Your May Pipeline Wasn’t Just You.
If you’re like most agency founders I’ve talked to, May was rough. Possibly the slowest sales month since April 2020.
And it makes sense.
Uncertainty was in the air—economic shifts, buyer hesitation, longer decision cycles. Clients were cautious, slow to commit, or just ghosting entirely.
So what do you do about that?
You build a sales process that protects your time, filters out the noise, and puts you in conversation only with leads who are actually ready for you.
Start With the Website Form. (Yes, Really.)
One of the most overlooked tools in your business?
Your intake form.
A curated, thoughtful website form that screens leads before you ever get on a call will save you more hours (and emotional energy) than any pitch script ever will.
It seems basic—but skipping this step is how you end up:
On sales calls with totally unaligned prospects
Sending proposals out of obligation, not opportunity
Getting ghosted after what felt like a “great” conversation
A smart form sets the tone. It filters for readiness, fit, and budget before anyone hits your calendar.
Ask the Uncomfortable Questions Early
Here’s where most founders hesitate: asking the tough-but-necessary questions during discovery.
You don’t need to be pushy. You do need to get clear on:
Budget (actual numbers, not vague ranges)
Timeline and urgency
Decision-makers and red tape
Their level of investment in solving the problem
These aren’t “sales” questions—they’re leadership questions. You’re not just selling services; you’re guiding strategy. And strategy requires clarity.
A Better Process = A Stronger Business
The agencies that weather uncertain seasons are the ones that don’t spin their wheels on leads who were never ready in the first place.
Le Chéile helps creative agencies like you build sales processes that filter out unqualified leads and protect your valuable time.
Clean up your pipeline. Curate your discovery process. Ask better questions. Protect your time.
And remember: a slower season isn’t a failure—it’s feedback.
About the Author
Meredith Fennessy Witts,
Founder & Strategic Growth Advisor at Le Chéile
and Co-Host of Agency Darlings
With a background in financial and operational consulting and a successful track record of founding and scaling her own agency, Meredith brings deep expertise in strategic growth for indie creative and digital agencies.
Her company, Le Chéile, helps agencies scaling toward and beyond 1M+ in revenue to rightsize teams and payroll, increase founder pay, scale offers and packages and more. She helps clients to achieve their goals while clarifying their business strategy and finances.
She is a trusted authority on building mindful, profitable businesses—especially for underserved founders in the women, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC communities.