What is Thought Leadership in Marketing?
What is thought leadership in marketing? Thought leadership is one of the hottest trends in marketing, but it may also be one of the oldest tactics in the book. Today, informed consumers want to know everything about the brands they [...]
How are you investing your time?
I had a great conversation (podcast) with Andrew Dymski, the host of Inbound Agency Journey about how and where agency owners should be investing their time. We talked a little inbound but the lion’s share of the conversation would be [...]
5 Easy Agency Hacks for Business Development
Long gone are the days when agency business development was just the combination of a prospect database, an automated direct mail program and a tenacious new business “Hawk.” Ask most anyone today charged with reeling in client prospects how they do [...]
4 Ways Small Businesses Can Save Money on Healthcare
At many small businesses in America, health insurance costs are second only to payroll. As a longtime agency owner, I’ve gone through all the typical frustrations of employee healthcare planning. Most providers make it seem like business owners have little [...]
Is your “nice” client talking behind your back?
Let’s face it, having a nice client who doesn’t complain and just chugs along is a relief, now and then. But what if that nice client is simply non-confrontational and is actually unhappy? Where are they venting that frustration and [...]
This Payment Model Will Keep Clients Satisfied and Bank Accounts Full
Every business needs to make money, but not every founder knows how -- or when -- to collect it. Cash flow problems are one of the top startup killers. The fad of acquiring users now and making money later is [...]
How to promote your book as part of your thought leadership strategy
With all the buzz about establishing yourself as a thought leader and the long-term value of that effort, many agency owners have written or are thinking about writing a book to demonstrate their expertise. There is assumed esteem that comes [...]
Are your employees stale?
Many agencies are struggling with what I have termed “stale employees.” These are seasoned pros who have probably been with your agency for a long time. They were incredibly talented and valuable back in the day, but their skills have [...]
How to Practice Discomfort and Initiate The Next Era of Your Agency
The only way to keep your agency growing is to get comfortable with discomfort. When you think back on those first few years of owning an agency, somehow the tough parts get muted. That period of discomfort — though some [...]
Stop talking about yourself
I spend a lot of time in various agency conference rooms, critiquing their new business pitches. The invitation to do that usually comes after a streak of “we loved you, buts” or worse — not even making it to the [...]