The Art of Attraction: Building Trust and Authenticity
Introduction: The Agency Attraction Mindset
In episode 310 of the Schmidt List podcast, host Kurt Schmidt brings together expert panelists Joe Peterson, Jay Kallman, and Ashley Roloff to discuss themes from his book, "The Attraction Agency." The discussion centers on how agencies can stop chasing after clients and start attracting them through trust, deep understanding, and authentic relationships. This episode delivers practical advice and candid insights for professionals looking to set their agency apart with a reputation that invites the right clients in.
Building Trust: More Than Surface-Level Research
The conversation quickly highlighted that true client attraction begins with trust. Joe Peterson emphasized the importance of not just knowing your discipline, but becoming an expert in your client’s industry and following through on promises. This track record of delivery is what enables long-standing relationships—some spanning decades.
Jay Kallman and Ashley Roloff took it further, stressing the necessity of understanding clients at an intimate level—not just their business pain points, but what motivates them individually. As Ashley Roloff put it, most people don’t advertise their real challenges on their website. By digging deeper—often through multiple conversations across different roles within an organization—agencies can uncover the genuine hurdles clients face.
Key Takeaway:
Customers are much more likely to respond to support and solutions that reflect a true understanding of their unique struggles than generic, surface-level advice.
Discovery and Relationship Building: Handling Modern Resistance
One major challenge discussed was the growing resistance to paid discovery phases. Today’s clients often want solutions fast and are less willing to pay for upfront research. Ashley Roloff described how her firm addresses this by running separate discovery calls with executives and marketing teams, then synthesizing insights to uncover disconnects and root problems. This approach builds trust and credibility by surfacing challenges clients didn’t necessarily know they had.
Similarly, Kurt Schmidt employs stakeholder interviews—including with clients’ customers—to identify real gaps, using these narratives to position solutions as collaborative wins. Both techniques demonstrate that agencies focused on building genuine partnerships, not just offering cookie-cutter fixes, ultimately deliver more value.
Key Takeaway:
Effective discovery is about listening deeply, building relationships, and drawing out unspoken needs—this is where client attraction truly begins.
Breaking Down Silos: A Multi-Department Approach
Another recurring theme was the importance of engaging beyond the marketing department. Joe Peterson and Ashley Roloff have found that persistent, respectful engagement across sales, operations, and even IT departments reveals challenges and opportunities that would otherwise remain hidden. Building bridges across internal silos requires patience, consistency, and an unwavering commitment to trust.
Jay Kallman pointed out that some of the best solutions and ideas come from outside marketing, emphasizing the value of engaging with all stakeholders to prescribe strategies that truly make an impact.
Key Takeaway:
Gaining insights from across the organization—and being sensitive to departmental fears and egos—is crucial to crafting holistic, lasting solutions for clients.
Authenticity and Branding: More Than Just Buzzwords
When the discussion turned to branding, Kurt Schmidt challenged the group: Is your agency’s value truly reflected in your external presence? Ashley Roloff shared a recent example where storytelling and customer feedback led a client to embrace "no red tape" as a differentiator, proving that authenticity wins over generic buzzwords like "innovation" and "integrity."
Jay Kallman captured it succinctly: “Your vibe attracts your tribe.” Agencies that show up authentically—living their values and consistently sharing real stories—are the ones that stand out and attract ideal clients.
Key Takeaway:
Differentiation comes from consistently sharing your true voice and values, not merely blending in with industry jargon.
Leveraging AI: Faster, More Consistent, But Still Human-Led
The panel discussed the rise of AI as a productivity booster, but with caution. All agreed that while AI accelerates content creation, research, and administrative tasks, it’s only powerful when guided by human expertise. Ashley Roloff described how her agency went to a four-day workweek thanks to AI efficiencies, yet emphasized the need for authentic, well-engineered prompts and thorough verification.
Key Takeaway:
AI can drive consistency and free up time, but the human touch, strategic thinking, and expert oversight remain essential to building trust and lasting relationships.
Conclusion: Consistency Is the Ultimate Trust Builder
The episode closes with Kurt Schmidt's reminder that consistency—showing up repeatedly with value, expertise, and authenticity—is the easiest and most overlooked trust accelerator. Agencies seeking to attract, rather than chase, customers should focus on consistently delivering on what works—and refining how they do it over time.
Final Thoughts:
Client attraction isn’t about one genius idea—it’s about persistent, collaborative, and honest engagement. Agencies that embrace these principles will rise above the noise, earning not just business, but long-lasting relationships.
