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Small Spark Theory: a marginal gains approach to new business and marketing

New business is one of those subjects guaranteed to get a reaction from agency owners everywhere. Many will have a nagging feeling they should be doing a bit more, wonder how other agencies manage to land the accounts they covet, have moments of wild inspiration and energy then falter because the day job just, well gets in the way.
Gunpowder’s Lucy Mann has worked in agency new business for over 25 years and has witnessed these scenarios, and many more like them, as an outsourced new business telemarketer, a new business recruitment consultant, in house new business developer, in house head of marketing, and new business mentor across multiple disciplines and agency shapes and sizes.
Regardless of size and discipline, many agencies encounter the same new business challenges, and more and more, the solution is not necessarily an ambitious marketing plan, or expensive sales resource, but instead a forensic application of process and a marginal gains approach to performance improvement.
Gunpowder’s podcast, Small Spark Theory® explores the small changes we can make to our sales and marketing process to achieve better new business results. With contributions from a range of experts, each episode will examine a single element of the process in detail, providing manageable tips for improvement.

Find our more about Gunpowder Consulting, please visit gunpowderconsulting.com
Follow us on Twitter @gunpowdertweets and join the conversation #smallsparktheory
Music from Jukedeck - create your own at http://jukedeck.com.
Host - Lucy Mann
Producer - Isabelle Jarvis

Aug 3, 2026

What does good agency lead generation look like in 2026? At a time when we are surrounded by AI tools and bombarded by automated emails promising to deliver high-quality leads at minimal cost, it's a minefield for agencies considering new business outreach, particularly in challenging market conditions.

I have a soft...


Jun 1, 2026

Ask most agency owners how profitable their last project was, and you'll get one of two answers: a rough guess, or a long pause.

This kind of data is rarely readily available, and when it is, it's usually buried in a spreadsheet that someone else built, that nobody's updated since for months, with a formula that...


Apr 9, 2026

In this episode of Small Spark Theory, we’re continuing our exploration of the true value of client relationships, but this time, we’re asking: what happens when things go wrong?

I’m joined by Nigel Sarbutts, former agency MD and founder of Structured Mediation, who now specialises in resolving disputes in the PR,...


Feb 3, 2026

In a market where new business feels harder, slower, and more competitive than ever, agencies can no longer afford to overlook the opportunity sitting right in front of them.

Industry pressure, procurement complexity, and shrinking marketing budgets mean that relying solely on new client acquisition is risky. And yet,...


Dec 16, 2025

Here we are at the end of 2025 and our last episode of the year.

I know this year has been a tough one for many agencies, for many reasons. So I wanted to finish with a good news story.  A case study of an independent agency (well two in fact) flourishing despite the challenges.

Kim Lawton, Founder & CEO of Enthuse...