Testimonials
Karen‘s talent in business development far and above exceeds that of anyone else I have ever worked with. Her ability and approach to win over new clients was astounding and educational. Karen would be an asset to any company..
Charlotte Lamp Davies Founder & CEO
NED A Bright Approach
Karen has supported me across several agencies, and every time she’s delivered tangible opportunities and impressive ROI. She has a sharp eye for strategy, understands the pressures within agency environments, and always turns insight into action that drives results.
Natasha Davids - COO
Bell Digital Marketing
Unique is the best word to describe Karen.
She has the ability to develop meaningful relationships with prospects. Her straightforward approach always resonated. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a successful and
driven new business person.
Yusuf Javed - Founder & Director
Mind Digital Group
Karen immediately felt like part of our team. Her insight, encouragement, and genuine care made an immediate difference. In just six months, she helped us increase qualified leads, boost conversions and grow revenue by 35%. Proof of her genuine impact on our agency’s success.
Samuel Cotterall - Founder & Director
Volaro Digital
Strategic lead generation for smart marketing agency leaders
I’m Karen Grainger, founder of Powderkeg Consultancy. After nearly twenty years leading new business efforts across agencies of every shape and discipline, I’ve learned what drives growth—and what drains it. My mission is to help forward-thinking marketing agencies attract and win the right clients that align with their strengths and ambitions. Recognition as one of The Drum’s Top 100 Business Development Leaders reflects my commitment to helping agencies to grow through practical, human-first new business strategies.
As an agency leader, you’re aware that lead generation sits on the to-do list but rarely tops it. You’re busy delivering for clients, managing teams —so I step in where momentum can stall. Whether you’re leveraging recent wins, re-engaging past clients, carving out a niche or exploring new markets, I help you turn those objectives into a consistent flow of well-matched opportunities. The goal being to create a sustainable business development engine that feels authentic, strategic, and repeatable.
Karen immediately felt like part of our team. Her insight, encouragement, and genuine care made an immediate difference. In just six months, she helped us increase qualified leads, boost conversions and grow revenue by 35%. Proof of her genuine impact on our agency’s success.
Samuel Cotterall - Founder & Director Volaro Digital
Process
Client Onboarding
I have a meeting with you and your team where we talk about your agency goals and challenges. We look at your client list shape, past clients and past work. I need to understand your expertise, services, case studies, wider marketing assets and past new business performance. Following that, we outline your refreshed business strategy., including your proposition, messaging, and offering. I plug into your niches. What client problems are still unsolved in this industry? What specific pain points is your agency best equipped to solve? In essence we are looking to translate business needs into strategic agency solutions. We define lead criteria.
Campaign Set-up
I create a tailored go-to-market lead generation strategy and outreach campaign to engage specific audience segments that speak directly to your agency strengths. I define the ideal customer profile and client personas. I build out bespoke segmented prospect lists, mapping out the decision-makers crafting outreach, messaging and content that speak to and resonates with each persona. Marketing collateral might be a case study, LP form, blog post or lead magnet. You create an email address for me and grant calendar access for meetings.
Reporting
Weekly call to evaluate campaign performance. Monthly call to identify, evaluate and test new campaign angles and niches.
Fees
My fees usually fall between £3,000 and £5,000 per month, based on the scope of the project and days required. I can launch a tailored campaign within two weeks, ensuring a fast and effective start designed to generate measurable pipeline growth and position you for long-term wins. To keep things simple and flexible, there’s no fixed contract length—just a straightforward one-month notice period as our partnership evolves.
As an example, a monthly fee of £3000 will generate 2/3 guaranteed meetings focused on business fit and growth potential. In addition 2-3 qualified leads to strengthen and scale your pipeline. The time commitment is 5 full working days each month dedicated exclusively to researching, engaging, and securing opportunities.
All packages are built to ensure your agency has a steady flow of high-quality opportunities, shortening sales cycles while strengthening your market presence.
FAQs
What types of marketing agencies do you specialise in supporting?
I specialise in supporting a wide range of marketing agencies including digital marketing, PR, branding, performance marketing, niche and B2B focused agencies. My tailored lead generation strategies align with the unique challenges and niches within each agency type to deliver highly qualified leads that convert.
What is the expected ROI or average outcomes from your lead generation campaign?
Clients typically see an ROI ranging from 3x to 7x depending on sector, campaign scope and sales cycle length. I focus on delivering high-quality leads that reduce client acquisition costs and accelerate pipeline growth.
What industry sectors have you achieved the best results in?
I have a strong track record in many agency types: SEM, PR, Content, Branding, Creative, B2B Niche, Comms, Performance, E-commerce and Event. I consistently generate qualified leads that translate into meetings and revenue. My expertise allows me to tailor messaging and channel selection effectively for these verticals.
Do you offer ongoing retainer contracts or flexible project-based work?
I offer both.
What happens if targets or KPIs aren’t met during a campaign?
I proactively monitor campaigns and adjust tactics to improve performance. If agreed KPIs aren’t met, I conduct thorough reviews and implement corrective actions or revise goals collaboratively to ensure alignment and desired outcomes.
What are the most common challenges you solve for marketing agencies?
I address lead quality issues, inconsistent lead flow, long sales cycles, and inefficient lead nurturing. My expertise helps agencies focus on sales conversion rather than chasing unqualified prospects.
Will we have a dedicated point of contact throughout the project?
Me. I will be your point of contact ensuring responsive communication, campaign oversight, and alignment with your objectives. You will receive regular performance reports and actionable insights via dashboards and email briefings. I also schedule monthly review meetings to discuss results, align on priorities and adjust strategies collaboratively.
Will we have a dedicated point of contact throughout the project?
Me. I will be your point of contact ensuring responsive communication, campaign oversight, and alignment with your objectives. You will receive regular performance reports and actionable insights via dashboards and email briefings. I also schedule monthly review meetings to discuss results, align on priorities and adjust strategies collaboratively.