This newsletter is free. So is just about everything that I create to help agency owners build the businesses that they want to own.
My goal is to help 99 percent of agency owners for free. It’s why I spend so much time creating content and resources and then publish them all online at no charge.
It’s why I host a free community on Slack and participate actively in the Spin Sucks Community created by my Agency Leadership Podcast co-host, Gini Dietrich.
I know that when I help 99 percent of owners for free, there will be one percent that self-selects for more personalized advice through 1:1 advisory services that I provide.
Many experts will tell you that their time is valuable so to pick their brains you’ll need to pay them. That’s fine, but I believe that offering one free advisory call for owners – as I do – has such a strong ROI that I would be foolish not to offer it.
I’ll talk more about this 99 Percent Manifesto I adhere to later in this week’s newsletter, but for now let’s look at Jen’s compilation of the latest free insights being shared by others in the agency community.
— Chip Griffin, SAGA Founder
Upcoming Events
- How to successfully manage an agency with multiple owners webinar (April 18)
- Open Office Hours for Agency Owners (April 24)
Latest from SAGA
- Modernizing leadership in meetings (featuring Brad Farris) (Chats with Chip)
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
Articles & Blog Posts
- …Including, But Not Limited To (Punctuation)
- Your work will never be finished. (Anchor Advisors)
- The PR Pro’s Responsibility In Working With Mom-Run Influencers (Spin Sucks)
- How To Tell Who Gives a F*ck At Work (Bureau of Digital)
Podcast Episodes
- Beyond Links: The New Era of Digital PR and SEO (Spin Sucks)
- Evolving with Social Media, with Lisa Nicholls (The Innovative Agency Podcast)
- Just Stop Talking (2Bobs)
- No more cookies for you (For Immediate Release)
- What They Think We Do, What We Really Do And How To Bridge The Gap (That Solo Life)
- Build the Confidence and Agency Team Needed to Succeed with Torey Azure (Smart Agency Master Class)
- The Art of Brand Flyte, with Rich Brooks (The Personal Brand Business Show)
- Rethinking the Consultative Sales Team (The Digital Agency Growth Podcast)
Videos
- Do I Share Pricing In An Email? (Win Without Pitching)
- Paying for college as an agency owner: Q&A with Stephen Boatman, CFP®, CSLP® (Part 4 of 4) (Sakas and Company)
- Great Agencies Say No (RSW/US)
AI in Focus
- Globital CEO Discusses BPO Growth Strategy and Agency Marketing’s Future in the Age of AI (AgencyAnalytics)
- April 2024 AI webinar for agencies (Agency Management Institute)
The 99 Percent Manifesto
I help more than 99% of agency owners for free. I give away my knowledge and experience through articles, podcasts, videos, webinars, and other resources.
I don’t limit what I share at all. I’m not afraid that it will cost me business – even though someone could conceivably find everything they need for free and never hire me.
The one percent who want more personalized advice to accelerate their growth turn to me not in spite of this free content but because of it.
When someone comes to me for help, they usually have spent hours reading, listening to, and watching the advice I have been sharing publicly.
That means they know how I think. They have a feeling for my personality. And by reaching out they have already demonstrated that they see value in what I do.
It allows us to cut through most of the time-consuming dance during the prospect phase of our relationship.
It creates a strong foundation when we dive into an Agency Business Checkup, a Positioning & Pricing Review, or an ongoing coaching and advisory relationship. It enables us to get to the substance faster.
I’m so committed to the idea of giving knowledge away for free that I even offer a free advisory call for agency owners. It’s not a sales pitch, but dedicated time that they can use however they want.
I know that for some of them, they will get all they think they need from that one call. We may never work together in a paid relationship – and that’s OK.
At a minimum, I get some valuable market research out of these calls to better understand the challenges of a larger number of agencies. But it also helps to expand my network and contributes to my goal of helping the agency community as a whole grow and thrive.
I’m not looking for a huge roster of 1:1 clients because it wouldn’t enable me to give the focused, personalized service that I want for the one percent that choose to hire me.
Agencies should follow a similar model. Too many want to shield their knowledge because they fear that they will get taken advantage of.
I say put it all out there. If someone reads your blog, listens to your podcast, or watches your YouTube channel instead of hiring you, then they were probably never going to hire you anyway.
Locking up your expertise isn’t a path to growth.
Make sure your target audience knows who you are and what you think. Share your insights freely with whoever might be interested.
It doesn’t matter if you’re the smartest person in the room if you’re the only one there.
Join me in helping 99 percent of the people you encounter for free.
