Jennifer Maloney on LinkedIn: Montgomery County Domestic Relations is now taking applicants for a… (2024)

Hey! Did you know that we're hiring at Mothers Out Front? 😃 We're fully remote, have great benefits, a committed and active constituency, an amazing staff...join us! Here's the thing...I know I'm posting a lot of jobs these days. Some folks might be thinking: what's up? Why all this hiring? That seems like a lot, Beth! It takes many of us to build the multiracial, cross-class, intergenerational movement of moms who are fighting for climate justice. We are in our transformation stage! Come work with us to build the future for ALL children that we seek -- where children and families aren't just surviving, they're thriving! #momsmakeitbetter #climatejustice #joinourteam #transformationinprogress

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Consulting opportunity

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"We are not like other agencies" - as always Rob Mayhew (Business and Finance bCreator of the year) is totally on point and something we see all the time in our sessions where we help agencies learn how to pitch themselves. But this 'sameness' doesn't just apply in agency land. It happens with individuals too. We all love a bit of jargon. In the sessions we run, words like 'collaboration', 'transformation', 'disruptor' all roll off people's tongues, and out of brains, because we hear them all the time. People want to know about you, but we make it hard for them by hiding behind these words. Our LookUP Substack this month is focused on how to tell your story, without feeling like you lose your own sense of character.Free subscribers get all of the thinking and access to the framework of how to apply it to your story. Paid subscribers (the cost of a lunch a month) get the full explanation of the framework, the live online session (this Thursday at 10am) and full access to all interviews, content and the community. Do something to kick your week off right ... sign up! Link in the comments. Hope to see you there #storytellingforbusiness #yourstory #personalbranding

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Back in 2017, when I was running Stick No Bill (SNB), our pitch deck was mostly with phrases like award-winning, digital-first, customer-obsessed, and data-driven. A whopping 70% of the deck was dedicated to showcasing our own achievements. This self-centric approach was second nature to us agency folks; it required no preparation for presentations, as it was all routine.However, this strategy led to a noticeable drop-off in lead engagement post-presentation, prompting a period of introspection and analysis.Following SNB’s merger with Thinking Dots, I was also responsible for setting up presentations and sessions for new businesss. We ditched the one-size-fits-all deck in favor of a more client-centric approach, significantly reducing the content about us and increasing the focus on the client.For every lead that came our way, we invested hours into researching the client, conducting gap analyses with the information at hand. Consequently, 70% of our deck was tailored to demonstrate how our services could ease their specific challenges. We steered clear of drama and unsubstantiated claims, opting instead to present relevant case studies and testimonials.This customization of each deck demanded more time and effort, but it invariably led to more engaging interactions with clients. They became more inquisitive, often prompted to ask questions— a great contrast to the previous approach. We also began incorporating more data into our decks, particularly from case study results, which piqued the client’s interest and enticed them to give our services a try.I will end this up by an easy guess. By 2030, there will be more agencies than clients and guess how many decks these clients has to see? Make the first impression, the best!#PitchDeck #NewBusiness #AgencyEverywhere

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Please spread the word!

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I've sat in many agency pitches where for the first 30 minutes they talk about themselves, their team, previous clients, and awards they've won. Then WE use the 15-minute Q&A time to try and sus out if they are a good fit for our problems. Such a waste of time and resources. ⬇️ Here's how it should be done ⬇️1. Research your client before the pitch.2. *If needed* start with a 5-minute "this is why we're hot" summary.3. Lead into a Q&A section about their brand and their needs. –> Spoiler alert, if you've already done the research, you know the answers to these questions already.4. Pitch your pre-prepared solutions to the problems that surfaced in question 3.5. Walk away like a rockstar and a newly signed client.

So painfully right. Every agency usually has an heroic person trying to change this...who will soon be shot down by leadership based on the perceived risk of not "leveling up" in a tick-box procurement process. (I'm guilty of this)What leadership hasn't acknowledged: a) the pitch was frequently won before the RFP was ever sent out (if you are unsure it's yours to lose, then it's probably not you)b) the best way to disrupt that fixed outcome is to not blend in with the sheep; the riskiest position may actually be to avoid risk.Also, it is probably worth balancing the scales with the quality of many brand briefs that rarely mention their customers and overstate their impact on the world. They may lack orientation and a delusional request can lead to an equally delusional response. The brutal truth paves the path to great partnerships...maybe winning pitches as well.That highly sought-after pitch feedback from that "near win"? It may likely lead you to some dangerous conclusions on how to improve.

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We all know agencies do the same thing in a different package. Why not specialize at the core of your business and unique selling point?Creativity and craft is what your agency sets your business apart. You only need to reorganize in such a way that it can flourish and let the work speak for itself.Want to know how to get sh*t done?Drop me a line.

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"I think you can see, we're a pretty unique agency" 😂 The engagement with Rob Mayhew's post – about agencies all sounding the same – has been incredible. It seems to have really struck a chord with people that work in or with agencies.Take a look through the comments. Two main issues keep getting mentioned which are vital to address if an agency is looking to create standout and connect with clients in the right way.Firstly, the use of generic phrases and identikit language, which may sound slick, scientific or punchy in the brainstorm, but doesn't highlight differentiation or explain the value the agency can deliver when brought up in a pitch.Secondly, the egocentric mindset existing within many agencies assumes that clients place huge importance in the agency's history, culture, roster, awards etc ahead of how they will help with the specific challenges that the client has. #AgencyBranding #BrandDevelopment #UnlockPotential

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This really made me laugh. As an agency who rarely competitively pitches - this is one of the reasons! Having been in-house for many years, I quickly learned the pitch process rarely works - you get sold an idea, an agency concept or a team you’re unlikely to see again. Go off recommendations, commission a project, do a short 2 or 3-month trial, even ask to look at current client planners and coverage grids! Get under the skin of an agency, not the snazzy pitch deck.

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