SO, WHAT’S IN STORE
IN April 2024?

CLIENT SERVICES MASTERMIND: How to Master the Art of Negotiation

⏰ 11am, Wednesday 3rd April 2024

Client negotiation in an agency is a bit like buying a car – you need to ask as many questions as possible before finalising the deal.
“A lot of negotiation is about understanding and questioning. You have to really get into the weeds of what the other party is looking for, what their constraints are, and what success looks like for them,” says Jeremy McDonald, CEO of Kaizen. “You don’t have to go into a room and stare them down,” he continues. “Most of it is done via email; you have people playing good cop and bad cop. You just have to know your role.”
We’ll be joined by Jeremy to discuss how he’s mastered the art of negotiation, some of his best tactics, his three-step guide, and why it isn’t something you need to be afraid of.

⏰ 2pm, Tuesday 9th April 2024

Agency networking is a bit like buying a TV licence: everyone knows you should probably do it, but it still feels like the resource is better spent elsewhere.
What you need is someone to take the risk out of it. An event that won’t steal too much time out of your calendar, but is still just as valuable in terms of connections.
Come along for an hour-long session of speed networking. You’ll have four chances to meet likeminded people, and come away with some new contacts. All you have to do is sign up, we’ll handle the rest!

⏰ 11am, Thursday 11th April 2024

A big problem with the rise of AI has been the struggle to get full teams on board. However, Dee Overfield and Nick Silverstone have found a way to get everyone in their agency singing from the same AI hymnsheet: by getting everyone involved.
“We’ve put together an AI team, where we discuss the latest developments in AI because it’s changing so much now,” explains Dee, head of digital at Wagada Digital. “We’re really pushing things forward to make sure people have an AI mindset, but are also continuously testing tools.” By doing this, it’s a much more collaborative process – as well as taking the pressure off one person making all the big changes.
Join us for this month’s AI Whisperers to hear more about how Wagada Digital is utilising its AI research team to keep up with trends – and how you can get your whole team invested.

⏰ 10am, Friday 12th April 2024

“The weirdest thing about stepping up, is that everything’s the same, yet everything’s different – all at the same time,” says one new agency leader. “I’m not new to the business, everyone’s still got control of their own bits and pieces.”
“And yet, most of what I’m trying to figure out is, where is it good to let things run as they do, when do I let people have their own domains and not rock the boat? But then where do I step in because something needs more oversight, more control, or a different angle?
This is an open forum where you can share your challenges, give advice, and generally lean on each other for support. You can chat all these things through with others in the exact same boat as you.

⏰ 11am, Wednesday 17th April 2024

Alex Gladwin began her career in HR, but as time’s gone on, she’s found herself knee deep in the operations side of Skout.
“I started as an office manager and took on a lot more of the HR role, because that was naturally my skill set,” explains Alex. “But operations has begun overriding everything, and as we look to the future of Skout’s growth, operations is an area I need to know more about.”
So hive mind, how do you plan for a strategy around your operations? If you think you can help Alex, come along and offer your wisdom.

⏰ 2pm, Thursday 18th April 2024

Last year, Brightec founder and managing director Andy Ferrett took a well-earned sabbatical. “I wasn’t broken; I just needed a break,” he says.
“I’d been running the agency for 14 years, and just over a year ago, I realised that man, I was tired. It was quite an emotional and difficult period, and I had a few sessions of counselling, where I was told I needed to take a break. That was the catalyst.”
Join us for this month’s CEO Summit, where Andy will be talking about the power of pause, and highlighting why every agency leader needs a well-deserved break at some point.

⏰ 11am, Tuesday 24th April 2024

Data is more than just numbers: it’s a gateway into human psychology. No one knows this more than Adam Dustagheer, managing director at Datnexa.
Where a lot of businesses make guesstimations to inform what and where they’re marketing, Adam uses trackable data, leveraging AI and machine learning to gather data on customer behavioural habits and why they buy what they buy.
If you want to understand how you can better leverage your data to get a better understanding of your customers, join us for this session.

⏰ 2pm, Wednesday 25th April 2024

When Matt Pilcher set up F That, he made a vow to never repeat the same mistakes his former bosses had: his creative team would be given the time, patience and respect they needed to produce their best work.
“We can actually give our creative designers time to learn new skills and come up with new ideas,” says Matt. “Our designers have grown so much over the last year because of it.”
If you’ve been struggling to get the best work possible from your creatives, baffled as to the different ways they approach their work, you should absolutely join Matt Pilcher for this online session.

⏰ 11am, Tuesday 30th April 2024

Poor performers. Every agency has experienced them, and it’s likely they always will.
But what’s the most effective method of dealing with them? Is there an easy fix to the issue?
Join us for this month’s HR and operations mastermind, where Katy Wade, human resources consultant at Bespoke HR, will be joining us to explore how you can deal with poor performers in your agency, and the steps required to ensure they’re handled correctly, safely, and with care.