Q: What do firms with a full pipeline, premium pricing, and a high close rate for ideal fit clients have that others don’t?
A: Strong Positioning.
It’s a fact: better clients will pay more for deep expertise and specialized services.
Yet, most creative and marketing firms wait too long to nail down their positioning. They waste time on the wrong leads, wrong clients, and work too hard for too little.
Instead, shortcut your path to more profits inside Positioning Bootcamp.
Positioning your own firm is the hardest strategy decision you’ll ever make.
Maybe you’ve been able to put off the decision for years. Because you hustled. You were flexible. And your creativity in solving new problems was your superpower.
But now? Now, with experience under your belt, you should be enjoying more power in the sale.
Only— prospects don’t see your firm as meaningfully different from the competition.
You’re not alone.
We asked Positioning Bootcamp participants why they needed a method and a process
here's what they said:
I’ve felt like a commodity during sales calls
For over a year now, I’ve felt like a commodity during sales calls with prospects. The market started to get flooded with similar competitors with cheaper gig economy prices. I decided to hone my skills in the past year in response, and now I need a way to effectively communicate what I bring to the table.
ability to command a price premium
We’ve been stuck at a pricing range for a while now.
And we seem to be unable to breach it. We do high-value work. And we want to be able to command a premium for it.
It’s critical that we differentiate as we grow. I can no longer sell for the prices we want as a “generalist” agency.
start feeling like I am great at specific services
Positioning is the bane of my existence!
I need to stop feeling like I am good at a lot of things, and start feeling like I am great at specific services…then do a much better job of communicating that effectively to prospects.
It feels like we’ve hit a plateau
We’re entering our 20th year as an agency. Over 20 years, we’ve been financially healthy — successful even, but feel like we’ve hit a plateau. It’s time to focus on who we want to be to break through that plateau.
stand out in the marketplace
I need to dial in my positioning so I can do a better job of standing out in the marketplace…
And leverage my expertise in disrupting the sales process.
Positioning feels foundational to me, so I’m looking forward to getting this refined so I can do a better job in executing the rest of the WWP sales tools.
LACK OF CLARITY & FOCUS
Our lack of clarity and focus in positioning is the biggest thing holding our agency back.
And it needs to be fixed as we try to stand out in a very crowded field during a challenging time when clients are facing cuts and budget constraints of huge proportions.
tired of being mediocre
I am tired of being mediocre…
And tired of being frustrated about it. It is far past time to not just be better, but to be great.
more consistent revenue
I’m done with incremental adjustments that don’t differentiate.
I’m done with having our hair on fire, wish for less urgency in all of the projects, want more consistent revenue, and to be thought of for more strategic work. This was exhilarating in my 20s. In my 40s it’s exhausting.
For reasons like these ☝️ there’s Positioning Bootcamp
The first proclamation of the Win Without Pitching Manifesto is We Will Specialize. It’s the linchpin.
Because only when you’re seen as an irreplaceable expert can you get the right conversations with the right leads. Leads who come to you, drawn by the expertise reflected in your highly targeted content.
When your firm is well-positioned, you can charge more, for more strategic work. You can be selective. You can hold your head high.
Only, most creative and marketing agency principals struggle with positioning their firms. Call it the cobbler’s children syndrome.
So, we created a training and group coaching program where you can make the Difficult Decision with support, over just 6 weeks.
paul sterett
whitehart insight
Having ambiguous positioning created a lot of issues internally and externally.
Externally the work I would go after was a crapshoot. Since I had not taken the time to publicly articulate what we did and for whom, the opportunities for new projects were all over the place. Too many of the projects we took on ended up being complete headaches.
Internally there was a lot of confusion and frustration. It was hard to stick to good processes and communication since we were all over the map.
Not to say is it perfect now, but we are on a much better path as a team!
“The world doesn't need another generalist firm."
MEET YOUR POSITIONING BOOTCAMP CREATOR, BLAIR ENNS
Blair Enns is the founder and CEO of Win Without Pitching, a sales training and coaching firm for marketing and creative service providers ready to win more new business at a lower cost of sale — without donating your best thinking.
