The Data You Need BEFORE You Build Your 2026 Biz Dev Plan (with Nick Petroski)

If you’re planning your 2026 biz dev strategy without real market data, you’re guessing. In this episode, I talk with friend of the show Nicholas Petroski, founder of Promethean Research and creator of the Digital Agency Referral Playbook, about what the numbers actually say—and how top agencies are using referrals, account growth, and GTM clarity to build next year’s plan. This is the clearest look you’ll get at what’s really moving the needle heading into 2026.

🧭 What You’ll Learn

• The referral trends shaping 2026 pipeline planning
• Why most agencies misread pipeline health
• What data actually predicts account growth
• The role of referrals in a tighter 2026 GTM
• Who should really own the referral process
• How to identify your most valuable connectors
• Why “good work” isn’t enough to drive intros
• What the best shops are fixing before January

🕒 Timestamps

00:00 – Why 2026 planning requires real data
 01:02 – Nick’s new research & why referrals matter now
 03:11 – From Random to Repeatable: core findings
 05:45 – Why agencies still handle referrals passively
 07:29 – The shrinking TAM + rising skepticism problem
 09:22 – Who should own referrals (and who shouldn’t)
 12:40 – Cross-sell models that actually grow accounts
 14:36 – Pipeline health vs conversion vs system health
 18:07 – How to operationalize intros without friction
 23:59 – The risk of relying on 1–2 referral sources
 27:26 – Why referrals must be part of your GTM
 29:15 – The mindset shift from “salesy” to consultative
 33:00 – What the data says agencies must fix for 2026

🔑 Key Quotes

“Referrals work—if you treat them like a system, not a hope.” — Nick Petroski“

Agencies don’t have a lead problem. They have a clarity problem.” — Nick Petroski

📢 Links and Resources 

From Random to Repeatable: How Agencies Turn Referrals into a Reliable Growth Engine

If you want a repeatable referral system heading into 2026, grab my book 📘 Relationship Sales at Scale