As summer comes to a close in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s time to start thinking about winter.
No, I’m not planning to skip over autumn — that’s my favorite season!
But for many agencies the period between Labor Day and Thanksgiving in the U.S. can make or break the year.
Whether you are reading this just before you enjoy the long weekend or this has only popped up in your inbox after your return to work, it’s time to be thinking about the sprint ahead.
I refer to this time as a sprint because it lasts only about 10 weeks. You and your clients will typically be trying to cram in as much work as possible before the holiday distractions begin.
So how should your agency be preparing for the winter months? What do you need to do to make the upcoming sprint as productive as possible?
I’ll explore this a bit more later in this week’s newsletter, but first let’s get to Jen’s roundup of useful resources.
— Chip Griffin, SAGA Founder
Latest podcasts from SAGA
- Turning agency reporting into a profit center (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 choose the right Exit Option for Your Agency (Sakas and Company)
- Why an Omnichannel Approach is Essential for Prospecting (RSW/US)
- When It Absolutely, Positively Needs to Get Done (Anchor Advisors)
- Women-Owned Agencies and Solopreneurs Are the Future (Spin Sucks)
- Expertise Is Mainly About Asking Great Questions (Punctuation)
Podcast Episodes
- Getting Your EOS Scorecard Right, with Mark O’Donnell (The Agency Profit Podcast)
- How to Use Anti-Fragile Tactics to Predict the Future (Spin Sucks)
- Are Email Newsletter Even Viable Anymore? (2Bobs)
- Mandi Ellefson on Becoming a Hands-Off CEO (The Digital Agency Growth Podcast)
- How To Transform PR With Trauma-Informed Practices with Kahshanna Evans (That Solo Life)
- Navigating the Evolving Landscape of PR, with Eric Yaverbaum (The Innovative Agency)
- How to reset your Mindset, with Sean Osborn (The Personal Brand Business Show)
- Unlocking the Secrets to Agency Growth With Marcel Petitpas (The Marketing Agency Leadership Podcast)
Videos
- You Should Impose Rules Of Engagement On Your Clients (Win Without Pitching)
- Mark Duval on Just Ask Jody Live (The Sutter Company)
- Details matter (Agency Management Institute)
AI in Focus
- Optimizing Agency Growth with AI and Value-based Pricing (The Digital Agency Show)
Winter is coming. Is your agency ready?
For many of you, the summer months have been a bit slower.
Perhaps you, your clients, and your team have been able to take a little time off.
But we all know that once Labor Day passes, it is as if a switch has been thrown and everyone seems to ramp up into high gear — at least until Thanksgiving rolls around here in the U.S.
These 10 weeks often make the difference between closing the year with momentum or limping into the new year hoping for better days.
Here are some specific things that your agency should be doing to make the most out of this time:
- Prepare for annual planning with clients. Now is the time to formulate your approach for the next 12 months and figure out how you are going to address any current challenges, like scope creep, proactively. Don’t wait for your clients to come to you, bring your ideas to them.
- Lean in to business development. Many of your prospects will be doing their own planning in October and November, so make sure that you are top of mind when they prepare budgets and develop strategies for the new year. Even though you may be busy with client work, you need to make time for growth.
- Focus on team growth. Many employees start to daydream about other employment options over the holidays — and then begin to make their moves after they collect their annual bonuses. So spend some time working with your best talent to plot their futures with your firm, including talking about their roles and supporting them in professional development activities.
- Formulate your agency’s annual plan. Just as you need to work with your clients on plans for 2025, you should be sitting with your team and advisors to sketch out your own path forward. The AIM-GET Framework can help you to shape this process if you need a place to start.
- Look inward. Don’t wait for the holidays to roll around before you start thinking about what you want and need from your business. In fact, that’s why Ambition is the first part of the AIM-GET Framework. Figure out what your personal goals are and how your agency can support them. Determine how you want to change how you spend your work time and then incorporate that into your overall business plan for the new year.
If you keep these five things in mind over the coming months, you will be putting yourself in a better position to not just close the year well, but to position yourself for a successful 2025.
SAGA can help you with many of these challenges and opportunities, including:
- Free resources on the SAGA website. Our robust search feature can help you locate articles, webinars, workbooks, podcast episodes, videos, and more to help with planning.
- Agency Business Checkup. The ABC process takes a short-term deep dive into your business to help formulate strategies for growth and annual plans.
- 1:1 Coaching & Consulting. For ongoing support, I serve as a sounding board and advisor to agency owners.
So don’t reach for your winter coat just yet. Enjoy the fall weather and make the most of the sprint from Labor Day to Thanksgiving.
