Pinterest has evolved from a playground for hobbyists, wedding planners, and generalist creatives to a site that offers serious advertising advantages. However, many marketers do not realize they can leverage it for everything from brand recognition to direct sales. In this piece I recently contributed to SpinSucks.com, I discuss four tips for marketing success with Pinterest your agency should consider next.

You have a duty to everyone who trusts you. Part of that duty is making sure you don’t leave the legacy of your organization up to chance. In this piece I recently contributed to Forbes.com, I discuss one of the most reliable ways to ensure the longevity of your agency is to make sure people are prepared when you’re no longer around to call the shots.

Everyone has different needs at different times, and your potential clients might not need you right now. There's nothing you can do about that. Remaining relevant by investing in business development initiatives, however, is something you can control. In this piece I recently contributed to MarketingProfs.com, I discuss how you must consistently invest in business development to keep clients in your marketing funnel. Learn 6 of the worst missteps to avoid.

Social media has changed our lives in countless ways — for those of us in marketing and sales, the way we reach customers is completely different now.... In this piece I recently contributed to DemandGenReport.com I discuss, how this critical distinction between advertising mediums makes inbound marketing much more effective than outbound marketing.

I was on a flight last week, and it was a few minutes past the time that they should have closed the cabin doors.  The pilot came out and got on the PA system.  Here’s what he said: “Folks, you know when the captain comes out of the cockpit to talk to you, it’s not good news. We’re going to be delayed because there’s a malfunction in the oxygen system in the cockpit and if something happens mid-flight, believe me; you want a conscious pilot. I know I’m old, but I promise, I’m more alert when I have oxygen.  This problem is only in the cockpit. There’s nothing wrong with the oxygen system in the main cabin. I’m am very sorry about this, and if anyone wants to yell at me about the delay, please come on up. But, I want to warn you - I’ve been married for 30 years, so I’m pretty immune. But you can still yell if it makes you feel better.  Once the maintenance crew gets here, it should take them about ten minutes to fix the problem, so I expect we’ll be in the air in thirty minutes.  If I think it’s going to be longer than that, I will let you know.” When he was done, people laughed and applauded.  They applauded a flight delay announcement.  That doesn’t happen very often.  So, what did the pilot do to earn everyone’s grace? He was sincere and genuinely apologized. He explained the root problem and the risks of not fixing the problem. He gave specific details as to the timeframe to fix the problem. He promised to keep his customers informed if there was a change in the plan or [...]

Every agency has a website and social presence. Companies can shop around and compare options without much regard for geography before coming to a consensus. If you don't define your focus and establish your expertise, you'll be just another face in the crowd. In this piece I contributed to MediaPost.com, I discuss how to leverage your expertise in a specific area and show buyers what makes you unique, and then use that distinction to make a name for yourself in the marketplace.

Agencies aren’t in the business of selling—at least not advertently. Rather, your goal is to help clients grow their businesses. Account executives play critical roles in delivering on that promise. You can help accomplish this task by giving them space to get to know their clients, plan their approaches, and ultimately understand their roles in the agency-client relationship. In this pieces I recently contributed to ChiefExecutive.net, I discuss how it’s more important than ever for you to position your account executives for success—their wins are your wins. Here's how.