Questions agencies should be asking clients
Last week we discussed the key questions that clients should be asking their agencies. What questions should agencies be asking their clients?Just as it’s never been more complex or challenging to be...
View ArticleThree rules for staffing your next agency pitch
The agency world, like many professional services, is full of small differences and limited brand awareness. Agencies are pitching new business often and the ability to win more than an agency’s “fair...
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The 4 letter word all marketers should know
Marketers and agency execs have some of the most demanding jobs on the planet.These jobs can be nearly impossible to manage in a 24-hour day. The expectations of marketers and their agencies has never...
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Marketers’ and Agency leaders’ best advice to their 30-year-old selves
Senior leadership and younger staff can have a very different view of the world.Execs early in their career often want to make their mark and can be nervous about proving their worth.Successful senior...
View ArticleDitch the Pitch, or Win the Pitch?
A recent report on pitch practices in the US suggested that agency pitches could cost over $1 million. Many in the industry jumped on that news and railed against pitching. The topic of pitches seems...
View ArticleTurn your team into problem solvers with 7 questions
How do you train your people to be better problem solvers?We often hear from leaders that they wish their people would come prepared with recommendations instead of challenges. When that happens, they...
View ArticleLeading effective client/agency relationships: the 3P’s
Client/agency relationships only last if both parties succeed.Of course, it was much easier to write that sentence than for clients and agencies to achieve success in real life. Maintaining a highly...
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Dan White & powerful marketing visuals
By Steve Boehler with special guest Dan White If you are a marketer and you don’t know who Dan White is, you probably know his visuals.Dan White is a business innovator that expresses important,...
View ArticleYear-end gifts clients & agencies really want from each other
The end of the year is just round the corner and last-minute shopping will pick up steam every day. Clients and agencies will often treat their partners to year end gifts large and small. It’s a...
View Article5 Strategies for Successfully Navigating Client-Agency Partnerships in 2024
In the dynamic realm of marketing and advertising, where creativity and innovation set the stage, the client-agency relationship emerges as a driving force.As you gaze into the boundless possibilities...
View ArticleIs your agency ready to grow? Test yourself with the agency biz dev readiness...
Is your agency ready to grow this year? Doing great work and delighting your clients is essential. That great work creates referrals, references and in some cases even acclaim. But to grow you’ll need...
View ArticleThe client-agency effectiveness checklist
How can clients and agencies know they are ready for a great year together?We’ve written about the 3P’s that lead to effective client-agency relationships. The people need to be committed to the...
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Gini Dietrich & the PESO Model, 2024
By Steve Boehler with special guest Gini Dietrich Paid. Earned. Shared. Owned.Today, the idea of a holistic strategy guiding these different approaches is becoming more common by the day. However, it...
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Making magic from data with Grace Kite
By Steve Boehler with special guest Dr. Grace Kite How can marketers and their agencies use data to better serve their businesses?One key foundation of successful modern marketing is a deep knowledge...
View ArticleAgencies: Please don’t lead with your tools
We review numerous agency presentations annually, and we consider it a great privilege to witness the expertise of talented individuals discussing the clients we hold dear. There are, however,...
View ArticleMeeting with a prospect? The magic way for agencies to start a meeting.
We talk with agencies every day. Since we manage so many agency reviews on behalf of clients, agencies often want to talk and present us with their capabilities. They want to be sure they are on our...
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The crucial role of dialogue and creative listening to achieving great strategy
Great strategy is hard to come by and hard to create. When things go well, it can be magic. It can be the foundation that campaigns like “The World’s Most Interesting Man” and “Snickers Satisfies” are...
View ArticleA Valentine for Marketers & their Agencies
At Mercer Island Group, we LOVE marketers. We LOVE agencies. And we LOVE to help them succeed.The marketing and advertising world is a tough, tough business. We are lucky to be able to serve marketers...
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Ad Age 2024 Small Agency of the Year: Agencies should apply! The industry is...
There is a special place in our heart for small independent agencies that are living by their wits and putting their heart, sweat and tears to work for their clients. And that love for small agencies...
View ArticleHow agencies and clients can make the most of agency references
An agency’s references are an important and often underappreciated aspect of an agency review. This would seem obvious! Unfortunately, for many agencies and some clients, it is not.Some clients don’t...
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