FIR Podcast Network

Many of us think of lawyers like we do doctors: someone to go to for a fix when something goes wrong. Just as seeing your doctor when you are healthy helps improve outcomes, so does building a relationship with the attorney you use for your agency business.

In this episode, Chip speaks with Matt Benson of Cook Little Rosenblatt & Manson of Manchester, New Hampshire.

Matt has decades of experience in working with business owners on challenges ranging from the formation of the business to its eventual sale. He discusses why — and how — you should leverage your lawyer for more than just legal advice.

“One of the things that we try to do is to make sure that my clients are making fully informed decisions. And some of that is liability considerations. But some of it is also providing information and insight in terms of what we’ve seen done before, what deal structures may work or should be taken into account, what issues may pop up that we’ve seen arise,” Matt explained.

It’s all about helping the client achieve their goals. Matt says he tries “to figure out if a client is at point A and wants to get to point B, what might be the most sensible path for them to get there.”

Chip and Matt discuss a range of topics, including:

* Finding a lawyer that can give you good business advice alongside legal counsel.

* Managing the impulse to hear the clock ticking on billable hours.

* Tapping in to your law firm’s connections for networking.

* Maximizing the relationship by sharing more information about your business.

* Helping your lawyer get you the best results by sharing your ultimate goals.

“It’s always less expensive to avoid a land mine than to try to pick up the pieces after you’ve stepped on one,” Matt concludes.

[read the transcript]

In this episode, Mitchell Levy (http://aha.pub/MitchellLevy), TEDx speaker and the AHA Guy at AHAthat (https://AHAthat.com), introduces his co-host, #ThoughtLeader Jeff Shavitz (http://aha.pub/JeffShavitz), a number-one Amazon bestselling author, an investment banking analyst with four years’ work experience at Lehman Brothers, a merchant advocate, and the CEO of Shavitz Group, whose aim is to help explain to business owners the confusing world of payment processing.

This episode is packed with eye-opening AHAmessages focusing on expense reduction from credit card fees in order to educate business owners in managing payment processing-related transactions and increase company valuation by minimizing credit card expenses.

Jeff’s expertise is largely attributed to his years of experience in the payments processing industry. He pioneered and successfully sold several companies involved in the processing industry, including Charge Card Systems, which he co-founded and led as CEO for 13 years. His eagerness and drive are manifested in all the companies he’s worked with to deliver quality service to his merchant base at competitive pricing. He has extensive technical know-how in providing secure and efficient integrated processing in managing payments of businesses and has maintained relationships born out of the network he has built, with close ties to the banks and merchant processors, including First Data.

Jeff’s business path from being an investment banker in the corporate world to becoming an entrepreneur and an independent business owner in the payment processing industry is born out of a realization that he wanted more out of his professional life. Jeff’s passion is to help business owners in explaining hidden fees of credit card processing, the 600+ various interchange rates, and new regulatory fees and sharing new technologies entering the marketplace.

Here are a couple of AHAmessages from the episode. See more in the “AHA Moments from Thought Leader Life” eBooks available in the social media-enabled eBook platform, AHAthat: http://AHAthat.com.

* If you can save a thousand dollars a month of #CreditCardFees, wouldn’t it be worth it? #ExpenseReduction http://aha.pub/JeffShavitz

* The smart approach in managing finances is to direct the money to the business owner and not to the credit card processors. #ExpenseReduction http://aha.pub/JeffShavitz

* #CreditCard companies can legitimately increase your rates. These erroneous fees are difficult to catch; find a merchant advocate that will look at avoiding these mistakes in your statements. #ExpenseReduction http://aha.pub/JeffShavitz

* A dollar saved on #CreditCardFees is often more valuable than a dollar earned. A dollar saved may be dependent on your tax bracket. When there is money saved, that’s a win! #ExpenseReduction http://aha.pub/JeffShavitz

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful, subscribe to the channel: http://youtube.com/user/thoughtleaderlife.

In today’s highly charged sociopolitical environment, corporate leaders can feel the impulse to take a stand just like any of us. They’re only human, after all.

As communicators, it’s our job to help them understand when and how to speak out on issues that live outside the business realm. What are the expectations around CEO activism? What are the ramifications of taking a stand on a highly charged issue? Which CEOs are doing it right?

