You probably know that I love to talk. It’s why I have several podcasts, host webinars, create videos, and try to have as many conversations with people as I can.
But listening — really listening — rather than talking is where you will make your biggest gains as an agency leader.
I’ll explain more a bit later in this week’s newsletter, but first let’s look at what Jen has rounded up for us this week.
— Chip Griffin, SAGA Founder
Weekly Roundup
Below are some articles, blog posts, podcasts, and videos that we came across during the past week or so that provide useful perspective and information for PR and marketing agency owners. While we don’t necessarily endorse all of the views expressed in these links, we think they are worth your time.
— Jen Griffin, SAGA Community Manager
Latest from SAGA
- Structuring retainers for long-term profitability (webinar replay)
Articles & Blog Posts
- Picking Your New Business Development Program Apart (RSW/US)
- Is the Biz Dev Drought Almost Over? (Bureau of Digital)
- The BizDev Triangle: Why sales alone won’t fix your pipeline (Sakas and Company)
- Q/A: Tackling the Final Burning Issues (Punctuation)
- Finding Your Leadership Footing (Anchor Advisors)
- Navigating Uncertainty With the PESO Model (Spin Sucks)
Podcast Episodes
- Mastering the Art of Data Storytelling (Spin Sucks)
- Managing Agency Chaos, with Karl Sakas (The Innovative Agency)
- The Need for Thoughtful Engagement in an Age of Clickbait (That Solo Life)
- Always Be Anchoring (2Bobs)
- Audrey Kwan on How Micro Agencies Win Big: Niching, Community & the Power of Strategic Partnerships (The Digital Agency Growth Podcast)
- Jay Owen, Business Builders – Slow Growth, Strong Culture (Agency Bytes)
- Taking Actions on Profitability Improvements, with Mandi Ellefson (The Agency Profit Podcast)
- Is “Politics” Breaking Work? (Working/Broken)
Video
- Jaime Ekman on Just Ask Jody Live (The Sutter Company)
- Five Ways Agencies Must Evolve To Survive (Bureau of Digital)
- 3 Business Development Myths Costing You Clients (RSW/US)
AI in focus
- Still Hallucinating After All These Years (For Immediate Release)
Are you listening?
Many of us have a natural tendency to talk a lot. Being an outspoken expert probably helped us get to where we are today.
Certainly, most business owners don’t sit in silence, and clients aren’t likely to pay for your services if you meekly cower in the corner.
But many of us — myself included — may have a tendency to talk too much and listen too little.
In fact, when agency owners come to me with a wide array of challenges, at least part of the solution I recommend usually involves listening more.
Let’s look at some concrete examples.
When we talk with prospects, we often have the urge to run through a capabilities deck that showcases our expertise and experience. We love to show off past projects, impressive client logos, and spew out ideas for the great things we can do for them if they hire us.
Instead, we ought to be asking lots of questions. Those questions don’t just help to give us valuable information that will help us close the business, they also demonstrate our expertise in understanding the challenge and give us the knowledge we need to figure out if the prospect is actually a good fit.
Similarly, when we have challenges with employees it’s often because we have been spending more time talking at them rather than listening to them.
It’s one of the reasons why I believe so strongly that every manager needs to have a weekly 1:1 with all of their direct reports — and that the employee needs to drive the agenda.
If a team member makes a mistake or is struggling with something, resist the urge to call it out and prescribe the solution. Ask them what might be done differently in the future and how you can help.
Then actually listen to them to understand their perspective and accept that they might have information or insight that you don’t.
Finally, when you’re talking with your clients and peers listen carefully to what is said — or perhaps unsaid.
Rather than peacocking about the great things you and your team are doing, get them talking.
With clients, you want to know more about what they are doing apart from the work they do with your agency. What are their other priorities and challenges? How might that help you to better serve them or anticipate potential changes to the relationship on the horizon?
Your peers can also be a wealth of information about what’s going on in the marketplace. Most won’t come right out and say what’s going on in their own business or in the industries that they serve, but if you listen closely — especially if you have ongoing conversations with them — you will be able to read between the lines to see how their experience matches up to your own.
Of course, there is a time and place to talk. Even talk a lot.
But start by doing more careful listening. You just might be surprised by what you hear.
