Most agencies don’t have unlimited resources. They must use their time and budgets wisely to get the most bang for their buck. Reaching out to every contact via one-off emails is an inefficient (and unrealistic) communication method. So, how can your agency connect with its audience effectively without overwhelming your staff? It's smarter to keep up with your email marketing efforts, even with a small team, by building automated email workflows.

Quick pulse check: How is everyone feeling right now? Are you still in hibernation mode after the holidays, already behind and struggling to catch up? If you are feeling a tad rusty, you’re not alone. Switching mindsets from unwinding to ramping up can take some time. We’re only human after all. Setting goals for your agency is one way to boost motivation and activate forward motion.

Professional service projects are different animals than “normal” projects. While both offer challenges, professional service firms must meet their internal goals AND the client’s expectations. More companies and more people involved usually equates to greater risk. This article is your ultimate guide for understanding professional services, why companies use them, and the challenges professional service firms have in common.

“Operations keeps the lights on, strategy provides a light at the end of the tunnel, but project management is the train engine that moves the organization forward.” ~ Joy Gumz Pulling off client projects successfully is no small feat. Project managers and team members hyper focus on delivering high-quality work all day, every day; planning workflows and proactively addressing obstacles as they arise.

The saying “too many eggs in your basket” is apt for the professional service world. Juggling multiple accounts, a spread of different team members, and wildly differing client expectations can get out of hand very quickly. Luckily, with the right professional services software, you can keep processes tight and on track. By providing key features like time tracking, automated invoices, and handy checklists, you have the space you need to actually do the work.

Is your marketing team spread way too thin? Endless email chains. Missed deadlines. Frustrated team members. Unhappy clients. Ah, the classic signs of insufficient marketing project management. We know them all too well. There’s a reason why marketers that are proactive about project management are three times more likely to report “success.” Are you struggling to exceed client expectations without totally burning your team out?

One key element of project management is keeping team members and key stakeholders continually updated on project progress. For large projects and teams, though, keeping everyone in the loop regarding the project's status is often easier said than done. This is especially true when you consider that 60% of project managers are running between two and five projects simultaneously, while 15% are running 10 or more projects at once.

We often talk about the importance of customer service to today’s discerning customers. And while it’s true that we can't overstate the value of excellent customer service, it’s also true that there’s too much of a good thing when servicing customers. It’s called “overservicing,” and it can lead to diminishing returns for bottom-line-minded companies.

There are a lot of important metrics for agencies to track, and monitoring them is key to optimizing how you close deals. Your agency’s sales closing ratio is one metric that can tell you a lot about how effective you are at onboarding new clients — or converting qualified leads into new clients.

Your agency lives and breathes client work. It’s what powers your business model and keeps the light on. Creative client work can take all sorts of shapes and sizes, with short and simple projects running parallel to lengthy, deeply complex ones. Projects this varied and requiring an array of creative specialist skills are automatically difficult to track.