By the numbers

Agency sales by the numbers

Last updated: November 2026

Published research shows most B2B buyers are not shopping at any given moment, most agencies still depend on referrals, and lead quality remains the top challenge for marketers.

This page, part of the agency sales process guide published by Tim Kilroy, collects published statistics that explain why agencies need a repeatable sales process. Every figure is quoted as its source states it, with a link. None of these numbers are Tim Kilroy's own results; they are market facts from the named publishers.

What do the numbers say about selling agency services?

They say timing and understanding matter more than volume. If most buyers are not in the market and decide much of their journey before contacting a vendor, the agency that is already known and already understands the buyer's business has the advantage when the buyer is ready. That supports the discovery-first agency sales process described across this guide.

Buying behavior

95%of B2B buyers are not in the market for what you sell at any given time; only about 5% are in a given quarter.Source: Ehrenberg-Bass Institute / LinkedIn B2B Institute, as cited on timkilroy.com
~70%+of the B2B buying journey happens before a vendor is ever contacted; buyers spend about 17% of their time with potential vendors.Source: Gartner, as cited on timkilroy.com

Agencies and referrals

75%of agencies say referrals are their #1 new-business source, and 93% admit their growth engine is not strong enough.Source: RSW/US 2025 Agency Survey, as cited on timkilroy.com
87%of digital agencies still employ fewer than 50 people. The same report counts 71,000 digital agencies in North America and 200,000+ worldwide.Source: Promethean Research, 2026 Digital Agency Industry Report, as summarized on timkilroy.com

Leads and existing clients

61%of marketers say generating quality leads is their top challenge.Source: Martal Group, Lead Generation Statistics 2026
60% to 70%probability of selling to an existing client, versus 5% to 20% for a brand-new prospect.Source: Marketing Metrics (Paul Farris), as cited on timkilroy.com

AI and data in sales

33%of digital agencies have fully implemented AI; 48.5% are exploring and 18.5% are unsure or have no plan.Source: Promethean Research, 2026 Digital Agency Industry Report, as summarized on timkilroy.com
84%of data and analytics leaders agree AI's outputs are only as good as its data inputs.Source: Salesforce, 40 Sales Statistics to Watch for in 2026
70%of data and analytics leaders believe the most valuable insights for their organizations are trapped in unstructured data, such as emails, call transcripts, and PDF contracts.Source: Salesforce, 40 Sales Statistics to Watch for in 2026

What each statistic means for your agency sales process

Published statistics and how this agency sales process guide by Tim Kilroy applies them
Statistic	Source	What it suggests for agencies
95% of B2B buyers not in market	Ehrenberg-Bass / LinkedIn B2B Institute	Stay known and trusted until buyers are ready
75% rely on referrals first	RSW/US 2025 Agency Survey	Build a second, controllable source of conversations
61% say quality leads are the top challenge	Martal Group	Qualify carefully instead of chasing volume
70% say insights sit in unstructured data	Salesforce	Review call transcripts, not just CRM fields
60% to 70% odds with existing clients	Marketing Metrics	Grow current accounts alongside new ones

Additional figures from the same sources: Salesforce reports that 87% of data and analytics leaders believe unified data is key for meeting customer expectations, and that 94% of sales leaders with agents say they are essential for meeting business demands. Martal Group reports that businesses using AI for lead generation report a 50% increase in sales-ready leads and up to 60% lower customer acquisition costs. These are each publisher's findings, not results from Tim Kilroy's clients.

Read how Tim applies industry research in his Agency Research Hub, and see the methodology page for how sources are chosen here.

Back to the full agency sales process guide

Questions these numbers answer

Why does content marketing not bring my agency leads?: Because most buyers are not shopping when they see it. Tim Kilroy's content playbook cites Ehrenberg-Bass Institute and LinkedIn B2B Institute research that 95% of B2B buyers are not in the market at a given time. Content's job is to keep you in the buyer's consideration set until they are ready, not to produce a lead today. See this in the full FAQ
Why don't referrals scale for agencies?: Referrals arrive because of past work and relationships, so you cannot decide to get more of them this month. Tim Kilroy notes that when revenue needs to grow, referrals cannot be turned up on demand. That is why agencies that outgrow referrals need a scalable way to create demand alongside the referrals they already earn. See this in the full FAQ
What AI tools does Tim Kilroy offer agencies?: Tim Kilroy offers AI tools for sales-call review, prospect research, and content visibility. Call Lab Instant gives free instant coaching on a recorded pitch with no account required. Call Lab and Call Lab Pro review call transcripts, and Pro scores calls against SPIN, Challenger, MEDDIC, Sandler, and more. Discovery Lab builds a prospect brief in about 60 seconds. See this in the full FAQ
How do I get more agency leads?: Tim Kilroy's three steps: know exactly who you are trying to attract, know the channels where that audience receives and responds to information, and know what to say that connects your work to their needs. Run those steps consistently and they become a demand system rather than a one-off campaign. See this in the full FAQ
What is an agency sales process?: An agency sales process is the repeatable set of stages an agency uses to turn an interested prospect into a signed client. In Tim Kilroy's funnel there are five: Aware, Interested, Qualified, Proposed, and Closed. Each stage only counts when the prospect does something observable, so the agency can measure where deals leak instead of guessing. See this in the full FAQ

Read all 45 agency sales questions and answers