The Sneaky Genius of Hitting Clients with Ideas They Didn’t Ask For
The advertising business hasn’t gotten any easier over the years, has it? Fewer AOR relationships, more unpredictable project work, and dead-end pitches make agencies feel less in control than ever. But one thing you can control is your agency’s ideas. It’s what you’re best at. And I think it’s your biggest weapon for growth. Here’s how you can leverage this superpower to grow your business.
Hey Client, Surprise!
Here’s the idea. Surprise your clients with business-building ideas they didn’t request—new products, new markets for existing products, new features, promotions, sponsorships, partnerships, etc. Doing so can redefine the agency’s role from temporary creative-service provider to essential long-term partner. Drawing from my agency experience and at Ideasicle X, I’ve seen firsthand how proactive, unsolicited ideas magically strengthen client relationships and drive agency growth. They may seem risky or a waste of time, but let me assure you they are not.
Why Unexpected Ideas Matter
I know spending brainpower on ideas outside the scope of work sounds like volunteering for extra homework. But when you drop surprise ideas on a client, it’s like adding new dimensions to your agency-client relationship.
First, you score major respect points. Clients are already perked up when you bring something unprompted. They already appreciate the effort. But when it’s a banger—say, a new product feature or a partnership they hadn’t considered—it screams, “We get your business, and we’re obsessed with making it bigger.” Keep lobbing these surprises, and you might just dodge that inevitable “we’re putting the account in review” email. They’ll see you as a co-conspirator, not a contractor.
Second, you flex muscles the client didn’t know you had. Be strategic about the kinds of ideas you bring the client. If a client doesn’t use your media team, bring go-to-market ideas. If the client doesn’t use your PR team, bring some publicity-stunt ideas. And bring the experts behind the ideas to the meeting and let them shine. It’s not just about the idea—it’s about showing off your agency’s full arsenal. Clients will start wondering what else you’ve got up your sleeve, and suddenly, they’re asking about services you haven’t even pitched yet. It’s cross-selling without the cheesy “pitch vibe.”
Third, these ideas can fatten your bottom line. A killer new product concept or a traffic-driving promo idea? If the client bites, you’re likely the ones executing it. This is gold for project clients—those one-and-done gigs with no long-term agreements. Show up to every meeting with a lateral idea or two, and you’re not just doing the project—you might be booking the next one. Surprise ideas aren’t charity, they’re invitations for more business.
How to Make Surprise Ideation Your Agency’s Superpower
The key is to make unexpected ideation a natural act within the agency. Get your account leads, strategists, media folks, and creatives thinking laterally all the time, hunting for ways to make clients’ businesses explode.
Practical Tools and Processes: Start lean—throw up a Google Doc for each account where everyone can dump ideas, no filter or timetable needed. Or ask your team to drop one idea a week with the expectation that others on the team will pick them up and build on them.
For something more structured and disciplined, try a platform like Ideasicle X’s IX Original for virtual brainstorms. It’s not about locking folks in a physical room. It’s virtual, so team members post ideas as they happen in those in-between times of the day. That way, they’re not derailed from their day-to-day. Someone tosses out a sponsorship concept, another builds on it, and suddenly you’ve got a thread of brilliance.
The platform’s virtual nature also leans into the “online disinhibition effect,” where even your shyest planner might unleash a zinger they’d never have the courage to say in person. Mix it up with cross-departmental teams of four—media plus creative, say—to spark ideas that feel like they came from a parallel universe. And if you really want to blow minds, invite the client to join the IX Original brainstorm. They’ll be part of the magic. Or maybe not, as it will ruin the surprise. Just know you could.
Take the First Step
In an industry where client relationships are often transient, unexpected ideas demonstrate a desire for, and a commitment to, the long-term. More than retaining clients, these ideas can expand your agency’s role, transforming projects into partnerships and opening new revenue streams. Plus it’s just fun.
Start small: select one client, create a shared doc, or explore a tool like IX Original. Deliver a few unexpected ideas that showcase your strategic insight. Make this practice routine, and you’ll strengthen client loyalty and position your agency for growth.
Will Burns is the Founder & CEO of the revolutionary virtual-idea-generating company, Ideasicle X. He’s an advertising veteran from such agencies as Wieden & Kennedy, Goodby Silverstein, Arnold Worldwide, and Mullen. He was a Forbes Contributor for nine years writing about creativity in modern branding. Sign up for the Ideasicle Newsletter and never miss a post like this. Will’s bio.