Most agency founders eventually hit the same quiet crossroads. 

The work is good, the clients are happy, and you’re far from “struggling.” But the pipeline isn’t behaving the way it used to. 

Deals feel slower. Opportunities feel thinner. You catch yourself refreshing your inbox like the universe owes you an apology.

A few moments usually give it away:
 • You see 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐬𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 and know they won’t get you to the next stage
 • You watch 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐩 𝐮𝐩 offering everything and blending you into the noise
 • You catch yourself 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 just to keep the deal moving

Those forces hit at the same time. More competition, more noise, and fewer dependable paths to demand. 

If you don’t have a strong, deliberate way to create inbound or outbound interest, you end up relying on whatever comes your way. That’s when the ceiling appears. 

You know you can grow, but the path isn’t obvious anymore.


Most people think the answer is more tactics. 

More content, more channels, more anything. They want a shiny SOP. 

But tactics don’t fix the structural reason a pipeline thins out. 


The real issue is that 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 across the business. 

It’s not creating clarity. It’s not giving your buyer a reason to choose you. It’s not steering your team’s decisions. 

And without that, you stay dependent on luck.


This is where my work fits. And no, it’s not the part where I pretend there’s a magic template that fixes everything. 

I help agency founders rebuild the foundation so their business creates its own demand instead of waiting for it. 

Not by giving them a sexier tagline or a shinier message, but by tightening positioning in a way that touches everything: the audience you pursue, the problem you solve, the solution you deliver, and the systems your team runs without you hovering.


When it clicks, you feel it fast:
 • Your pipeline steadies because people finally understand why you’re the obvious choice 
 • Sales cycles shorten because your offer stops trying to be everything to everyone 
 • The business stops leaning on you for every decision and starts moving forward on its own


The Dynamic Agency OS is a coaching program that helps founders break out of dependency mode and build a business that stands on its own two feet. 

If you’re tired of gambling your growth on referrals and trying to differentiate in a saturated market, reach out. 

There’s a far cleaner way to build the next stage of your agency.

Chris DuBois

Our new site is live! 

I wanted to kick the year off with new branding because, well, I did the previous version myself. 

It worked fine for getting my business going, but it lacked character. It definitely didn't fully reflect me. 

This version is way closer to the mark. 

Huge shoutout to Chris LaFay from Classic City Consulting for the design and Niranjan Reddy's team at hermitcrabs: advanced HubSpot CMS development & design agency for the dev. 

There are still some pages that need to move over to the new design, and I need better pictures of myself, but I'm a fan of shipping. 

Happy Friday!

Helping marketing agencies gain control of their pipeline | Positioning + Marketing Engines for Sub-$1M Shops

To get more clients from LinkedIn, stop trying to find clients on LinkedIn.

Most agencies are using LinkedIn completely wrong.

They treat it like a discovery channel, pushing their offers and wondering why no one is buying.

Listen here, bucko:

LinkedIn is not a discovery channel; it's for trust-building.

People don't come here to find a solution to their problem. They go to Google, Reddit, or ask their peers.

Then, when someone says "you should check out [PERSON or COMPANY]," they check out your LinkedIn profile.

They scroll your feed to see if you know what you’re talking about. They look for value, for insights, for proof that you understand their world.

If you're only focused on selling, you're skipping the most important step.

Think of your go-to-market strategy in three stages:

Discovery: This happens on channels where people are actively searching for solutions.

Trust-Building: This is LinkedIn's job. Your content, comments, and conversations build credibility over time.

Conversion: This is the natural result of the trust you've built.


Stop trying to be discovered here.

Start creating the content people need to see to build trust.


Special note to the dissenters: Yes, people CAN find you on LinkedIn. And, yes, if you run ads or promote posts, you can bypass the algorithm.

I’m saying, based on how people normally use LinkedIn, it’s a trust-building channel where they follow people they know. Not where they go to find solutions.

#agencymarketing #agencyGTM

PS - This concept was thought and delivered by me in a client meeting, then turned into content by Gia.

