Chats with Chip

Most agencies are looking for any leg up that they can get in the business development process. That’s why some agencies should consider getting certified. No this isn’t a discussion about a seal of approval for the quality of your work, it is about certifying the ownership structure of your business in a category that some organizations prefer. Dr. Sandra Wills Hannon of The Hannon Group discusse...

Scope creep and over-servicing clients erodes profitability and many — if not most — agencies. Keeping work within the agreed parameters will not only make projects better, it will ensure that they contribute to the financial health of the business. As founder of The Digital Project Manager, Ben Aston knows all about successful agency project management. He joins Chip to discuss techniques to avoi...

Most agency owners don’t bring prior business experience to the role — let alone formal business education. Paul Benson is an exception to that rule of thumb. He earned his MBA before he took the leap into agency ownership. In this episode, Paul shares his experience running a digital marketing agency and how the business training he received at Babson College has impacted his success. Continue Re...

Agency owners need to keep tabs on the financial health of their businesses, but many lack the backgrounds to know the numbers that matter most. Darryl Salerno’s long experience in advising agencies on financial matters makes him an excellent resource on this vital topic. In this episode, Darryl explains which numbers agencies should be focused on and what benchmarks can help them evaluate their o...

Ronn Torossian has built one of the largest independent PR agencies in the U.S., and in this episode he shares some of the lessons he has learned along the way. A prolific content creator, Ronn frequently writes and speaks about issues facing the industry, and he is passionate about finding ways to improve modern public relations. Ronn’s agency, 5WPR, recently announced that they were looking for...

Agency businesses have some challenges unique to the individual owners and circumstances. But many of the growing pains are predictable and follow patterns established by other similar businesses. Leaders can take comfort in knowing that they are not likely the first to experience any particular challenge, nor are other agencies immune from the obstacles. Brad Farris has spent decades advising bus...

Katie Robbert never planned to be an expert in AI and analytics, but she says she likes “numbers to add up” even though she considers herself bad at math. As a self-professed planner, Katie found herself telling stories with data, first for a pharmaceutical company and later for a PR agency. Today, Katie is the co-founder and CEO of Trust Insights, a consultancy dedicated to working with clients t...

Just about every agency leader worries about where the next new client will come from and how to land that new business. Many aren’t natural-born salespeople, so the process itself can be uncomfortable and even intimidating. Jody Sutter brings decades of experience in agency business development to help owners and executives put in place programs and processes that generate revenue. In this episod...

When Sean Cassidy walked out of Tufts University in 1990, he graduated with a major in Cold War foreign policy — just as the Soviet Union was about to dissolve. He hadn’t aspired to a career in public relations, but it turned out he was a good writer and he caught the eye of a small agency owner. Three decades later, Sean leads DKC, a prominent independent PR agency headquartered in New York. They...

The challenges and opportunities when integrating two businesses while also introducing a new name. Continue Reading → The post CWC 40: Rebranding after an agency merger (featuring Trevor Francis) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network .

In this episode, Rachel  Jacobs  explains why case studies are critical to the scale and growth of agencies. Rachel, founder of  Ecommerce Partnerships , reminds agency owners that their number one client is their own agency. Step by step, you’ll learn how to integrate a case study opportunity before a client even signs the contract, who the audience should be, and the six key elements that make u...

In this episode, we go Down Under for a deep dive into the business of WebSavvy, a Melbourne-based digital marketing agency founded by Mike Rhodes. He explains why he chose agency life over being a helicopter pilot, advice for fellow agency owners, effective team training, and much more. Continue Reading → The post CWC 38: Professional development for agency owners and employees (featuring M...

Steve Parker, Jr. brings extensive digital marketing and business experience as CEO and co-founder of  Levelwing . He is an industry leader, trendsetter, and occasional provocateur. In this episode of Chats with Chip, Steve discusses his recent video  Uncommon Transparency , and how internal and external transparency will benefit all agency relationships. He explores his own experiences and why he...

On this episode of Chats with Chip, Karen Swim breaks down how changes to the workforce and agency culture have allowed independents and micro agencies more freedom and flexibility than ever before. She also advises how having a financial plan and advances in technology can help smooth the path for solo agency owners. Continue Reading → The post CWC 36: The role and impact of solo PR agencie...

In this episode of Chats with Chip, Matt Rizzetta, founder and CEO of  N6A , discusses a new model he calls Outcome Relations, designed to provide measurable accountability to clients. Matt explains the benefits of Outcome Relations, how the workforce has changed over his career, and how entrepreneurs need to make mistakes and innovate incrementally over time to be successful. Continue Reading &#8...

Doug Simon is an expert in producing video for agencies and brands in both broadcast and social media. As CEO of the award-winning  DS Simon Media , Doug has lengthy experience in getting clients’ spokespeople on television news. By arranging satellite media tours, providing behind the scenes video coverage, and servicing social media video production, Doug gets his clients’ positive stories out t...

Chuck Hester is a senior integrated marketing executive with deep experience in B2B and technology. He has worked in-house and on the agency side, so he brings a strong understanding and great perspective to this episode of Chats with Chip. As the author of Linking In to Pay It Forward, Chuck provides advice to communicators on...  Continue Reading → The post CWC 33: How agencies can ge...

Mark McClennan hosts a weekly podcast where he explores ethical questions with public relations industry experts and agency leaders. He brings a wealth of his own experience to the mix, as a longtime senior agency executive and former National Chair of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Mark joined Chip on this episode to talk about...  Continue Reading → The post CWC 32: L...

Many of us think of lawyers like we do doctors: someone to go to for a fix when something goes wrong. Just as seeing your doctor when you are healthy helps improve outcomes, so does building a relationship with the attorney you use for your agency business. In this episode, Chip speaks with Matt Benson of  Cook Little Rosenblatt & Manson  of Manchester, New Hampshire. Matt has decades of exper...

Robert Udowitz and Steve Drake of  RFP Associates  partner with organizations seeking to retain PR and public affairs agencies. They take years of their own experience on the agency side to help clients navigate the process more effectively. On this episode of Chats with Chip, Robert and Steve offer helpful advice and useful tips for agencies as they respond to requests for proposals. Continue Rea...

In this episode of the Chats with Chip podcast, Rick Gould of  Gould+Partners , an agency mergers and acquisitions advisory firm based in New York, provides useful insights for agency owners on the process of selling their agencies — including perspective on current trends in M&A. Continue Reading → The post CWC 29: Practical M&A advice for agency owners with Rick Gould of Gould+Par...

Brent Lightner of  Taoti Creative  in Washington, DC joins the podcast to talk about how he became an accidental — but quite successful — agency owner. At the dawn of the Netscape era, Brent took on a web development challenge in search of scholarship funds. Two decades later, he leads an award-winning creative firm. Continue Reading → The post CWC 28: Brent Lightner of Taoti Creative appear...

James Papiano joins the podcast to talk about the importance of leadership and culture in an agency environment, including how to change a weakened culture to improve performance. Continue Reading → The post CWC 27: James Papiano on Leadership & Culture in Agencies appeared first on FIR Podcast Network .

Nick Petroski of  Promethean Research  joined to talk about the outlook for digital marketing agencies in 2019 and beyond. Continue Reading → The post CWC 26: Nick Petroski of Promethean Research appeared first on FIR Podcast Network .

Patrick Rogan of  Ignition HR  joins to discuss how small and midsize agencies can meet their human resources needs with a combination of vendors, consultants, and in-house staff. Continue Reading → The post CWC 25: Patrick Rogan on HR for small-to-midsize agencies appeared first on FIR Podcast Network .