Clarity first, automation second
How to stop AI-generated content and outreach from amplifying noise
Key point: Automation and AI won’t deliver incremental, durable gains for strategic services unless your agency’s strategy is clear.
But clarity alone is not enough. It must show up where it matters — in client inboxes and meeting rooms.
Top-of-funnel for high-ACV relationships is where many new tech tools focus. Sequencers, AI personalisation and sales-intel databases make it easy to create more touchpoints for less time and budget. But without alignment on your USPs, ICPs and positioning, these tools mainly amplify noise, not impact.
What “noise” looks like
Prospect lists where only 50% could realistically use or afford your services
Thought leadership that sounds generic and makes your positioning less clear
Outbound that could have come from any competitor, with no credible proof of why your agency is different
A big shift in the B2B customer journey is that buyers no longer click around your site to decode what you do or who your services are for. It is easier than ever to ignore. Many stakeholders receive 100+ emails a day and see countless B2B posts. To cut through, your GTM must reflect your strategy, speak to a specific pain, and make your difference obvious.
Examples of what strategy clarity means here
Real-world triggers: the few signals that mean “why now” (e.g. brand refresh, key hires, channel shifts)
ICP with rules, not generic firmographics: inclusion and exclusion criteria, buying journeys per service line
Disqualifiers you stick to: which accounts you will not pursue and why
Message + proof tied to pains: core promises per service line, each backed by a case or metric
Check before you try to scale
Before you invest in more top-of-funnel activity — a lead-gen vendor, new hires, or another automation tool — run an internal audit of how clear your strategy is.
The good news: you don’t need months with external consultants to validate this. There are many ways to test and improve your team’s understanding and alignment — and to tighten your focus.
In my earlier article, I included some of the questions I normally use at the start of a growth engagement:
Read: Lack of ICP clarity is breaking your growth → https://www.insights.contextual.partners/p/lack-of-icp-clarity-is-breaking-your
They’re a quick, agency-specific litmus test of whether your strategy, or your team’s grasp of it, needs tightening.
P.S. I am Max. I write about proactive growth for agencies. Subscribe for insights, tips and practical frameworks on scaling strategic service lines and winning target accounts.