Link below to check them out.

Definition of insanity:

Doing the same thing & expecting different results.

Don’t go crazy in 2026 hoping your marketing strategy (built on old advice, random hot takes & LinkedIn gurus) will deliver better results this year.

Instead, join me & 11 other speakers (who just started new roles as Speakers at this year’s DemandShift Summit) as we share the new perspectives you need in each of our specific areas of marketing.

You’ll walk away with the playbooks you need for key channels & tactics to make your 2026 marketing strategy deliver better results than last year.

No matter your team size or industry, I guarantee you’ll find a session (or 2) that will shift your thinking & help you build a better strategy for 2026.

Register for the free, 1-day virtual event right here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eSfqrqRM

Most agencies aren't doing enough.

Yeah, sucks up hear, but it's true.

The reason your campaign isn't making progress is that not enough people are seeing it.

I've got a friend publishing on LinkedIn, and I only see half of his content. 

AND I'VE HIT THE NOTIFICATION BELL.


One of my clients had a record-setting December.

That’s right, the quietest month of the year for nearly all B2B sales.

But here are the numbers that got them there:
1417 emails
322 personalized videos
500ish LinkedIn DMs

And that led to 24 sales calls and over $250k in new revenue.

Would everyone like the amount of required outreach to go down? Yes.

But, do we need the data from that outreach to know what to refine? Yes.

Too often, agencies fire off a LinkedIn post or send a handful of DMs, then wonder why nothing is happening.

I’m not a quantity-over-quality guy, but volume gives you data.

And that data informs your decisions.

Do we keep marketing on these channels?
Do we change the messaging?
Do we tweak the offer?

If you want to win in 2026, you need to ramp up your volume (without becoming spam).

And you need to keep selling. Even when delivery is busy. Keep selling.

Because sometimes, when you take your foot off the gas, the accelerator breaks.

#agencies #marketing

PS - Want some resources that could help? Join the Dynamic Agency Community, where we’ve got an ever-growing resource library for our members.

Most agencies are stuck in a weird loop.

You need more clients to grow, but more clients without better systems just means more chaos.

So you're constantly fixing fires instead of building something that actually works.

I'm speaking at the Scale Your Agency Summit (January 20-22, 2026) with about 20 other agency founders who've figured this out.

We're covering the two things that matter if you want to get off the referral treadmill:

Predictable sales: How to fill your calendar with qualified leads without begging for referrals or praying LinkedIn works this month.

Scalable systems: How to build a team and infrastructure that doesn't fall apart every time you take a day off.


I’m presenting on positioning to help you differentiate yourself from other agencies.

I’m partial to the topic.

Link to grab your free ticket is below.

'I always get annoyed when anybody calls me from a marketing agency.'

Exact words from a prospect to one of my clients.

We see so much junk in outreach on LinkedIn that I think everyone is put off by cold messages.

My advice: Don't defend your industry.

The temptation is to get defensive. To launch into your pitch about how you're "different."

DON'T.

That prospect doesn't trust the category of business you're in. You can't win their trust by defending it.

You have to join their side.

Here's the simple shift we worked on:

When you hear "I've had a bad experience..." 
    • Your Instinct: "Well, we're not like them. We do X, Y, and Z..." 
    • The Better Way: "I'm sorry to hear that. I've heard that a lot. Do you mind telling me what happened so I don't make the same mistakes?"

See the difference?

One is a sales pitch. The other is a conversation.

By asking them to share their story, you're not selling. You're listening. You're showing empathy. You're gathering intelligence on what they actually value.

You move from "annoying salesperson" to "potential ally."

And don’t just do it to sneak your pitch in. Do it because you’re learning what your target audience doesn’t like.

That’s sales gold.


Trust isn't built by telling people you're different. It's built by showing them. And it starts by listening.

Your positioning comes down to how people see you. If your outreach makes you sound like everyone, you're not doing it right. 