In this episode of EE Voice, we’ll explore this sensitive topic and the critical role internal communications teams play in keeping their leaders on point, on brand and on a path toward making a truly positive impact.

Tune in as we talk about why internal comms teams need to come together as a united front when corporate leaders take on challenging societal topics. You’ll learn:

* Where people stand on CEO activism, both internally and externally

* Why preparation is the holy grail for outspoken CEOs

* How to minimize fallout (hint: align your marketing and comms teams)

* How to engage employees in your communications plan

As culture wars and polarization intensify, this is must-listen stuff for every internal comms professional. We hope you’ll join us.

A participant in the Spin Sucks Community asked if other agency owners negotiate with prospective clients.

It sparked some great conversation on the Slack channel, so Chip and Gini decided to address the topic on this episode of the Agency Leadership Podcast.

Here’s the original question from an agency owner:

I just finished listening to a podcast and a question popped into my head. I’m still pretty new to this but I haven’t had any prospect or client try negotiate with me yet over pricing. I’m just curious. How many of you when you give a price for services do it anticipating that your client is going to negotiate? If so, how do you do this? Start at a certain percentage above what you know line is?….

Chip’s immediate reply was: “if they haven’t pushed back at all, you’re not charging enough.”

Of course, it’s more complicated than that. You might even say, “it depends.”

The hosts emphasized that agencies need to hold firm on pricing and not allow it turn into a bazaar where everything is negotiable.

Gini explained it this way: “I look at at at it just like you would in a restaurant. You don’t go in and say to the chef, I think I’m going to decide how much I’ll pay for this meal after I eat. It’s not how it works, the price the price.”

Instead, Chip and Gini explained that every adjustment in price needs to have a corresponding change in the scope of work. Otherwise you risk clients feeling overcharged or knowing they can always take advantage of you.

They discuss how agency owners can handle clients who want to low-ball price, when to start talking about costs with prospects, and how to hold firm even when you really want the business.

[read the transcript]

We first met Jen McClure (left) more than a decade ago and shortly after she founded the Society for New Communications Research (SNCR) in 2005. Jen, who has been a frequent guest on Shel Holtz’s FIR main podcast, was one of the first people to see the potential of social media in business communications. SNCR merged with The Conference Board three years ago, and fortunately the awards program Jen created at SNCR has continued as The Conference Board’s Excellence in Marketing & Communications Awards. This week we discuss three outstanding winners of the awards, which will be presented in New York City on June 26th, in conjunction with The Conference Board’s 24th Annual Corporate Communications Conference. Two of our picks are B2B.

* SAP used Dynamic Signal to track and encourage employee engagement and brand advocacy. Staffers now share more than 15,000 social posts monthly and drive an impressive amount of traffic to the main SAP website.

* Southern California Edison adopted Sprout Social’s chatbot technology to supplement the two staffers who respond to customers inquiries. The utility has not only increased the volume of questions it can field without adding staff but has maintained high satisfaction ratings and is now able to respond more quickly to major power outages. The project succeeded on all metrics.

* Siemens used augmented and virtual reality technology to greatly expand the variety of equipment is can show at trade shows. These large and expensive machines are costly to ship and take up a lot of floor space. With AR/VR, Siemens was able to deliver a virtual experience that was in many ways better than a live demo.

Congratulations to these and all the other finalists and winners in this year’s awards program. The quality of entries keeps getting better every year.

 

 

The May edition of “The Hobson and Holtz Report” features Neville Hobson and Shel Holtz talking about these stories:

* A trio of technologies — from Google, Amazon, and The New York Times — show how marketers will be able to get into your head, assess your emotional state, and manipulate your intent.

* GDPR is one year old. Has it succeeded in protecting Europeans’ privacy?

* PR professionals are relegating earned media to the dustbin.

* Arabic podcasts are on the rise, embracing a long tradition of oral storytelling.

* More CEOs were terminated in 2018 over ethical lapses than financial performance.

* The Wall Street Journal is limiting comments to paying subscribers, and it’s working.

* Dan York reports on a new podcast report from Andreesen-Horowitz and looks at two podcast announcements from Spotify.

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog.

