How to set up a CRM for agency new business
by Banjo Adesuyi
Short answer: keep new business and existing clients in separate pipelines, use stages that match how agencies really win work, and get the proposal out straight after the discovery call. Most agencies don't lose on the pitch. They lose in the gap after it.
Separate new business from client work
A sales pipeline and a delivery board do different jobs. Mix them and you can't see what's coming in. Use one pipeline for prospects and a separate view for existing clients, so renewals and upsells don't get buried among new leads.
Stages that fit how agencies sell
| Stage | Moves on when |
|---|---|
| Lead | A real person has shown interest |
| Discovery booked | The call is in the calendar |
| Discovery done | You know the problem, budget and decision-maker |
| Proposal sent | They have the scope and the price |
| Negotiation | They're discussing terms |
| Won, lost or later | Keep "later" separate, with a date |
Fix the gap between pitch and proposal
The discovery call is when a prospect is most interested, and the proposal often arrives a week later because the team is busy with client work. Three habits close that gap:
- Send a recap the same day, with their problem in their words.
- Build proposals from a template so only the scope and price are new.
- Book the next meeting before the call ends.
Our follow-up templates are a good start.
Don't lose "next quarter"
Agencies hear "come back next quarter" constantly, because budgets run in cycles. Record the date and the reason, then come back when they said. Here's how to follow up with leads who said not now.
If you book meetings for clients
If you run lead generation, track show rate and close rate separately so you can see which half of the problem is yours, and ask for feedback on every booked meeting.
Where Viro fits
Viro works on that gap. It joins the discovery call, writes the follow-up in your voice with the proposal built from your own playbooks, updates the deal, and has the check-in ready on the date they gave you. On Growth and above, Iris can take a call you can't make and send you the notes. It isn't a delivery or project tool, so keep that separate. See pricing.