#agency #outreach

PS - This post was created from an actual client call by Gia AI. 

My thoughts. Gia’s assistance.

Most agencies get their positioning wrong. 

It's not your fault. 

It's that for some reason, people think "positioning" is as simple as changing the messaging on your site. 

"We help X with Y, without Z." 

That formula is great for the messaging component of your positioning, but it's only a piece. 

If your team isn't living out your company values...

If you're not making decisions based on your belief structure... 

If you're not holding a standard for the specific areas your customer cares about...

Then your positioning is wasted. 

Decide how you want to show up in the market and then live out the path that gets people to see you the way you want to be seen. 


If you want me to give you an honest break down your agency's positioning, shoot me a DM. No call required. 

#agency #positioning

PS - If you like the video, hit up Justin Vajko. He's the producer and nailed it.

Here’s a mindset shift that should be helpful for newer agencies. Maybe older ones, too.

You shouldn't be wondering if you can help someone.

You should be wondering if they have the problem you solve.

If you solve a specific problem, you get reps.
↳ The reps help you with pattern matching.
   ↳ The pattern matching helps you solve the problem faster.
      ↳ The faster you solve the problem, the more reps you can get.

When you ask, “Can I help them?” you start looking for any opportunity.

You’re finding any possible thing you can do, and then trying to sell that.

When you ask, “Do they have this problem?” you start looking to see if they have those symptoms.

You go into a first call in true discovery mode, not sales mode.

And when you’ve confirmed they’re actually in need of a solution, you can confidently offer yours.

That’s half the battle in sales. And you’ve won it, just by focusing your skills.

Offer a solution, not a service.

#agencies #problemmarketing

PS - Did you know I have a weekly newsletter where I talk about stuff like this and provide frameworks to get it done? Link is in the comments.

Looking for this?



I'm your marketing partner behind the scenes when successful founders show up online exactly how they show up with their best clients.

My clients are founders who've built real expertise but struggle to translate that into consistent pipeline:

"I'm great at what I do, but my marketing feels scattered across different platforms"

"I need someone to handle my entire brand ecosystem so I can focus on delivery"

"I want to show up as the authority I am, not just another voice in the crowd"

Here's how I solve this:

I become your fractional brand partner across every touchpoint. Social media, website copy, newsletter strategy, content creation, and messaging architecture. 

Instead of juggling multiple vendors or trying to piece it together yourself, you get one strategic partner who ensures everything works together.

What this looks like:

→ Superior positioning and authority
→ Cohesive messaging that works across all platforms
→ Content that positions you as the obvious choice in your space
→ Systems that turn your expertise into consistent lead generation
→ A brand that attracts five to six (even 7) figure opportunities

My clients typically see qualified conversations within weeks and report feeling "supremely confident" showing up online because their brand finally matches their true value.

If you're tired of marketing that doesn't translate to real business, let's talk. 

I work specifically with established professionals who need their brand to work as hard as they do.

Doug Lawson

I haven't posted in nearly 3 weeks. 

I've learned so many lessons with clients (both via wins and losses). 

I've created a new offer (and it's working already). 

I've ghostwritten a book for a client (didn't do too great, editing heavily now). 

Worked non-stop through the holidays. 

(Did NOTHING this past weekend) 

Avoided hard conversations with some people. 

Had some hard conversations with some people. (Not the same people from above)

I've onboarded new people. 

Offloaded some people. 

Got offloaded by someone. 

Had heated, intense conversations with a client (or two). 

Got sick. 

Got well. 

Did a 72 hour fast. 

Binged a few days later. 

Had some warm weather. 

Had some freezing cold weather. 

Bears beat Packers in the playoffs. 

Cleaned my basement. 

Blew out my knee (carrying garbage up stairs and out to the curb). 

Took Tylenol for it and wondered if it'll give me autism. 

Did a week detox from social media. Felt great. 

Came back. World is on fire. 

So, basically I had a very human experience and documented none of it. 

