will keep referring you for years.
In this episode, Dan breaks down why the classic "let me know if you know anyone who needs our services" approach fails almost every time, and walks through a systematic process for turning your existing network into a consistent source of warm introductions, tastefully.
What You'll Leave With:
- Why asking "know anyone who might need our services?" puts massive cognitive load on your contacts (and what to ask instead)
- The three biggest referral mistakes agency owners make and how each one sabotages your results
- How vertical vs. horizontal relationships determine whether someone will refer you
- The specific ask process: transitioning from categories of people to named individuals your connector actually knows
- A practical approach to mapping your LinkedIn network for "referral ready connectors" without spam
- Why strategic partnerships should be prototyped through referrals first, not started with commission structures
- How to think about the time investment: high-touch, high-leverage vs. volume plays that don't fit specialized agencies
Resources
Are you an upmarket-focused agency interested in setting up a referral-based new business system?
Lets talk - go here for details: https://hey.salesschema.com/referral-engine-lp
Get every episode summarized
Each time The Digital Agency Growth Podcast publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from The Digital Agency Growth Podcast

How to Win the Pitches That Matter Most – Grant C. Gooding
The Digital Agency Growth Podcast

Mandi Ellefson on Offer Innovation, Agency Growth Stages, and Working Smarter
The Digital Agency Growth Podcast

Balancing biz dev and ownership, scaling w/ partnerships, and hiring for soft sk...
The Digital Agency Growth Podcast

How to Win Big Agency Deals Without the RFP — Chris Rose
The Digital Agency Growth Podcast