“You can have anything you want if you are willing to ask 1,000 people for it.” ~ Byron Katie When I first started my business, I worked with a sales trainer. He told me, “Get 30 appointments in your first 90 days, and you’ll have a thriving consulting business.” I didn’t know any better, so…
I’ve failed over, and over, and over again in my life — and that is why I succeed. ~ Michael Jordan Anchor Advisors turns 20 next month. We started on April 30, 2001 When I look around at the folks who were getting started with their businesses about the time that I was, they all…
For about 20% of my clients, 2020 was their best year; for another 20%, 2020 was a disaster! For the rest, we worked harder than ever to manage mediocre results. When I look at my own business, I learned more and worked harder in the last year than I did in the previous year. But…
You know that feeling when you look at your calendar for the day; you see a client and can’t wait to meet with them? Every time you meet with them, you’ve made progress together. They are invested in the work and open to collaborating with you. They appreciate what you create and implement it right…
The most important work you do is not what you get paid for; it’s who you are. When you improve a client’s CTR by 9%, that makes them happy. Listening to their situation and realizing that their team is on the brink of burnout and they desperately need new business makes them feel heard and gives…
Creative service businesses tend to have a small number of clients (8 – 12) that make up the bulk of their revenue each year. So keeping those clients happy is crucial to your success. What does it mean to “delight” clients of a creative services firm? What will separate you from the other agencies competing…
I worked with a client who was not very popular with his staff. He had high standards and wasn’t afraid to enforce them. He was blunt and direct; some would say that his feedback crossed the line to unkind. Over time, his communication style fostered resentment in his team. One employee in particular, became a…
Putting ‘Good, Better, Best’ Pricing into Action How much more profitable could your business be if you could sell your services at higher prices? The answer is way more profitable, right? Tiered pricing could be the answer to this conundrum. The strategy is successful for many reasons. It’s a great way to raise prices without…
The sales funnel is a useful concept for helping us visualize the journey that a prospect makes toward becoming a customer. But the idea of the “funnel” makes the process seem more predictable than most of us find in practice! Just because someone is in your funnel doesn’t mean that they will buy, or even…
“In any team, particularly creative teams, the productive output of the team is inversely proportional to the drama between the team members.” ~ Julie Colbrese Have you ever been part of a team that had lots of politics, in-fighting, and drama? How do you remember that time in your life? Was it satisfying, engaging, and…