Chasing signals vs. building real momentum: hard truths from the boutique agency frontlines
New business for a boutique comms agency is often one long balancing act. Of course, the dream is to work with clients who get you — people who value thoughtfulness, move fast, and want to build something meaningful. The reality? Often a mix of vague requests, ghosted proposals, and prospects who vanish after you’ve sunk hours into strategy decks.
But here’s what we’ve learned: chasing every lead can create the illusion of momentum without actually getting you anywhere. At some point, quality really does trump quantity. Relationships, referrals, and a tighter focus are not just nice-to-haves. They’re what keep your pipeline sustainable.
Referrals aren’t a bonus. They’re the whole strategy.
In our experience, the most rewarding client relationships nearly always start with a referral. There’s built-in trust, shared context, and someone has already vouched for your work. You’re not starting from zero.
Compare that to cold pitching: hours of prep, uncertainty about budget or scope, and sometimes the joy of seeing your ideas executed by someone cheaper. It happens.
Referrals shortcut that pain. Sometimes you skip the RFP entirely. A former client moves to a new company and takes you with them. That’s how you end up doing product comms for a whole new market — because someone knew the value you’d bring before you even showed up.
The illusion of “busy”
It’s easy to feel productive when your calendar’s full of pitches — but we’ve learned the hard way that it’s not always progress.
A big brand requests ideas, and we jump. Strategy, timelines, creative concepts — the whole thing. But then the budget doesn’t match the ambition, or the launch date suddenly shifts six months down the line. You’ve given your best thinking to something that may never happen.
We’ve started asking: Is this even the right fit? Does this lead align with what we’re great at? Or are we just tossing bottles into the ocean, hoping one floats back?
Sure, pitching can be good practice. But when the market is tight and attention spans are shorter than ever, investing all your energy in “maybes” is a fast way to burn out your team.
Stop over-delivering at pitch stage
Boutique agencies are terrible at this (us included): going all in on a pitch with no budget, no clarity, no commitment. We want to impress. We want to win. But all we end up doing is setting expectations we can’t sustainably meet.
We’ve learned to ask: are we pitching something real and right-sized, or are we bending ourselves into a shape we can’t actually hold? The best pitches aren’t always the flashiest — they’re the ones grounded in mutual respect and a shared understanding of what’s possible.
Boutique isn’t a limitation — it’s leverage
At Laika, we’ve always been small on purpose. That’s what lets us be fast, creative, and hands-on. Whether we’re talking cryptobanks, breast pumps or sex tech, our size is what gives us range.
But “agile” doesn’t mean “do anything for anyone.” A boutique agency still needs a clear centre of gravity — core sectors and services you’re known for, and new spaces you grow into on your own terms.
It’s how we stretch without breaking.
Build the kind of momentum that sticks
Not every opportunity deserves your full pitch treatment. Not every signal is worth chasing.
But building genuine momentum? That starts with protecting your time, saying yes to the right things, and leaning into relationships that feel mutual and long-term.
Referrals are your best friend. They come with trust and traction built in. Use that to your advantage. Stay focused. Let your reputation do some of the heavy lifting.
And keep the bottle tosses to a minimum.