Moo!
or
Microsoft!
Moo!
or
Microsoft!
We got fired today. Why? We let the client blur our role. Read on to see what happened, and how to avoid it.
Shell is great.
Some others:
Cyberdyne Systems
Mordor (more of a non-profit really)
Wang (who can say that and not giggle?)
Yah, of course. But easier said than done. I've run a lot of numbers around this - we have to bring in bigger, better clients before we ditch the small annoying ones, unless I want to let half my staff go, which I certainly don't.
I think that, bottom line, the best thing you can get is good information, from peers who've been through this all before.
One reason I'm so willing to discuss this stuff here is because I know what a huge difference a bit of advice can make.
I have to agree. I've had a few consultants, etc. in on various stuff. Very few seemed to understand the most basic principles of running a business, much less an agency.
Yah. I think after 13 years, I'm too close to it.
The account managers here are strictly marketing consultants for the clients. They manage the projects and give guidance. No sales.
But a big problem is finding folks who can really think like marketers. It's not that common.
We've all worked together (the management team anyway) since 2000. So I think we're past that, yes.
Staff are another issue, of course. I'd say the creative and technical staff are brilliant, and do amazing work. So do the marketing team. It's the account management team that's a headache.
I think I've answered my own question. We earn 2/3 of what other agencies do, from 4x as many clients.
portentint
First, I want to qualify this all: I am not a newbie at running a company. I started this company in 1995. I grew it from nothing, without any help from investors or banks.
Now, it's a 30-person marketing agency, with 32 clients.
I've now had my 4th account manager quit in as many months. We fired another 5 months ago.
I can't seem to build a team that can serve clients, no matter what I try. I've written a step-by-step manual for how we do internet marketing, teach a weekly class, keep my staff to 40-50 hour weeks, pay well, demand excellence and deliver for all of our clients.
But I can't seem to get us over the hump: I am still dragged into meetings with irate clients, or see folks losing their grip on deadlines, etc.. Plus, our margins are razor-thin. We're profitable (we have no choice), but only just.
Do I have too many clients? Too many staff?
When do you just say 'screw it'? I feel like I've built something with real strength, but it's started to suck the life out of me.
If you bought stocks at their high point right before the crash of 1929, and held onto them until 1940, you made a fortune.
Panics suck - I'm watching my portfolio clog the financial toilet right now. But things will bounce back.
If they don't we'll have far bigger things to worry about than money.
The US still needs skilled trades. We still build stuff, right? AmericasEdge.tv is an online petition. Have a look, and if you agree, enter your name. No e-mail address or other contact info required.
I am a huge Giants fan from way back. I gotta give them an even shot. They played the Pats tough at the end of the season. And they're very tough defensively.
I remember getting beaten up a lot.
Frankly, I was a pretty sad case in middle school: Nearly 6 feet tall, 145 pounds, a total klutz. On the bright side, things really improved in high school.
After a few days of arguing, the client relented.
I actually went to law school, etc. etc.. Now I run a marketing company (loved law that much). But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that anyone can breach a contract if they really want to.
In this case, our direct contact was messing with the contract. The CEO stepped in and stopped it...
Google Analytics is having a bit of a problem with auto-tagged Adwords campaigns. Some data isn't being properly reported. They're working on it though.
I have a contract with a client that's based on revenue share: A percentage of all revenue reported via Google Analytics.
They just came back and said they're changing it, because they discovered some of that revenue is coming from their call center. That eliminates about 25% of my earnings from the contract.
I'm inclined to tell them to stuff it. I'm furiously angry - I put in days just figuring out a formula that would work for everyone. Not to mention the effort to help them boost their online revenue.
But, if I do, we lose a huge client - potentially a disaster for my company.
BUT, I'm really, really sick of this kind of s--t. 12 years of clients sliming their way out of paying on time, etc..
Do I tell them to take a hike?
Someone finally found a great way to slam bloggers who quote the quotes that quoted the quotes that were written in a list 2 weeks ago.
I'm past annoyed. I want to dump a metric ton of Spam in their driveway.
@Vidar: I have two, thanks :)
OK.
If everyone in this discussion promises to have kids so we balance out the other 99%, I'll stop whining...
Again, there are the people who go out and make things happen, and the other 99%. You had a dinner party with the 99%. I suggest you make it a point to find the 1% and help make the world a better place. The 99% will ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS be preoccupied with their own little world.
OK, so maybe the real point here is that, with the internets, the 99% is more obvious than before?
Just FYI, I do my best: Did street law, volunteered after the LA Riots, donate thousands from my company to Habitat for Humanity and Conservation International.
But it DOES sometimes feel like a drop in the bucket.
Thanks for listening all...
BTW, I have to say that my sense of despair over this is lessened somewhat by the number of people in 9Rules willing to discuss it.
I wish everyone were like this...
Sorry guys, but Wikipedia? Come ON.
Wikipedia is a nifty piece of software. But will it make our kids' lives better?
Let me place this in context: I wrote this after a dinner party where we had a discussion on global warming, and I was outnumbered by people who felt it was inevitable, and would cost to much to mitigate it. Note I say MITIGATE, not FIX. The best quote:
"We'll be dead when it's really a problem anyway."
WTF?!!!!
I don't believe in a 'greatest generation'. I DO believe we're missing our opportunities to do something important, because we're too wrapped up in making money, buying toys and paying off ridiculous credit card bills.
We have everything we need, and we're using it to get fat.
Respectfully (really respectfully), don't try to compare Wikipedia the disappearance of the polar ice cap, or Darfur, or the way we fucked up Iraq. And don't blame George Bush for it either. We elected him, and then we let him have our way with us. A Democrat could've done it too.
I've come to a realization over the last few years:
My grandparents' generation defeated the Nazis.
My parents' generation put a man on the moon.
My generation created the iPod and the obesity epidemic.
Wonder what our kids will do?
Yah, at least change would've forstalled the nutcases. Now, I dunno, this really is starting to feel like Iran in the 70s...
Is the country spiraling into a civil war? Shades of Iran in the 70s? Or is this just a horrific bump in the road?
Understand that I don't think Bhutto would've improved things there. MY concern is a nuclear-armed country with a core of Islamic fundamentalists against a secular dictator. That never seems to end well.
She wondered: Is it always sex?
It is soooo nice to remember that there's always someone dumber than you.
to each other. Brittany was sad.
(sorry guys missed the six words part)
and fell heavily down the stairs.
For silliness, I like Limp Bizkit doing 'Faith'.
Brittany's boyfriend approached, cracking the knuckles on his hamlike fists, shambling through the crowd with his eyes fixed on my brother. I giggled.
I actually wrote a word search based on irritating buzzwords and trends from 2007:
http://www.conversationmarketing.com/2007/12/marketing_buzzwords_2007_word.htm
I'd actually go with signage: Start with cave paintings, then go to Roman lettering and numerals on buildings, then to Middle Ages, and so on.
That way you can show the introduction of color, the use of serifs, adoption of kerning to make stuff readable from more directions, then leading as folks moved to paper, etc..
» Why do you Twitter? ... Last Reply: 4 months ago by Christian.
It seems like a great networking tool to me. I can chat with folks I respect, float ideas, even submit a link now and again.