The next episode of For Immediate Release will be posted on Monday, June 24.

Links from This Week’s Episode

* Google Ushers In The Era Of Anticipatory Marketing

* Amazon is reportedly working on wearables that can read your emotions

* The New York Times Can Now Predict Your Emotions and Motivations After Reading a Story

* General Data Protection Regulation: one year on

* The truth behind the dumbest GDPR myths, one year later

* GDPR One Year On: Survey Findings Show Consumer Awareness with Data Use is Concerningly Low

* Widespread confusion over GDPR rules that protect your privacy

* Study: PR pros prioritizing owned and shared media

* The rise of Arabic podcasts: ‘a digital revival of a long-term tradition’

* PODU, a Podcast Platform For Arabic Speakers, Wins UChicago’s CNVC

* More CEOs were forced out for ethical lapses in 2018 than poor financial performance

* How not to handle a MeToo-related PR crisis

* Why The Wall Street Journal limited commenting to paying subscribers

Links from Dan York’s Tech Report

* Investing in the Podcast Ecosystem in 2019

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In this episode, Mitchell Levy (http://aha.pub/MitchellLevy), TEDx speaker and the AHA Guy at AHAthat (https://AHAthat.com), introduces his co-host, #ThoughtLeader Ronan Leonard (http://aha.pub/RonanLeonard), an author, business mentor, speaker, and founder of Return on Intellect and Eccountability, which helps overwhelmed and frustrated owners grow their businesses fast (https://www.eccountability.io/), and their guest, #ThoughtLeader Cory Warfield (http://aha.pub/CoryWarfield), a brand ambassador and evangelist, mentor, speaker, co-founder of #MentorYou Global Consultants Network, and founder of ShedWool Scheduling (https://www.shedwool.com), which has helped revolutionize the way businesses from different industries connect their employees to each other and their work schedules through customizable web and mobile apps. This episode is packed with thought-provoking AHAmessages as they focus on #Masterminding to build additional revenue and authority using this framework.

Ronan’s expertise and his succinct way of conveying the #Mastermind message can help any aspiring individual or company grow business to new heights. He shares valuable insights about when to pursue knowledge at the right time and to be good at it. For him, your biggest asset is yourself and how you present yourself to people who are watching you: your network. Ronan believes that you should invest time, money, and knowledge in yourself as you connect with other people who have the same values and passion. He strongly suggests to always find ways to collaborate and explore new ideas together, and opportunities will come up to add revenue for your respective businesses.

Cory’s humble beginning, on the other hand — from being homeless to becoming a food server and eventually becoming a business entrepreneur himself — is a testament that #Masterminding is effective by allowing you to be the best version of yourself in the hope that people in your sphere of influence catch on with the same positivity, ambition, and sincerity to do what you really are passionate about. Cory is keen on you presenting your authentic self, showing that you actually care about what you do and the people you meet and eventually work with.

Here are a couple of AHAmessages from the episode. See more in the “AHA Moments from Thought Leader Life” eBooks available in the social media-enabled eBook platform, AHAthat: https://AHAthat.com.

* It’s not just what you know that makes you #Valuable. It’s also either what you #Give or what you #Teach. #Mastermind http://aha.pub/RonanLeonard

* How do you inspire other people, in and out of your network? You do this by #Helping and #Teaching them from a place of #Authenticity. #Mastermind http://aha.pub/RonanLeonard

* Show integrity, vulnerability, and #Authenticity. That’s when you build #Trust. #Mastermind http://aha.pub/MitchellLevy

* There are concepts that might work for some, but not for others. Learn alongside like-minded individuals, and listen to the #Sincerity of their stories to discover valuable lessons. #Mastermind http://aha.pub/CoryWarfield

* The people who taught you valuable things and skills in the past are your #Mentors. You can do the same for others as they go to you for advice. #Mastermind http://aha.pub/CoryWarfield

To learn more about Thought Leadership and how it can help you be successful,

Interview with John J. Wall from Trust Insights about Email Marketing and why it is still relevant today.

John J. Wall speaks, writes and practices at the intersection of marketing, sales, and technology. He is the producer of Marketing Over Coffee, a weekly audio program that discusses marketing and technology with his co-host Christopher S. Penn, and has been featured on iTunes.

