With over 19 years in advertising sales, and working with many agencies, Greg is very experienced with working with clients of all sizes. He has also seen our services work first hand. Having the exact same real life experience selling digital advertising as our clients, he brings his ability to relate to everyone. Working with our partners allows him to continue to help sales teams and agencies grow their business, and at the same time, supporting the growth efforts of the end client. Greg is Google Analytics Certified.
Whether you're a media rep, agency partner, or part of a traditional media company diving into the digital world, one of the most common questions we hear is:
“How do I find the right digital clients—and actually get them to say yes to a meeting?”
We’ve been there too. The key is not about casting a wider net… it’s about casting a smarter one.
So, let’s simplify it. We’re breaking down a more strategic(and easier!) way to:
Before we jump in, here are 3 quick takeaways:
Key Takeaways
✔ Focus on the right verticals - not just any business.
✔ Use a Valid Business Reason (VBR) to earn the meeting—ditch generic intros.
✔ Ask the right discovery questions - they’ll do most of the selling for you.
Step 1: Get Focused with Vertical Prospecting
Not all businesses are created equal when it comes to digital spend. You don’t need to guess who’s worth your time we already know the industries leading the charge in digital dollars.
Here are just a few of the big ones:
Pro Tip: Tools like Vici’s Vertical Prospecting List and Research Reports make this part easy. You can see what local businesses fall into those verticals, check on their online activity, and even get a sense of how their competitors are showing up online.
Step 2: Reach Out with a Valid Business Reason (VBR)
This step is where the magic happens—and where a lot of prospecting falls flat. Your email or call shouldn’t sound like everyone else’s. Instead of saying:
“I’d love to connect and learn more about your business…”
Say something like:
“We help businesses like yours identify who is visiting their website—down to name, email, and income. We can also take it another level and target them with display, social mirror, native, video, online audio or Meta ads with Website Visitor ID Feed. Can we hop on a quick call next week so I can show you how it works?”
See the difference?
The second one offers real value. It’s tailored. It makes the business curious. And that’s how you get your foot in the door.
Want help writing one? Use ChatGPT or any AI tool to build industry-specific messaging. Feed in a few details about the business (like what they do, their location, and their audience), and ask for email intros or talking points.
Step 3: Prep For and Run a Strong CNA Meeting
The CNA (Client Needs Analysis) is your discovery meeting.And the goal here isn’t to pitch—it’s to listen. You’re diagnosing before you prescribe.
Things to Prep:
Questions to Ask:
You’ll spend most of the meeting just gathering insights.And that’s perfect. The more you learn, the easier it is to recommend solutions that actually matter to them.
Step 4: Recommend Solutions That Make Sense
Once you’ve asked good questions and listened carefully, now it’s your turn to respond—but not with a full menu of services. Instead, offer specific solutions to specific problems they mentioned. Using the Client Capabilities Presentation as your weapon!
Example:
“You mentioned your website gets traffic but few calls. A social mirror campaign with retargeting campaign could bring those visitors back and keep your brand top of mind.”
Or:
“Since your competitors are showing up all over local search results, we could help you run a paid search campaign to improve visibility where your customers are already searching.”
Keep it simple. Keep it tied to their goals. That’s how you go from sales rep to trusted partner.
Step 5: Set the Next Step, Always
Wrap things up by:
Even something like:
“Thanks for sharing all that great info. I’ll put together a few strategy options using X budget and we can go through them next Wednesday. Does 10am work?”
That keeps the momentum going—and puts you in control of the timeline.
Bonus: Use J.O.L.T. When Presenting Your Proposal
This method helps your proposal hit harder:
It’s clean, effective, and feels more like collaboration than closing.
Let’s Recap
Prospecting doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right tools and a little planning, you can:
It’s not about pitching everything you’ve got—it’s about making digital make sense for your client.
Now go ahead—pull your prospect list, prep a few VBRs, and book those meetings. You’ve got this!