The rebel, with my black heart, is proud AF. 

The business side of me is like... "dude, wtf?".

2026 is actually pretty good to me, got 11.5 more months. 

LFG.

Fractional Chief Content Officer for B2B founders | Elder Millennial

I REALLY don't like bashing people who shoot their shot in the DMs. 

Like... 

It really gets on my nerves. 

It's just in poor taste. 

People are trying to make a living. 

Sales is hard. 

This is an OPEN marketplace. 

Some people will do it well. 
Some won't 

Some people get offended when someone is looking for a sale. 
Some won't 

Can't please everyone.

No need to publicly out them in some form of moral superiority.  

Talk about yuck. 

BUUUUUUUT.... 

I will say this. 

Please stop using this script. 

1) I have NO fans. I'm just a dude who makes his living writing for others and/or doing strategy work. 

I have readers. 

I have friends. 

And I have prospects. 

But defo, no fans. 

2) There are better ways to do this. 

I'm no sales gooroo. 

I do what works for me. 

But if you want to follow some folks who know how to social sell in the DMs  and know the sales game inside and out. 

Please follow: 

Marcus Chan
Darren McKee
Melissa Glick
Elliott Duck
Dale Dupree

They have more than enough free content for you to learn from. 

I really hope you get that bag. Making money is a good thing. It's a lot of fun when you're winning. You get to take care of your family. Go on trips. Get that medical procedure. Pay off that debt. 

I'm ALL for it. 

Just don't use my name. 

LOLz.

The biggest flex in 2026 is going to be your ability to go OFFLINE. 

I took a week off from social media, both consuming and posting for myself (although I took 3 weeks off from that). 

It was the biggest sigh of relief in my life since COVID. 

We're way too connected. 

Way too optimized. 

Way too AI-ed (and there's even MORE coming for us). 

Way too polarized via our puppet masters (aka the algo). 

I know some people make an absolute fetish out of  Ai and innovation and optimization and automation but... those that win 2026 and beyond are those that can maintain their humanity.  Can live in the spaces between perfection and imperfection. That can find silence between the beeps and quite. Those than can SEE the humanity in others. 

Let's be clear here. 

I'm not throwing in the towel. Far from it. 

But I am moving the goal post for myself. 

Separation from devices, pixels, and bytes is how I win. 

While also providing for clients, my family and working my craft.

When people first learn marketing on LinkedIn, they are mostly taught BRAND marketing. 

Which isn't wrong. 

It's a matter of understanding. 

If you had to ask someone what the role of marketing is. 

You'll get many answers. 

Only 2 matter. 

1) To raise awareness

2) To get someone to buy

Where BRAND marketing sort of trips newcomers up or fall prey to guru marketing is raising awareness of YOU (which is brand marketing) isn't the ONLY awareness level. 

Great stories, bro... now what?

Conversely. Problem/Solution content is also not the ONLY way to go. It produces a vomitorium of how-to, didyaknow, here's the best way to abc, the reason whyyyyyy type of content that liters your feed. 

It also produces the "now what"? scenario.

Neither get people to buy.

(Unless you're selling info products or cheap bootcamps centered around educational materials)

Then you have the buy my 💩 content. 

Which, at the wrong time and awareness level, does absolutely NOTHING for you. 

So, if you're struggling for leads on here or anywhere. 

Draw a venn diagram for yourself. 

3 circles. 

One circle is awareness of you. 
One circle is awareness of problem/solution. 
Once circle is buy my 💩. 

Make them merge together. 

In the overlap is sales. 

So, in this screen shot, was simple me saying... they are aware of you, they know what you do, the problem you solve, how good you are at solving it, and for whom. 

Now just put an offer in front of them. 

Viola. 

Sales.

taplio

The Battle

Chris DuBois

Doug Lawson

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreChris DuBois's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDoug Lawson's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Chris DuBois

Doug Lawson

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Chris DuBois's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDoug Lawson's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreChris DuBois's LinkedIn Performance