Articles

I've read hundreds of client intake forms in my career. The answers almost always say something like "health-conscious adults 25-55 who are looking to improve their wellness." It sounds like an answer. It is not targeting.

There's a number almost nobody tracks. And it might be the most important number in the business. It's the cost of the first 60 days of every new client engagement.

Your intake form isn't failing because the questions are wrong. It's failing because you're asking the right questions to the wrong person. Your client doesn't have the answers you need.

Over 25 years, I noticed a pattern. The agencies I kept and the agencies I replaced weren't separated by talent. It came down to one question.

A genuinely talented media buyer, running technically excellent campaigns, producing mediocre results. Not because they're doing anything wrong. Because the foundation is wrong.

I'm going to tell you something that most brand leaders will never say to your face. What brand leaders want from their agencies is not what most agencies think.

One analysis, no matter how smart, is still one perspective. And one perspective is a dangerous thing to bet a launch on. Here's why I became obsessed with a process that doesn't rely on a single point of view.

Every agency has buyer personas. They have names like "Wellness Wendy" or "Fitness Frank." And they're almost completely useless for building a campaign that actually converts.