Work backwards. Win forwards.
Everything Starts with the Close
Over the past three years, prospects have taken longer to decide, making new business less predictable. Closing has become the biggest challenge. That is why we created Everything Starts with the Close: new sales techniques that start at the close and work backwards.
Why start at the end?
The close changes every decision before it
Most agency sales training begins at the top of the funnel and runs out of time before anyone talks seriously about winning. The result is often plenty of activity and too little signed work.
This programme reverses the order. The first morning focuses on the close and the revenue number it needs to deliver. Every session after that moves one step further back towards the conversation where the opportunity began.
Who it is for
- Independent agency founders and managing directors
- Heads of growth and people carrying new business responsibility
- Account leads who want to move into a new business role or develop their sales skills further
- Marketing leads whose work is expected to feed the pipeline
Practical tools and ongoing support
You will get practical, actionable advice, with takeaway tools, tips and tricks you can put to use straight away.
We will set up an optional WhatsApp group for the cohort, so attendees can stay connected, ask questions and receive ongoing support and advice after the training.
The complete programme
This two-day sales training course builds the skills to find promising leads, start conversations, qualify opportunities and close the right deals through guided practice, coaching and feedback on your own pipeline.
Two-day agenda
Day 1: Working back from the close
Revenue, closing, learning, pitching, value and discovery.
Arrival and coffee
1. The number that matters
Work back from your sales target using qualified-lead-to-close conversion rates to set realistic goals for leads, conversations and wins.
Break
2. Everything starts with the close
Coached practice in asking for the decision, handling objections and agreeing a clear next step without pressuring the buyer.
3. Learning from every result
Win/loss learning and continuous sales improvement, reviewing recent wins and losses from the room.
Lunch
4. Winning the pitch
Pitch strategy, presentation and proposal discipline, alongside competitive intelligence and winning against incumbents.
Break
5. Selling value, not hours
Value selling, commercial framing and pricing confidence.
6. Discovery that shapes the deal
Guided discovery and qualification practice to uncover the real brief, client fit, decision process and potential for a paid strategic first step.
Day 1 reflections
Each delegate names the one deal in their pipeline they will now handle differently.
Peer networking dinner
Included in the programme fee.
Two-day agenda
Day 2: Building the pipeline that feeds it
Influence, positioning, growth sources, relationships, team design and action.
Coffee and Day 1 recap
7. Influence and persuasion in live deals
Coached practice in knowing when to step back rather than push, using reverse psychology to surface hesitation and help buyers decide whether to move forward.
Break
8. Knowing who you sell to
Agency positioning, value proposition and ideal-client definition, alongside buyer personas, decision-makers and relationship mapping.
9. Where growth really comes from
Map where your next leads could come from across your network, clients, partnerships and marketing, including referrals and former clients.
Lunch
10. Partnerships and platforms
Strategic alliances and partnership-led new business, alongside thought leadership, speaking, events and hosted roundtables.
11. Relationship-led prospecting
Coached outreach practice with feedback on relevant messages and follow-up, plus how to track replies, qualified leads and next steps.
Break
12. Designing the sales team
The roles of the founder, marketing, account growth and business development, and how they work together.
13. Closing the loop
Review your live pipeline and turn the exercises into a 90-day plan for lead generation, outreach, qualification and closing, tied back to the target set in Session 1.
Programme close
What you leave with
A shared commercial view your agency can put to work immediately.
- A clear method for reverse-engineering your sales targets using real qualified-lead-to-close conversion rates
- A clear, shared definition of what a winnable deal looks like for your agency
- A reviewed pipeline, with stale opportunities identified and a view on which pitches to decline
- A sharper account of your positioning, ideal client and the decision-makers you need to reach
- A view of which of the four sources of growth deserve more of your time
- Agreed new business roles across the founder, marketing, account growth and business development
- A personal 90-day plan tied back to the number set on the first morning
Planned editions
Choose the setting that works for you
Two residential editions are intended. Locations are planned rather than confirmed bookings. The programme includes two days and one evening together. Arrival details are to be confirmed.
Hampshire edition
Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, Dogmersfield
A country estate within easy reach of London
Planned location. Dates and booking confirmation TBC.
Scotland edition
Inveraray, Loch Fyne, Argyll
A lochside setting in the west of Scotland
Planned location. Exact venue and dates TBC.
Led by Spencer Gallagher
Built from agency experience
Spencer is Founding Partner and CEO of Bluhalo and brings 27 years of agency experience to the room. He founded and scaled the original Bluhalo to become the UK's eighth-largest digital agency, with £12 million in revenue, before selling it and joining the acquirer's leadership team. He has since completed six personal exits.
His personal new business track record includes winning between £1 million and £2 million in new business every year for the past 20 years. That is Spencer's experience, not a promise or guaranteed outcome for delegates.
Register your interest
The programme is £1,499 per attendee for two days and one evening, including one night's accommodation and a peer networking dinner. Travel is not included and is at the attendee's expense. We will be in touch when dates, venue and room details are confirmed.
Programme interest form
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