The Outlook for New Business is Good, But Agencies Still Struggle [Infographic]

In the B2B industry, 57% of the decision-making process is completed before a prospect even contacts sales.

And Forrester and Gartner predict that buyers will complete more than 80% of the purchasing journey before they have any direct interaction with a company's staff.

These figures can't be ignored by the agency world. It's becoming more difficult to get the attention of client-side marketers and CMOs, and in addition to this, agencies are struggling to stand out in a crowded market of full-service agencies, boutique, specialized shops, and high-quality freelance talent.

RSW/US conducted a study of senior marketers and agency executives in July 2014 and put together the below infographic to highlight some of the most interesting stats in the study. Overall, agencies seem optimistic about the opportunities available, but agencies struggle with processes and don't focus enough on nurturing prospects through marketing and content.

Some highlights from the graphic include:

The average tenure of a new business professional is less than 2 years. [Click to Tweet]

66% say their new business hire was unsuccessful because she lacked a methodology. [Click to Tweet]

43% of agencies spend half their time on project-based work. [Click to Tweet]

71% of agencies say that new business was more difficult because it is harder to break through to prospects. [Click to Tweet]