The New New Business: Rebecca Wagstaffe on the Importance of Resilience

Rebecca Wagstaffe is Zeno’s head of business development and integration, Europe. Based in London but working closely with colleagues in other European markets, she plays a pivotal role in defining and communicating the company’s unique vision to the world. With over 20 years of experience in both agency and client-side roles, Rebecca has collaborated with some of the most renowned organisations in the industry. Rebecca is known for her keen eye in identifying standout campaigns and excels at empowering teams to think bigger, be more ambitious, and delve deeper into briefs to uncover new possibilities. Her role encompasses both new business and marketing and as we continue to grow and scale she is instrumental in integrating new European markets and partnerships into the Zeno global footprint.  

LBB> What was the best piece of advice you got early on? 

Rebecca> Move quickly. Act. The magic line Steve Jobs said around ‘doing alongside thinking’ is a strong north star for me. “Most people never pick up the phone and call; most people never ask... and that's what separates, sometimes, the people who do things from the people who just dream about them”. New business comes with deadlines built in – and from the moment the brief lands in your inbox, the clock is ticking. No one else is going to feel the urgency unless you drive them towards the deadline – and getting off the blocks fast, with the right people involved at each step of the way, and communicating expectations and needs in a crystal clear way is the golden ticket. To do this effectively you need to offer up a bit of carrot and a bit of stick and the most successful new business people know when it’s the right time to use each one. 

LBB> And the worst?

Rebecca> Embed new business across the agency. In theory this is a strong move, but having done this role for nearly twenty years, it’s an aspiration that rarely delivers. Whilst I do believe leads can come from almost anywhere across the agency, there’s a ton of wasted hours if you are trying to mould each colleague into a new business superstar. The analogy of pushing water uphill comes to mind. I prefer to identify those with a natural propensity towards this part of the business and then my focus is on galvanising and motivating this group to succeed by giving them the dedication, support and attention they need. 

LBB> How has the business of ‘selling’ in the creative industry changed since you started?

Rebecca> I mean there’s been huge changes in the role of digital to connect with prospects and changes in GDPR has affected prospecting.  But there’s some pretty solid truths that remain powerful: people buy people; no-one really wants to be sold to and don’t give it away for free are still good business codes that influence how I work day in day out. 

LBB> Can anyone be taught to sell or do new business or do you think it suits a certain kind of personality?

Rebecca> Anyone can be taught the methodologies, strategies and practices of new business but not everyone will be good at it. To be successful (and being in a new business role and not delivering is an uncomfortable place to be) you do need to have certain facets in your personality. Resilience being the number one. You gotta roll with the blows as well as celebrate the wins. Not everyone can rebound easily. 

LBB> What are your thoughts about the process of pitching that the industry largely runs on? (e.g. How can it be improved - or does it need done away with completely? Should businesses be paid to pitch? What are your thoughts about businesses completely refusing to engage in pitching? How can businesses perform well without ‘giving ideas away for free?)

Rebecca> I have thought about this A LOT across my career. My ambition in pitching is always supplier and agency equity. I don’t think the current pitching practices are based on this and the current climate where inhouse teams are under increasing pressure only exacerbates the demands on agencies. Short deadlines, lack of face to face time; changes in scopes half way through and then ghosting – we have all experienced this on agency side but refusing to engage in pitching is not an option for most agencies who have growth ambitions. You need to be in it to win it. 

LBB> How do you go about tailoring your selling approach according to the kind of person or business you’re approaching?

Rebecca> Always work back from who is in the room. That should always inform how you show up. Research their career history, their background, mine any mutual connections. Knowledge is power so arm yourself so you show up relevant and informed. Then you can let your personality and great agency experience do the rest. 

LBB> New business and sales can often mean hearing ‘no’ a lot and quite a bit of rejection - how do you keep motivated?

Rebecca> You keep on keeping on! The ones that hurt are the ones where you have a nagging doubt that you weren’t set up for success. If you have a great team, a cracking strategy and have presented a handful of ideas you are proud of and stand by, then you just need to dust yourself down and move on. Luckily, there’s always another one around the corner so you can’t hold too tightly onto the last one.

LBB> The advertising and marketing industry often blurs the line between personal and professional friendships and relationships… does this make selling easier or more difficult and delicate?

Rebecca> It makes it easier at the beginning. Getting some insider intel about the reasons behind a pitch or what they do/don’t like is never not useful. But the existing relationship only takes you so far because the same principles in pitching apply regardless of friendships.

LBB> In your view what’s the key to closing a deal?

Rebecca> I think something that is often overlooked is actually asking for the work. In our industry we tend to be ‘nice and polite’ so there’s a tendency to shy away from explicitly saying ‘hell yeah we are DYING TO WORK WITH YOU and here’s why’. I find rather than clients finding that off-putting, they love the passion and enthusiasm.

LBB> How important is cultural understanding when it comes to selling internationally? (And if you have particular experience on this front, what advice do you have?)

Rebecca> There’s almost nothing more important. At Zeno we have 24 offices across the globe and the first thing we do with multi-market work is talk to these teams. There’s often vastly different interpretations of companies and brands in market and getting to grips with this at the start of the process should never be underestimated. 

LBB> How is technology and new platforms (from platforms like Salesforce and Hubspot to video calls to social media) changing sales and new business?

Rebecca> We all adapt to new technology and there’s definitely a place to use software for streamlining and efficiency. And again, the rise of video calls mean a much better experience for new business that crosses borders. But there’s nothing like a face to face meeting for relationship building so I always push for this to get the chemistry going as early as possible.

LBB> What’s your advice for anyone who’s not necessarily come up as a salesperson who’s now expected to sell or win new business as part of their role?

Rebecca> Get advice from the experts! Read the interviews on Little Black Book of those who have been there, done that and then work out your own plan that feels like you. You can’t sit back and wait for the pipeline to fill, or for the pitch presentation to write itself. This role is about thought and action. Think about what you need to do to win and then create the path to get there – in your own way. Enjoy!