He is the author of The Win Without Pitching Manifesto, a book credited with countless stories of 7-figure growth, and of Pricing Creativity: A Guide to Profit Beyond the Billable Hour.
Blair is the architect and designer behind all of the Win Without Pitching training, coaching, and bootcamp curricula.
In Positioning Bootcamp, you’ll get online training taught by Blair and group coaching by a Win Without Pitching coach.
(Only 20 spaces available)
from
Choosing a Focus to Nailing Your Thesis to the Wall, We Will Cover it All
- You’ll learn to unlock your focus for a market (so you’re clear and confident in your positioning).
- You’ll articulate your positioning in concise core messaging.
- You’ll add perspective to your message for your market, so ideal clients are compelled to seek you out.
- And you will craft a bold manifesto, so you can stake out a unique and memorable place in your market.
- Finally, you’ll create a content roadmap around your new positioning, so you can consistently generate inbound leads…
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All of which gives your firm more power in the sale — before the sales conversations even begin.
If in the past you sidestepped The Difficult Business Decision, now you can finally decide.
Get a proven process and experienced coaching to focus on a highly-profitable position
Here's what you get inside Positioning Bootcamp
Exclusive WWP Curriculum
You’ll get access to the online video-based modules, taught by Blair. It’s a complete curriculum for positioning your firm.
Prepare for your live Ask Me Anything coaching sessions by completing the weekly module.
Positioning Exercises & Assignments
Do the deep thinking that will hone your tightest, most competitive positioning. For each weekly module, Blair has designed exercises that will prompt you to look at your expertise, your opportunities, and your potential markets in new ways.
Exercises are independent work. Assignments you’ll complete each week and submit to the group for feedback.
(Average time investment: 2-4 hours/week for 6 weeks)
Weekly Live Zoom Coaching
Get 6 weeks of live group coaching in Ask Me Anything calls. This is your opportunity to get answers from your Win Without Pitching coach and feedback on your positioning assignments.
You’ll also deepen your perspective by seeing how your peers — principals from other agencies — define their positioning.
(Average time investment: 90 minutes/week for 7 weeks including orientation)We spent a long time grappling with the shift from being a generalist firm to a firm that can claim expertise within a field of specialty.
I always knew we needed to, but I didn't have the tools or the process or the methodology before.
Positioning Bootcamp gets you to think about the types of things you do, the patterns that you see, your clients, and projects.
It really gets you to ask yourself questions about who you are and who you want to be.
Positioning Bootcamp Is A Six-Week, Coach-Led, Online Program Designed For Agency Principals
Here's how the six-week bootcamp will roll-out
Orientation
Meet your coach and your Bootcamp peers in your first live 60-minute session. You’ll hit the ground running so you get the most out of your time in Bootcamp and set you up for success.
01
Positioning Options
Explore combinations of discipline and market, run some rudimentary tests, and kill off the obvious losers. Promote the winners for further vetting and refinement in the next module.
Get online feedback on your positioning ideas from your bootcamp peers.
Take what you’ve learned to our live Ask Me Anything (AMA) weekly session, and run your positioning by your coach.
02
Choosing a Focus
Sift through the options you uncovered in Module 1 and select the best one (remembering that there’s lots of room for iteration and refinement).
Learn how to avoid “The Big Mistake” and discover ways to transition to your new focus.
Share the discipline and market you’ve chosen with your peers, plus how you’ll transition. Get coach feedback in the AMA session.
03
Articulating a Claim
Succinctly and compellingly explain what it is you do and for whom.
You’ll learn the language traps to avoid and use “The Elevator Pitch” exercise among others to find your voice.
Share your pitch with your peers for feedback. Bring your questions and refine your pitch with coach feedback in the AMA.
04
Adding Perspective
Add the secret ingredient that will separate you from your competitors.
Perspective will become your superpower. It’s what will attract ideal-fit clients to seek you out.
Share your best perspective options with your peers online. Get feedback. Refine it further in the live AMA.
05
Nailing Your Thesis to the Door
Take your focus and your perspective and boldly create your own manifesto. It doesn’t need to be lengthy, it just needs to be bold.
Drafting your first “hero piece” of content is easier with guidance from Blair. When finalized, this manifesto will live on your website and anywhere you want to publish it live.
