The New New Business: Keeping a Positive Outlook with Maria Unwala

Maria Unwala is the VP of business development at DAC. Maria has over 10 years of experience in client services and business development, with a focus on presenting winning marketing strategies to prospective clients and forging enduring partnerships for her agencies. Prior to joining DAC, she was the director of client services at Brickfish, which was acquired by Reputation in 2019. Maria has a proven track record of developing strong relationships with clients and delivering results that exceed expectations.

LBB> What was your first sale or new business win? (Was it a big or small job? How difficult or scary was it? What do you remember about how you felt? What lessons did you learn?)

Maria> Reflecting on my early career, I recall my first new business win with Barilla Pasta. This partnership not only marked a significant milestone for me but for the brand itself. Barilla was looking for a partner to support their gluten-free pasta launch (and this was before most brands/restaurants had a GF certification mark on their products!). 

The most important tactic I took in early discussions with the brand was to ask the right questions and then truly listen. Understanding the brand's ethos, objectives, and aspirations was the cornerstone of my approach. By aligning these with our agency’s competencies, we were able to craft a proposal that truly resonated with marketing leaders at Barilla. A local brand with a strong community presence, Barilla also valued my hands-on approach. I invested considerable time at their offices, which was key to comprehending their vision of a successful partnership.

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

Maria> Understand your customer. This approach has been instrumental in shaping my perspective towards business development. It’s not just about offering a product or a service; it's about presenting a solution that resonates with the client's core objectives and addresses their specific pain points. Taking a customer-centric mindset demands thorough research, active listening, and the ability to anticipate needs even before they are explicitly expressed.

This approach is particularly necessary in today’s environment where marketing leaders are inundated with a barrage of messages and meeting requests. They are constantly being 'sold' to, often in ways that focus more on the product than on the customer. My prospects, who have later become clients, shared with me that they receive hundreds of messages daily, yet rarely do these messages address their specific needs. Sales teams tend to adopt a 'me, me, me' approach or automate their emails, focusing primarily on why their product or service is outstanding, rather than how it can uniquely benefit the customer.

LBB> And the worst?

Maria> A less effective new business strategy I've come across is not so much advice, but more a misguided tactic. At my first agency, the CEO would frequently walk over to the sales desks asking, "How many calls did you make?". In my opinion, this approach set an unproductive tone for the team.

While I acknowledge the necessity of some level of outbound volume — as the saying goes, even a broken clock is right twice a day — I firmly believe in a more personalised and strategic approach to new business. The notion of bombarding prospects with 100 calls a day is not just inefficient; it’s ignored.

Come to your prospects with well-researched ideas, opportunities, and assessments of their current program, and then demonstrate how you can enhance their strategies. At my current agency, DAC, we adopt a consultative sales approach, focusing on targeted, personalised interactions. We go the extra mile for our prospects, diving into research, involving subject matter experts when possible, and engaging in thoughtful conversations, both virtually and in person. We invite them to our industry events and consistently provide value-add touchpoints. Yes, this is the “long game” and a more labour-intensive approach, but one that yields far more meaningful relationships.

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

Maria> Today, the competition is fiercer than ever, marked by a crowded field that includes not only conglomerate holding companies with an extensive portfolio of agency brands but also hundreds of boutique firms eager for their moment in the spotlight. On top of that, the cyclical trend of businesses going between in-house teams and agency partnerships adds another layer of competition.

And competition extends beyond just securing business; it's competition for attention and time. As mentioned, marketing executives are inundated with hundreds of inquiries regularly, pressed for time, balancing lean internal teams, family commitments, and personal interests. This scarcity of time and surplus of options means sales no longer happen “overnight” just because you were at the right place at the right time. It’s about nurturing connections, demonstrating value, and patiently working towards a partnership.

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

Maria> I do think it’s true that many aspects of new business development can be taught—such as effective communication, storytelling, and time management—but in my opinion, the most successful people in the role have a specific type of personality and/or background that gives them an advantage. This is an incredibly tough job, one that demands a unique blend of resilience and perseverance. These traits are cultivated over years, often through personal experiences rather than formal training.

Personally, my own resilience comes from competing on the international circuit as a figure skater. I’ve fallen more times than I could count, which taught me persistence. In sales, as in competitive sports, rejection is far more common than acceptance. I find that former athletes bring a distinct advantage to the field of new business, as well as people who are innately confident and driven.

