Build Systems, Not Shortcuts

Have you seen the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge? It just opened in southern China — the world’s highest bridge at 625 metres (2,051 ft). I don’t know about you, but I'm amazed by engineering like that. How the f**k do they even begin?

Construction only started in January 2022, and in less than three years, they built something that cut the canyon crossing from 70 minutes to just over one. That kind of progress doesn’t happen by chance. It takes precision planning, sequencing and discipline — the same principles that hold any complex system together.

And that’s really what’s been on my mind lately.

October’s been full of conversations about new business — from the Pimento Festival of New Business to the BIMA sessions and my own roundtable on building a more effective pipeline. The recurring theme? Everyone’s trying to fix their sales process, but few are asking the right question: what’s actually broken — the system or the discipline behind it?

1. The Pipeline Problem

At the Pimento event, I hosted a roundtable that kicked off with a simple question: what’s really broken in your pipeline right now — volume, quality, or conversion?

The room split evenly.

Some struggled with volume, not knowing their numbers or how many leads they need to hit their target. Others were stuck on quality, too reliant on referrals, inconsistent with inbound and outbound, or unclear on their ideal client profile.

And then there were the conversion challenges. Teams have invested in automation and outreach tools, but more noise doesn’t always mean more results. What’s really missing for most is structure — a regular rhythm, follow-up discipline and accountability.

When there isn’t a clear plan for how resources, calendars, and responsibilities align — what’s often called revenue operations or RevOps — the cracks start to show. Without that planning, sales feels ad hoc. A diary full of busy work, not progress.

2. Quality Over Quantity

It’s easy to drift from your ideal client profile. You start saying yes to whatever comes in, and suddenly your positioning blurs.

The best agencies aren’t chasing everything; they’re being deliberate about who they want to work with and why. This isn’t about doing less, it’s about doing the right things consistently — prospecting, following up, reviewing, and refining.

3. What Really Improves Conversion

When we asked what’s actually improved conversion, the answers weren’t about new tools or technology.

They were about getting sharper at qualification and having the right conversations earlier. Asking about budget, decision-making, timelines and priorities before investing too much time. That’s where trust and rapport start — not at the end of the process, but right at the start.

Decision makers are stalling more often right now. Budgets are tighter, and there’s more internal scrutiny. That means it’s not enough to just have a few good leads in play; you need more opportunities overall and the confidence to challenge prospects constructively when they hesitate.

Conversion improves when you’re clear on who’s worth pursuing and disciplined enough to keep the pipeline moving.

4. Story + System

At Gray Matters, we talk a lot about story and system. You need both: a structured process for consistency, and a story that connects with people.

Discipline is what joins the two. It’s what turns strategy into rhythm. That means blocking time for prospecting, following a process you actually stick to, and using your CRM properly — not as an afterthought, but as the hub of everything.

Too many agency owners treat the CRM as a list, not a system. But if it’s set up and used well, it becomes the engine for visibility, forecasting and accountability.

5. The Challenge Ahead

If consistency is the goal, what would a predictable pipeline look like for your agency in six months?

Maybe it’s fewer but better-fit leads. Maybe it’s a steadier flow of conversations instead of stop-start outreach.

Either way, it starts with getting honest about where things are breaking and having the discipline to fix them.

The future of new business isn’t about more automation or content. It’s about building systems that work — with a plan that ties operations, people and process together. Because growth doesn’t come from the tools you buy. It comes from how you use them, day in and day out.