Your people are your agency’s largest asset. They’re also your biggest investment. Despite that — most agencies do not have an actual plan for attracting, retaining and growing the right people. And they certainly don’t have guidelines for how to know when someone isn’t making the cut. I wrote an article for the Washington Post [...]
For most agencies, the day new business becomes a priority is the same day the big client walks out the door. We all know that’s not the right way to build our agency — but it’s a default of because of the lean model agencies run. Truthfully, how much of a priority is new business [...]
Here are some questions you should be asking yourself when wondering how to motivate your employees: Can you name ten ways in which you motivate your agency employees? Can you name one? Or are you too busy putting out fires to consciously think about keeping your team fired up and working at a peak performance level? [...]
<A guest post by Rosemary Breehl> Smart Ad Agency principals are getting a seat at the CEO’s table and they’re doing it by building client relationships. It’s a new day out there for all of us. Competition is tougher. There are now “ten marketing dogs chasing that one corporate car.” CEO’s today are under terrible pressure [...]
In the past, agencies billing by the hourly billing made sense, but times have changed. The way business is delivered, the way clients see their agencies and the way agencies see themselves is significantly different. The good news is that there are options that make much more sense for the way agencies operate today. iMedia [...]
How often has a prospect or client come to you asking for a brochure, app or some other tactic when it’s actually not what they need? The truth is — clients often don’t know what they need, but they know they have a problem. They don’t know how to ask for it but what they’re [...]
I have found that most agency owners are very generous people. They love the people they work with and want to create an amazing working environment. They are also very slow when it comes to firing an employee – whether it’s because the person isn’t performing at the right level or because billings have dropped [...]
Most agency people are creative, hopefully innovative and client minded. All of which is great on its own, but can fall short when it comes to running your business as a business. Even though the thought of systems, formulas and best practices might seem restrictive and overwhelming, they are necessary to making sure your business [...]
As a lawyer who advises ad and marketing professionals, I’m regularly reminded by clients that excessive legal fees are not a fun way to spend marketing dollars. This is understandable, and to me it’s also a somewhat welcome point of view. If that sounds like an unusual perspective coming from “legal,” hear me out: it [...]
Have you ever wondered what your agency employees want from their boss -- AKA you? I just spent two days with a room full of account executives, teaching them how to add more value to their agencies and their clients. As part of the conversation, we talked about improving employee relations and the difference between [...]