Share your draft with your peers and workshop it in the AMA weekly coaching session.
06
Attracting Right-fit Leads with Your Content
Build a bridge from your positioning to your lead generation.
You’ll leverage your positioning and perspective into content ideas that will attract like-minded clients that are easier to close.
Share your content map (aka editorial calendar) with your agency peers for feedback. Then, wrap up your 6-week journey in a live AMA coaching session.
Join us inside the Bootcamp
This didn’t come easily; it took a lot of work, but the payoff has been huge.
We are now getting inbound calls from the entire U.S., and competing nationally for work that we had no chance of hearing about, much less winning before.
From the first conversation with prospects to the way we consult with them once they sign the contract, WWP has helped us rework our processes.
When You Join Positioning Bootcamp
You’ll also get lifetime access to a dedicated WWP Forum and Slack Channel
Stay connected with your Bootcamp peers, ask each other questions, share your struggles and successes, so it’s easier to stay accountable to the decision you made to command higher profits.
Keep tabs on what’s working, what’s not and get insight on industry developments from your peers — 19 other Positioning Bootcamp members determined to win new business at higher margins without pitching.
From solopreneurs to mid-sized firms...
Creative and marketing agencies learn to differentiate and reduce the field of competition at Positioning Bootcamp
I want to thank you for creating the WWP bootcamps and giving me the tools I need to make my tiny creative business profitable (me + 2 FTEs).
I am thrilled to report that we have already booked more business (signed contracts) for 2022 than our total revenue for 2021, and it’s JANUARY!
It took determination and focus and lots of NOs. Tight positioning, the Four Conversation Framework, and our 1-page/ 3 option format ensure that we are getting paid for the value we bring, not the hours we work.
Two clients even chose the crazy anchor price that I would never have in one million years even offered before WWP.Yah-hoo!
With Gratitude,
After positioning, we saw a ton of results from our marketing, which is now resulting in this huge influx in business.
We’ve had a 233% increase in our total web traffic and a 100% increase in organic traffic.
We’ve published our manifesto, which has been getting rave reviews in new business conversations. People love it. It seems to really have clarified our expertise and our positioning.
Most importantly, this is resulting in actual sales. Last year was our best year by far. We had never hit a million in revenue before and last year we hit $1.2 million.
I'm about to close a deal with a monthly fee that is equivalent to what I would have normally charged for the entire project a couple of years ago.
Clients now find me through my content, subscribe to my emails, and reach out to me for help.
They say things like, ‘We're looking for an expert in patient engagement, and after reading your stuff, we know you can help us.’
In the sales process, they treat me like the expert practitioner, instead of just another consultant. These changes can be attributed to a combination of the positioning, lead gen process, and the other work that I've done through WWP, but positioning is definitely the foundation of it all.
If I didn't have a solid positioning, my insight pieces wouldn't attract and resonate with my current prospects.
We were a very general firm. We worked with all different types of industries, and we realized we didn't know who we were talking to anymore. You can't market correctly or find your ideal client unless you are zeroed in.
That's what we really learned here in the bootcamp and how positioning helps focus your message as a brand.
When you're positioned and you’re marketing for a new business you know it's very focused. You know who you're talking to.
Four agencies' perspectives on Positioning Bootcamp
Positioning Bootcamp
is for you
if...
- You desire clarity and confidence in your positioning, so you know how and where to attract new business
- You realize that positioning is the strategic decision you must make before you can create a message that resonates with the right leads
- You need to generate more than enough right-fit leads who will seek you out, close faster, pay more, and trust you to lead
- You know that an ‘unfair’ sales advantage comes from reducing or eliminating your competition (the easiest way to disrupt the pitch)
- You’re more than ready to win while charging a price premium and you know that better clients are willing to pay for deep expertise
- You acknowledge that to increase your power you must be seen as the expert at the table, and that expertise demands focus
- You believe it’s high time to be paid for your strategic expertise, rather than vying for work as a second pair of hands
- You need help ‘seeing the forest for the trees’ and you value leaning on an expert process with feedback from an experienced coach and a group of your peers who get you
