I just returned from a speaking engagement at Hubspot’s Inbound Marketing Convention where I discussed the importance of marketing agencies putting on their sales hats if they have any chance of winning your business. They have to stop operating like agencies...

Lately, I’ve been receiving a number of calls from marketers expressing concern about their traditional advertising agency and their ability to effectively deliver in the digital and social space. I hear from marketers that in general they feel that their...

It’s important to read between the lines when an agency presents – regardless of whether it’s in person or on the phone. If you find yourself in a situation where a team of agency people are present and only one...

If an agency submits an RFI response and they don’t listen to your instructions, throw them out of the search. Ok…somewhat of a bold, unreasonable statement, but there is some truth to this rather extreme remark. Managed a search last...

I married my wife 23 years ago. At the time we decided to wait to have kids – believing that there would be a “right time” that would magically appear to us. The bank account would be robust enough, the jobs...

In our most recent survey report (Social Media Changes 2009-2012: Marketer and Agency Perspective) 76% of marketing agencies surveyed state that one of the top digital capabilities that they sell to their marketing clients is “strategic counsel”. This ranks right up...

I’m surprised to find that few Marketers have ever used a firm to find marketing agencies. Most have picked up marketing agency recommendations from friends or co-workers…which is perfectly fine. Some carry their old firm into a new job…again, can...

It’s easy to shoot for the moon, reach for the sky, want more than you really need…but let’s be realistic. Especially when you’re searching for a new marketing agency. Too often I see marketing firms we represent on the business...

In a recent post by Tom Martin, he provides a list of “tips for pitching” from the Client’s side of the table. These tips, while certainly valuable to the marketing firm, are also a great tool for marketers looking to...

Betty Crocker was social before social became all the rage. At this year’s WOMMA, the Keller Fay Group held up Betty Crocker as the first truly social brand. She had followers, she had sharing, she had conversations and engagements, and she...