Officehours.fm

In this podcast, Carrie interviews Brett Cohen CEO & co-founder of emagine, a digital agency located south of Boston, MA. Brett shares his insights of sales and marketing the “hard way” where there is no substitute for calling and meeting people face to face.

  What we talked about Managing expectations from the very first interaction with a client Taking ownership of every aspect of a project Addressing "issues" immediately (no festering) Adversarial relationship toward customers Handling hard conversations (and keeping the emotion out) The best (and worst) forms of communication

What we talked about Using a business plan to decide what services you'll offer and what you won't Before choosing your ideal customer, you need to have customers to choose from :) When it's time to grow a team (and how to find the right people) Managing cash flow Business, communication, and tech tools used at WPRiders.com The importance of a mentor

What we talked about The process of developing a customer niche Just because you gear marketing toward your niche doesn't mean you can't serve others The three-level marketing strategy  How to get a client ASAP Building confidence in yourself The importance of content (and tips for getting into the swing of content creation) Vetting potential clients

Solving all the problems.

What we talked about The origins of managed WordPress hosting Serving a niche in a crowded space Find your differentiators that set you apart from the competition Empowering others (teammates) to make decisions and take responsibility for the outcome Working through explosive topics (i.e. politics) with your team Expressing opinion as a company vs an individual Joshua shares what inspires him

What we talked about Going from solo owner/operator to a partnership Accountability in a partnership Inbound marketing Engaging with your site visitors Serving up content based on who's looking How to get someone into your marketing funnel

Marketing is simply building trust and empathy with a group of people by talking to them. - Paul Jarvis What we talked about Email marketing as two-way communication We hate marketing because we don't understand it Alienate most people in order to get the right people on your email list Unless there's engagement, having a huge list is meaningless Email automation doesn't have to be intimidating Getting started with email marketing Episode links (and newsletter signup) (course)

What We Talked About Freelancing "back in the day" Turning a passion into a revenue stream Opportunities to systematize repetitive tasks Opportunities to upsell clients (while offering great value) Quarterly "temperature" calls Defining your ideal client (and evolving that over time) Taking time away from work to work on your business Self/soul searching to figure out what it is we want to work on

What we talked about Setting financial stretch goals (and achieving them) The power of saying your goals "out loud" Investing in your business Serving a micro-niche vs a general client base (and how that can help with content strategy) The value and importance of live industry events

What we talked about Getting out from behind the computer and meeting folk Expressing yourself through content Having a professional online persona Getting into the habit of writing with directive journaling v  Brainstorming content Promoting your content (and others)

What we talked about Being different in a crowded space Internalizing what others are doing and then innovating on it Copying someone's motivation vs copying someone's results Be the freelancer that answers the phone! If your offer isn't interesting and compelling, get a job and learn new things Risk dynamic as a freelancer vs an employee Go deep, not wide

What we talked about How to do your own content marketing by making a brand plan What to do if you started blogging before you had a brand plan The backstory behind Pamela's new book, Master Content Marketing Writing (confidently) even if you don't feel like a "writer" Content marketing as a creative act Education through content

What we talked about You will never get the complete story from an email or a Slack message. - Karim Marucchi Account management for small agencies and freelancers Using account management as business development Differences between an account manager and a project manager Coming across to your clients as the expert The importance of "face time" vs email Using email as a followup to a conversation, not the conversation itself Tips for composure and "positive control" in tough conversations How to make client delays work in your favor

What we talked about The isolation and anxiety many freelancers feel Online relationships vs real-world friends How to make connections online Being your true self online without oversharing Active listening Mental health maintenance How to find the right therapist Yoga!

What we talked about Benefits and challenges of serving a specific vertical niche Custom theme builds vs commercial Differentiating yourself in a crowded market Sustainable pricing Consolidation/tightening of the WordPress ecosystem Improving the "WordPress experience"

What we talked about Educating prospective clients The unique challenge of offering services in a small community Preparing for seasonality (the lows and highs) Working locally (vs digitally) Goal setting Building monthly recurring client revenue