Know-How Exchange : Strategy

On ad spend - maybe or maybe not. There is a lot that goes into getting to the point where you can meet a client. Maybe ads are part of this, but more likely lots of meeting and networking.

Then a lot that goes into getting to the point where the client accepts the proposal.

After this, it may follow what you say if it is a one-off project. But seems more common for me to be doing continuous work than one off projects.

To this I'd add:

Ask insightful questions about the client's previous experiences with your kind of services, then take the time to fully research and clarify their expectations, timeline, and budget.

Be clear, truthful, and realistic on what you can deliver given the variables of expectations, timeline, and budget.

Research client's competition.

Research client's current, past, and present clients of customers.

Research the client's competitive advantages (claims only they can make, measures or industry standards that only they meet or exceed).

Beware of and allow for scope creep.

As an alternative strategy, you can always put yourself in the position of a client looking to hire a digital marketing agency. What are the specific issues you would like clarified? You could also get friends in business to undertake the same analysis. That will help focus your attention on the points that are important to your prospective clients. From that information, the process should be easy to identify.

I think this process is end-to-end clear and well defined. Also, while conducting the initial meeting you need to gather information and clarity about what do they want and deliver your proposal according to their needs and not a general idea about what you are going to do.

Ask your potential client if they are doing ads and what are they getting from them, if not then tell them what can they achieve with ads in your proposal.

The basic thing you need to do in the whole process is problem solving and do tell them about their ROI; justifies your cost.