Earning Back the Strategic Seat, with Mark Godfrey and Steve Evans

Episode 166

Before I introduce our guest experts for today’s episode, I want to zero in on a problem that’s been coming up more and more in conversations with agency leaders. It’s a pain that sounds like this:

“We used to have a strategic seat at our client’s table. They trusted our advice. They valued our expertise. Pricing wasn’t an issue. We felt like a true partner. But somewhere along the way, that shifted — and now we’re stuck reacting instead of leading.”

If that feels a little too familiar, you’re not alone. But — there’s good news.

That strategic seat can be earned back. Going forward, you can build every client relationship around your smarts, not just the deliverables.

In today’s episode, we unpack exactly how to do that.

We start with the numbers, with proving the impact of your work. Lean into — not away from — the metrics that matter most to your clients. When you can clearly show how your work is moving the needle on the KPIs they care about, you make your agency an easy yes.

That’s why I’m so excited to introduce our guests for this episode of Sell With Authority, Mark Godfrey and Steve Evans from Parker Madison.

Mark and Steve didn’t just want to stop being seen as only a branding agency — they built an entire methodology to change that perception. And they didn’t stop at strategy. They built metrics around it.

Their framework is designed to quantify impact in a way that clients can see, feel, and trust — which earns back that coveted strategic seat.

Also joining this conversation is our very own Director of Strategy and resident Mad Scientist, Hannah Roth. As many of you know, Hannah is in the trenches every day helping our clients sell more of what they do and future-proof their agencies.

Get ready — in this episode, Mark, Steve, and Hannah are handing you the playbook. If you apply what you hear in this episode, you’ll have what you need to build a stronger methodology, tie it to measurable outcomes, and clearly communicate your value — earning that strategic seat at the table.

What you will learn in this episode: 

• Why treating “brand” as just a logo or color palette will leave money on the table, and what it takes to change that mindset for good
• How to lean into the chronic pain point chipping away at agency-client relationships
• What makes a true, measurable agency methodology
• How Parker Madison built Lucidify, a system for dissecting and quantifying brand with 108 data points
• The Moneyball approach to agency work
• How to connect perception to performance and translate data into actionable intelligence that right-fit clients want

Resources:

• Website: https://www.parkermadison.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/parker-madison-marketing-stdo/
• Steve’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/partneratparkermadison/
• Mark’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parkermadison/