When I started my agency back in 1995, I was the perfect combination of arrogant and ignorant. “How hard can running an agency be?” I thought to myself. Well, as you might guess, I found out in a hurry. There were some terrifying “can I make payroll?” days and even more “I wonder how we [...]
Many agencies are updating their handbooks to reflect new work from home policies and other changes that have come about since or because of covid. One of the policies they're re-thinking is their maternity and paternity leave benefits. I thought it might be helpful to share what seems to be the norm for most small [...]
There is a lot to be stressed about right now—the pandemic, recession, you name it. However, we as agency owners should spend our time strategizing for the future after the COVID-19 pandemic instead of focusing on our worries. You can do this by completing an agency owner life plan, developing a one-page business plan, creating [...]
As an owner, business development should be priority No. 1. However, it’s easy to neglect development if you’re jumping from task to task, constantly managing client crises. By identifying one or two leaders who can help you focus on the bigger picture, you’ll be able to build a stronger, more successful agency. To identify your [...]
Your best brand advocates are your employees. A recent study showed that half of workers share employer-related content on social media, and one-third of them did so without being asked. It might be time that companies create employee advocacy programs that are a win for all involved. The first step of an effective internal advocacy [...]
Accountability failure is chronic in our industry; it’s a tricky culture issue that causes us to lose our best employees and revenue opportunities. As agency owners, we must implement internal systems that help us keep our promises. Trust is at the core of my agency’s culture; we’ve all learned to honestly assess our capabilities and [...]
Owning or leading an agency can feel like a never-ending high-stakes poker game. There’s always something to worry about. Too often, we’re so focused on what could go wrong that we don’t truly appreciate the things that go right. Of course, I’m not saying agency owners should stop looking at the numbers or worrying about [...]
Every time you use a digital assistant, receive a recommendation from Amazon or use an app to find the fastest route, you’re using artificial intelligence. AI has changed our lives in countless ways, but I’ve noticed most agencies still struggle to harness its power to improve their business. In truth, AI is already a part [...]
Six actions you can take today to prospect and close business effectively in a chaotic economic climate without hurting your brand. This is not meant to be a cheesy, ‘glass-half-full’ platitude, but I think it’s an important question to ask genuinely: Is there a way in which this crisis could make your agency stronger? Recently [...]
I was recently a guest on B2B Growth’s podcast discussing how to use the CARES Act to your agency’s benefit. I hope you take a few minutes to look at the overview of this podcast and listen to the full episode soon. I look forward to hearing what you think! Sweetfish Media — Paycheck Protection [...]
