If you don’t say or think “so what?” at least a few times a day, you need to be doing it more.
These two words — just six letters in total — can help get or keep you on track.
“So what” allows you to focus your messaging and achieve your desired outcomes.
“So what” keeps you from worrying about the wrong stuff.
“So what” empowers you to prioritize your schedule.
“So what” enables you to deliver better results to your clients.
I’ll give you more of the “so what” behind “so what” 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
Upcoming Events
- Webinar: How to work with nonprofits as an agency (August 6)
Latest podcasts from SAGA
- Who Should PR Agencies Report To? (Agency Leadership Podcast)
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
- How to Be a Better Guide to Your Prospect on the Buyer’s Journey (The Sutter Company)
- Before you add a new service: Consider Supply AND Demand (Sakas and Company)
- Have we all arrived? (Anchor Advisors)
- Are Email Newsletters Even Viable Anymore? (Punctuation)
- Why Every Entrepreneur Needs Media Training (Spin Sucks)
- An Agency Leader’s Guide to Using LinkedIn for Business Development (AgencyAnalytics)
- Evolve and Conquer: Fresh Strategies for Your Agency (Bureau of Digital)
Podcast Episodes
- Agencies Ask! Our Answers to Agency FAQ’s About Client Contracts, with The Toerek Law Team (The Innovative Agency)
- Creating a Premium Pricing Culture (2Bobs)
- How to Leverage M&A as a Growth Strategy for your Agency, With Matt Bodnar (The Agency Profit Podcast)
- PR Challenges: Post-Pandemic – Events, Energy Levels, and Customer Service (That Solo Life)
- A Unique Hybrid Office Model and Bouncing Back After Big Clients Leave with Sarah Segal (Smart Agency Master Class)
- Raul Hernandez Ochoa on Positioning Your Agency for Maximum Growth (The Digital Agency Growth Podcast)
- Bringing in a Second-in-Command – with Cameron Herold (The Digital Agency Show)
- The Coaching Business Flywheel, with Robbie Swale (The Personal Brand Business Show)
Videos
- Grow your new business pipeline, attract leads, and reduce client churn (Sakas and Company)
- Do what you love! (Agency Management Institute)
AI in Focus
You need to ask “So what?” more
When I was younger, I used to have a t-shirt that read on the front: “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” On the back, it said “It’s all small stuff.”
I wore that shirt until it was a tattered mess because I liked the message so much.
Today, I encourage agency owners to ask themselves “so what” when they raise a concern they’re worried about.
I don’t suggest it in an automatically dismissive way, but as a legitimate question.
In other words: let’s assume that whatever bad thing you are worried about actually comes to pass. What comes next?
Often when we ask ourselves “so what?” about a particular concern it turns into a flat statement: “so what.” If what happens next really isn’t all that bad, it is often best to drop the concern and move on.
At the same time, we create marketing materials or proposals for clients where the “so what” isn’t clear at all.
It happens all the time with positioning. For example, “we’re a full-service integrated marketing agency with an experienced team that sets us apart from the competition.”
That’s not far off from actual messaging I see from agencies. But what’s the “so what” there? What difference do you make for clients and which ones are actually good fits for you?
Or how about a pitch to a client. You put together a deck or a proposal that talks about great things you have done for others in the past and some generic tactics you propose for them today.
But did you link it to what they actually want to achieve? Clients don’t want a website or a press release, they want the business results that follow. By asking “so what?” of yourself and your team, you will put together a more compelling pitch.
“So what” is a great management tactic, too. If you want to avoid micromanagement, ask yourself that question before you provide feedback or corrections to a team member. Focus on what matters rather than what you would simply do differently.
And for those of you who complain that you don’t have enough time to focus on business development or other big picture tasks, ask yourself “so what?” before every email you send or task you complete. If the “so what” impact isn’t big enough, don’t do it.
If you make “so what” your mantra, you will worry less, focus more on the right stuff, and get better results for yourself and your clients.
Upcoming webinar: How to work with nonprofits as an agency
As more agency owners want to make a difference in addition to earning a living, many seek to take on nonprofits as clients.
This inevitably raises a host of questions, from whether to offer discounts to these organizations to how to collaborate with them most successfully.
In this webinar, Chip Griffin will share his experience working with nonprofits over the years to help you make better decisions.
This event will be on Tuesday August 6 from 1-2 PM ET, and you can register here.
