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DemandOSfor agencies

Guide

How to get agency clients when referrals are not enough

Last updated: Published by Tim Kilroy

To get agency clients beyond referrals, add sources you can control: existing accounts, a sharp position, team-wide content and a real discovery process.

This guide is published by Tim Kilroy for established marketing and PR agencies that have outgrown referrals. Referrals are wonderful right up until the month they do not show up, and they cannot be turned up on demand when you need revenue.

Contact Tim Kilroy

How do agencies get clients without relying on referrals?

Start with the clients you already have, then build visibility that keeps working while buyers are not shopping. Expansion is cheaper and more likely to close than new logos, and team-wide content puts your agency in buyers' short lists before they ask anyone for a referral.

Then make sure conversations convert: run discovery calls that understand the prospect, qualify before you propose and follow up with the prospect's words, not your pitch.

Referral dependence, defined

Referral dependenceis when an agency's new business comes mostly from people recommending it, with no system behind it. Tim Kilroy's observation is that agencies grow on delivery excellence and referrals, so positioning, offer design, sales process and outbound never become systems. When referrals slow, every gap surfaces in the same quarter.

The fix is not to stop taking referrals. Referred clients tend to stay longer. It is to add repeatable sources so a slow referral quarter is not a crisis.

Referrals and growth, by the numbers

75%
of agencies say referrals are their top new-business sourceRSW/US 2025 Agency Survey, as cited by Tim Kilroy
1.9x
longer that referred clients stay versus outbound or event clientsPromethean Research 2026, as cited by Tim Kilroy
60 to 70%
probability of selling to an existing client, versus 5 to 20% for a new prospectMarketing Metrics (Paul Farris), as cited by Tim Kilroy
93%
of agencies say their growth engine is not strong enoughRSW/US 2025 Agency Survey, via Haus Advisors

Which client sources should my agency add?

Agency client sources compared on control, speed and what they need
SourceCan you turn it up?What it needsWhere to learn more
ReferralsNoGreat past work and a healthy networkKeep nurturing them
Existing client expansionYesSomeone who owns account growthAccount growth playbook on timkilroy.com
Whole-team contentYes, over monthsA clear position and owners per roleWhole-team demand
Direct conversationsYesA defined ideal client and a discovery processDiscovery calls

A 90-day plan to reduce referral dependence

  1. Run the leak test

    Count prospects at each of the five funnel stages for the last 90 days.

  2. Assign account growth

    Give someone ownership of expanding current clients.

  3. Pick one buyer and position

    Narrow who you are for so content and outreach point one way.

  4. Start team content

    Launch role-based publishing with DemandOS for agencies.

Questions agency owners ask

Short, direct answers. All 50 answers are in the full DemandOS FAQ.

My agency has outgrown referrals. Is this for me?

Very likely. Referrals cannot be turned up on demand, which is why so many agencies plateau when they slow down. The RSW/US 2025 Agency Survey, as cited by Tim Kilroy, found 75% of agencies name referrals as their top new-business source while 93% say their growth engine is not strong enough. DemandOS adds a repeatable source alongside referrals.

See this answer in the FAQ: My agency has outgrown referrals. Is this for me?
How do advertising agencies get clients?

Most get them through referrals first. The RSW/US 2025 Agency Survey, as cited by Tim Kilroy, found 75% of agencies name referrals as their top new-business source. Agencies that grow past referrals add a clear position, consistent content from the team, direct conversations with a defined ideal client and a discovery process that turns interest into qualified deals.

See this answer in the FAQ: How do advertising agencies get clients?
What is the fastest way to get clients for an agency?

The fastest route is usually the clients you already have. Tim Kilroy's account growth playbook cites Marketing Metrics research putting the probability of selling to an existing client at 60 to 70%, versus 5 to 20% for a brand-new prospect. For new logos, direct conversations with a tightly defined ideal client beat broad campaigns.

See this answer in the FAQ: What is the fastest way to get clients for an agency?
How does content marketing for agencies actually create demand?

It keeps your agency present and trusted while buyers are not shopping. Tim Kilroy's playbook cites Gartner research that roughly 70% or more of the B2B buying journey happens before a vendor is contacted. Content that shares a clear point of view earns a place in the buyer's consideration set before that contact, so your name is already in the room.

See this answer in the FAQ: How does content marketing for agencies actually create demand?
How do you qualify the prospect on a discovery call?

A prospect is qualified when you have both agreed out loud that there is a real problem, it is worth money and they are the one who decides. Tim Kilroy's funnel test is simple: you can name the problem in their words. If you cannot, the prospect is still interested, not qualified, and a proposal is premature.

See this answer in the FAQ: How do you qualify the prospect on a discovery call?
Does DemandOS work for PR agencies?

Yes. PR agencies are named in the segment Tim Kilroy works with, alongside marketing, creative, development and content agencies. PR firms often grow on reputation and referrals, which is the pattern DemandOS is meant to supplement with a repeatable, team-wide visibility system. The positioning work comes first, so your team publishes about a market you truly want to own.

See this answer in the FAQ: Does DemandOS work for PR agencies?

Ready to stop being your agency's only growth channel?

Tell Tim Kilroy where your agency is stuck. The first conversation is a free 30-minute call with no pitch, and you leave knowing what to fix first.

Contact Tim KilroyVisit timkilroy.com