Take A Deep Breath

Canada Geese & Flapping Cygnets

Over the last month or so, my family & I have been lucky enough to be living lakeside. In the early morning, I’ve been delighted to hear the Canada geese and their honking cacophony splash land as they stop & rest for a day or three. And the white swans who have been swimming regally for weeks now have a brood of awkward mottled grey cygnets who hiss and flap at my dog as Fred and I walk out to the dock. Later, in the warmth of the afternoon, the elegant swans run across the lake’s surface, wings flapping and slapping the water as the cygnets watch and test out their flight feathers and, so far, slide into a spinning, flipping bellyflop as they’ve yet to master the physics of flight. Think of this as your moment of zen before the 4th quarter shows up.

What Really Matters

The 4th quarter is a pressure packed time. For many marketers, this is the 13 weeks where profit is made. There can be a ton of pressure - on marketers, on agencies, and on agency staff. It’s really important to know what really matters and focus on that, despite the pressure:

• Define definitions of success with your clients.

• Define definitions of “this isn’t working” with your clients.

• Make sure that you are reporting on the elements of and progress towards success more often than you think you need to.

• Define success for your staff - make your expectations and what they are being measured against explicit.

• Define the ways your staff can raise their hand for help or insight.

• Understand the pressures that your staff is facing and be there to diffuse it. Have their back and give them support.

• Recognize your own stress. Make sure that you have a place to talk and think - a mastermind group, a spouse, another entrepreneur…or ask me about Founder Therapy. It’s an idea that I am working on…and have 2 founders talking about their vision, their management challenges, and their happiness in a profoundly personal way.

Make An Offer They Don’t Want To Refuse

There is so much that is wrong about the way agencies, consultants and many SaaS businesses think of the idea of “an offer”. They make it about them…that doesn’t work terribly well when your prospect has dozens of choices.

I’ve put together a 30 minute class (going live on Friday, Sept 27, 2024) called Make An Offer They Don’t Want To Refuse. This is designed to help you identify the things your target client wants & needs and helps you craft an offer that focuses on what they value…not what kinds of ridiculous “value stacks” you can create.

I will provide personalized feedback on your offers…

Take advantage of the prelaunch pricing (save $40!) and get access the very minute this launches!

Thanks To Our Sponsor - folk

folk is a new take on the CRM - one that is focused on RELATIONSHIPS, rather than just SALES. For agencies, folk gives you one interface to manage your clients, your freelancers, your partners & your vendors. You get pipeline management (duh), but other ways to create deep relationships that provide you with everything you need to know in one easy panel. Use this link to get a free 14-day trial (and if you become a paying client, we may get a little kickback from folk, fyi)