Selling into Enterprise with Marjorie Agin

Most consulting advice skips the messy truth: many of us don’t “launch” a business so much as we stumble into it, say yes to subcontracting, and rely on relationships long before we have a neat offer menu. Sarah Noel Block sits down with product marketing strategist Marjorie Agin of Center Board Marketing to time-travel from first client to most recent client and pull apart what actually created momentum, stability, and trust. We talk about why relationship-led marketing is not manipulation and how it turns into real revenue over time. Margie shares how a simple connection, a few helpful introductions, and zero-pressure generosity came back months later as an 18-month retainer. From there, we dig into what’s changing in the market: tighter budgets, slower decisions, quarter-by-quarter planning, and buyers who only spend on the biggest, highest-stakes problems. If your services sit at the bottom of the list, you feel it fast, so we get specific about repositioning your work around urgency and outcomes. You’ll also hear practical ways to structure offers that lead to retainers without overwhelming clients: gateway offers, micro yeses, and breadcrumb steps that match the client’s pace. We cover where outside consultants still have a clear edge, including voice of customer research, win-loss interviews, specialist expertise, and facilitation for group decision-making, the human work AI can’t replace. We close on differentiation in an era of AI sameness: niche by industry or scenario, and using real stories and your real voice to attract the right clients while repelling the wrong ones. If you want more consistent consulting leads, stronger positioning, and retainers that last, subscribe, share this episode with a consultant friend, and leave a review so more solo consultants can find Tiny Marketing. Website: https://www.sarahnoelblock.com/ LinkedIn:   / sarahnoelblock   Tiny Marketing Club: https://www.sarahnoelblock.com/club