Metairie, Louisiana, United States
𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 For 30 years, I’ve helped owners and founders of advertising, PR, and digital agencies (10–150 employees) win better-fit clients by turning their point of view into a reputation the market remembers. Because most agency new business problems aren’t really “lead” problems. They’re clarity + trust problems. When you sound like everyone else, you’re forced to chase. When you’re known for something specific, the right prospects lean in. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 I help agency leaders build a reputation-driven pipeline using persuasion, positioning, and a practical publishing system based on propinquity (familiarity + proximity creates trust). I call the method Painless Prospecting™: Turning attention → interest → commitment without bait-and-badger tactics, cold outreach, or “spray and pray” content. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈’𝐦 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 • Making agency business development feel human again • Sharpening a founder’s POV so it’s clear, defensible, and differentiated • Teaching teams how to pitch with more confidence, conviction, and conversion • Building Embassies & Outposts so you become the familiar choice - Embassies: places you consistently show up and help (LinkedIn, communities, newsletter) - Outposts: places you check in and out (podcasts, guest posts, speaking) 𝐀 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: • Built a business development program that drove $25M+ in new business in 4 years • Grew Converse Digital year over year with zero paid outreach • Author of The Invisible Sale, which outlines my Painless Prospecting™ framework. • Contributing Writer for Ad Age's Small Agency Diary section • Regular keynote speaker and workshop leader on persuasion, pitching, and agency new business. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝... • a clearer agency positioning that makes you easier to choose • a better pitch story (without sounding like a “full-service partner”) • a reputation that creates inbound conversations • or the Perfect Pitch™ deck for your agency …you’re in the right place. If you run an agency and want to replace praying for referrals or chasing semi-interested prospects with a repeatable new business system that produces better conversion numbers, DM me: 1. Your Agency name 2. The best time to talk 3. What’s making new business feel harder than it should 4. Your phone number And we'll see if I can help you. And if I can't, I'll recommend someone who can help you.
We teach organizations how to Sell Greatly by turning conversations into customers by leveraging digital sales & marketing tools to achieve and sustain sales growth, enhance brand perception and painlessly prospect for new clients. We provide advice and counsel to aid our clients in both understanding and integrating digital technologies and platforms, including email marketing, social media marketing, content marketing and marketing automation to effectively uncover invisible sales opportunities and then convert those prospects by Selling Greatly.
I serve as Brew Agency’s contract Director of Business Development, partnering with the agency to strengthen growth strategy, support client opportunity development, and help translate Brew’s capabilities into meaningful business outcomes for current and prospective clients. My work spans business development strategy, agency positioning, client and prospect conversations, outreach strategy, pipeline and CRM planning, and the development of messaging that helps Brew open the right doors and build the right relationships. At the center of the role is a simple idea: thoughtful business development should feel more like strategic guidance than sales pressure. My goal is to help Brew create more value for existing clients while also helping new prospects quickly understand where the agency can make a meaningful difference.
Provide compelling, insightful, and informative Social Selling and Digital Marketing keynote and breakout talks teaching the audience how to Sell Greatly via Social Sales Prospecting, Content Marketing and Integrating Your Social Media & Traditional Media Strategy. Popular talks include, Turning Conversations Into Customers, Google Proofing Your Social Selling Efforts, Winning the Invisible Sale and Painless Prospecting for Clients & Customers. Here's what a few folks have to say about my presentations: Tom might have been the best presenter all weekend. Put him earlier in the week if possible to allow for more discussion. – SoMeT Attendee Had me on the “edge” of my chair! — OTA Conference Attendee Tom dazzled the audience with his clear understanding and passion for the brand experience. Always a crowd pleaser, Tom delivered one of the best rated presentations of the chapter’s programming year.” – Colin Hageney, president of Bullpen Marketing, Houston AMA Board Member
Selected for and graduated from the highly competitive Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, a fully funded scholarship designed for growth-oriented entrepreneurs. Completed an intensive, practical education curriculum designed by Babson College (ranked #1 for entrepreneurship). Collaborated with business advisors to analyze business operations, identify capital opportunities, and refine leadership strategies. Outcome: Developed and immediately executed a comprehensive 5-year "Growth Plan" to scale operations, increase revenue, and create jobs.
Created agency's digital effort and oversaw digital strategy development, social media marketing and strategy, and led digital R&D. Our most highly acclaimed digital R&D effort was the two year Mardi Gras project where we tested (in real world conditions) the ability of social media to alter the brand perception of Mardi Gras - from "girls gone wild" to "family friendly fun." You can read about that case study at http://tommartin.typepad.com/positive_disruption/2010/02/tom_martin_social_media_strategy_can-reality-change-perception.html