His work has been profiled by Forbes, CBS Evening News, The Associated Press, NECN, The Boston Globe, Boston Herald, DM News, and the Yahoo! Year in Review.

Hosts: Leif Pettersen of Leif Pettersen PR and Chris Christensen of BloggerBridge.com and AmateurTraveler.com.

 

 

Consumer activism has been heating up over the last several years. Younger generations have embraced the concept as a way to signal their approval or disapproval of brands and companies consistent with their beliefs and expectations around issues important to them (such as sustainability). “Buycotting” requires a different strategy from companies accustomed to more overt styles of activism, but it’s not the only form of activism with which organizations must contend. For example, when Nike introduced a campaign featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick — the catalyst of the take-a-knee protest — a surge of social media posts featured people burning or otherwise destroying their Nike products, a consumer protest Nike surely knew was coming.

In May’s Circle of Fellows panel, four IABC Fellows explore the steps organizations need to take to mitigate the risk of reputational crises and address the challenges of consumer activism in highly politicized environments by listening to your customers, understanding their concerns and shaping communication to build trust, clarify and dispel myths.

About the Panel

James E. Lukaszewski, America’s Crisis Guru ®, is a bestselling author, national speaker, and trusted strategic advisor to FPO and NPO business operators and leaders during crises, disasters, reputation attacks, contentiousness and when the boss’s future is at stake. Corporate Legal Times listed him as “one of 22 crisis counselors to have in your speed dial when all hell breaks loose.” For more than 30 years, he has confidentially guided hundreds of company leaders thru tough, touchy, sensitive situations. Lukaszewski’s strategies inspire constructive, ethical problem resolving management behavior. A powerful and inspirational speaker, he teaches executives and managers the lessons he has learned. A prolific author, he is quoted and interviewed often as one of the most recognizable leaders in his profession. Lukaszewski is on the web at www.e911.com.

George McGrath is founder and managing principal of McGrath Business Communications, which helps clients build winning corporate reputations, promote their products and services, and advance their views on key issues. George brings more than 25 years in PR and public affairs to his firm. Over the course of his career, he has held senior management positions at leading strategic communications and integrated marketing agencies including Hill and Knowlton, Carl Byoir & Associates, and Brouillard Communications.

Bish Mukherjee is an advisor in marketing, media, public relations, and branding. He is president of Misha Network. He did award-winning work for the Reserve Bank, BSES, Colgate-Palmolive, and Alstom. He has organized corporate events for the Queen of England, the British Prime Minister, and the French President. Bish has anchored a fortnightly TV show on Bombay TV. he was featured on Australia’s “Sixty Minutes.” Bish has taught advertising and PR. He is an executive board member of the Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce and is a PRCI Hall of Fame inductee; he also serves on the board of advisors of the Public Relations Council of India, from which he received a lifetime achievement award in 2019.

Angela Sinickas is the founder of Sinickas Communications, which has worked with companies, organizations, and governments in 32 countries on six continents. Her clients include 25% of the Forbes Top 100 largest global companies. Before starting her own consulting firm, she held positions from editor to vice president in for-profit and government organizations and worked as a senior consultant and practice leader at Hewitt and Mercer. She is the author of a manual, How to Measure Your Communication Programs (now in its third edition), and chapters in several books. Her 150+ articles in professional journals can be found on her website,

Chip and Gini tackle an issue at the heart of the success of all PR and marketing agencies: profit margins.

During this episode, the pair examine:

* Tracking profit at the project level

* Monitoring overall agency profitability

* Getting the profit percentage by using the right data

* Finding ways to improve profitability

The Spin Sucks Community contributed greatly to this discussion and their feedback is at the heart of this episode. In particular, Greg Brooks of West Third Group shared a number of key points that Chip and Gini explore in-depth.

Gini and her team talk to a lot of agency owners. “One of the questions we ask is: what was your profit last year? And I would venture to guess 90% can’t answer that question,” she says.

Meanwhile, Chip warns against assuming that big invoices are always a good idea. “A mistake that I see a lot of agencies make is that they assume because it’s a big project, that means lots of profit for the bottom line. But quite often, it’s just the opposite.”

[read the transcript]