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?)

Maria> The pitch process can improve in terms of transparency. A more transparent dialogue between agencies and brands from the outset will help both parties set clear expectations.

I also believe agencies should be more selective when deciding which pitches to engage in. While ambition is valuable, feasibility and alignment with core competencies should guide participation. Investing time and resources into pitches that are outside an agency’s wheelhouse does a disservice to both the agency team and the brand involved.

I understand the argument for compensating agencies for their pitch efforts, but there is also a major investment of time and consideration that brand executives contribute during the review process. Imposing a financial requirement for pitching could potentially dissuade brands from initiating reviews, limiting opportunities for both parties. Instead, focusing on enhancing the efficiency, transparency, and mutual respect within the pitch process can create a more productive environment for all involved.

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

Maria> Customising my sales approach for each personality type is hugely important. From the start, I categorise each role at the business as either a decision-maker or influencer. Then, I look at personality type—for example, is the individual analytical or a driver? Finally, I’ll tailor my talk track, presentation materials, and messaging to align with the specific preferences of the personality type. How will they best digest the takeaways? What keeps them up at night and are we delivering a strong message on how we can solve those challenges?

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

Maria> Facing rejection is a big part of the game in new business. I stay motivated by keeping a positive outlook and remembering that it's all about the balance—you win some, you lose some. To make sure I'm not too affected by the downs, I always work on having multiple promising deals in my pipeline. This way, I'm not overly reliant on just one opportunity and can keep the momentum going no matter what.

I also see every "no" as more of a "no, not right now" rather than a flat-out rejection. It's important to remember that situations change, and if you've built a strong relationship with the brand, there's always a chance for opportunities in the future.

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?

Maria> We're all human. When you build a strong relationship with someone, it's natural to get to know them on a personal level. Spending time together, whether in meetings or at industry events, you inevitably learn about each other’s lives outside of work. This is just how communication flows. Having conversations that go beyond the weather and dive into personal interests or experiences adds a layer of richness to our interactions and creates trust, making it easier to discuss business opportunities or navigate challenges.

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

Maria> In my view, the key to closing a deal starts the moment it lands in your lap. My team immediately starts strategizing on how to win the business. This means taking a step back to assess the situation thoroughly. Questions like "How are we going to win?", "What challenges might we face along the way?", "Who are the key decision-makers we need to convince?", and "What's our best path forward?" are essential. By tackling these questions early on, you can develop a tailored strategy that addresses the potential hurdles and focuses your strengths.

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?)

Maria> At DAC, we believe location matters. Where a customer is located is as important as who that customer is. We deploy this strategy for our client programs, and we take the same approach to new business. We've found that tapping into our global offices to gain local insights is invaluable. This approach allows us to understand the nuances of different cultures and adapt our sales strategies to match. It's all about respecting and acknowledging the diversity of cultures we're engaging with, which in turn helps us communicate more effectively.

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

Maria> Technology, from CRM systems and now the incredible amount of AI tools, are shaking things up in new business, but they don't really change the core fundamentals of what makes someone good at sales.

What technology does do, however, is act as a powerful tool in our arsenal. It's fantastic for things like training, managing our time more efficiently, and just making the whole sales process a lot smoother. For example, I'm a big believer in the power of a CRM to serve as the single source of truth. It keeps everything organised and in one place, which is vitally important when deals are transferred from new business to delivery teams. However, I don’t agree with leveraging the full automation capabilities on these platforms. As mentioned, the personal touch matters. We should use technology to complement the human element, not replace it.

LBB> There’s a lot of training for a lot of parts of the industry, but what’s your thoughts about the training and skills development when it comes to selling and new business? 

Maria> Often, new business teams are trained primarily on just the sales aspect—how to work the CRM, figure out who our ideal targets are, identify client pain points, and how to pitch our agency. While that's all important, there's a big piece of the puzzle that often gets overlooked: cross-departmental training.

For example, if you’re selling Media then spend time with the Media team. Learn about their strategies, tactics, how they measure success, and even the challenges they've faced. The deeper your understanding of these areas, the better and more compelling your story becomes when you're talking to potential clients.

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?

Maria> Put yourself in your prospect’s shoes. Then put yourself in your prospect’s customer’s shoes. If you can clearly articulate how your agency can address the challenges and meet the needs of both your prospect and their customers, you're on the right track. Now you're not just selling; you're providing solutions.