Business Development

We all know that the number one way to grow almost any business is by getting referrals. It not only helps grow the business quickly, but it is inexpensive. It’s been said before that a referral from a client is the highest form of compliment. If all this is true about referrals, how can you get more of them as an advisor and business owner? Stop...

Raise your hand if you have ever thought about marketing like a thought leader. Of course, advertising, digital marketing and PR agency owners would never call themselves a thought leader. The same is true for consultants, business coaches, and high-end service business owners. That is a title bestowed on you by others. But to fill your pipeline...

If you know me, you know I am a movie buff. Many of the ad, digital, and PR agency owners I work with are movie buffs too. A favorite film is The Magnificent Seven, a 1960 American western film directed by John Sturges and starring Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen, and Horst Buchholz. The motion picture is an Old-West-style remake of Akira...

University of Minnesota Extension Specialist Michael Darger focuses on community economics and business succession. His background with economic development agencies led him to focus on business retention and expansion work, which eventually landed him at the U of M conducting and publishing important research on entrepreneurs and their exit...

Publishing a book is like building a house. This is a truth for agency owners and others who want a book for more impact and influence, such as business coaches and strategic consultants. Hard truth: self-publishing is like being your own general contractor who must hire and manage all the subcontractors. The simple way to succeed is not to find...

Agency owners who want to grow their businesses can take a lesson from a hit TV show. Shonda Rhime’s Bridgerton confidently stands as the most-streamed television series on Netflix. Season three, released in May of 2024 with an outstanding 165.2 million hours viewed globally, quickly surpassing season two’s opening weekend, despite the shorter...

Is virtual selling really new? “Many companies would have you believe virtual selling is new and constitutes a huge paradigm shift for them. But does it really?” says author Craig Lowder. “Virtual selling has been around for over a hundred years; think catalogs, newspapers, direct mail offers, late-night TV infomercials, telemarketers, and...

In today’s digital landscape leveraging social media is not just beneficial—it’s essential. For agency owners, a robust social media strategy can significantly broaden your business’s reach and engagement. Here are seven steps to effectively leverage social media and elevate your business: 1. Influencer Collaborations Partnering with influencers...

The number one rule for agency owners who want to attract right-fit clients is this: don't sound like a salesperson.  "Enroll, don't sell" is the main message of David Goldman, lead author of Bringing in the Business Without Sounding Like a Salesperson (2024, Indie Books International). "Many professionals are averse to being...