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How to Ask for a Raise (& Actually Get It!)

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How to Ask for a Raise (& Actually Get It!)

Are you getting paid what you’re worth or what you want? Many employees–46%, in fact–feel like they’re underpaid. Additionally, the PayScale Gender Pay Gap Report for 2023 concludes a disparity still exists in how men and women are paid. Their data further shows the gender pay gap is wider for women of color, women at higher job levels, and women in certain occupations and industries.

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For many, it can be difficult to navigate the tricky waters when it comes to asking for a raise.

With 12 years of recruiting experience, I’ve hired hundreds and coached thousands into employment. Over the last seven years of my recruiting career, I made over 400 job offers and negotiated hundreds of salaries. By implementing the following strategies on how to get a raise, I personally grew my salary by 57% (from the same employer) and ranked in the top 1% of the highest-paid corporate recruiters in the nation.

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I’m going to share my tried-and-true tips for getting a raise with you to help ensure you’re getting paid what you’re worth by teaching you:

  • How to ask for a raise
  • What to do before you ask for a raise
  • How to determine how much of a raise to ask for

Plus, I’ll share a couple of email examples you can use to get the conversation started with your supervisor.

What to do before you ask for a raise

To understand how to ask for a raise, you must first understand how market value works. Why does the store manager make more than the cashier? The cashier is responsible for operating the cash register, checking customers out, and providing friendly customer service. The store manager is responsible for managing employees (hiring, firing, training), driving store sales, managing P&L, maintaining inventory, and dealing with escalated customer service issues.

Both are important jobs but why does the store manager make double the cashier?

What separates the two are the skills they possess and the value they add to the store as well as their responsibility level. Market value is the relative worth of a particular skill set to a particular company within a particular industry.

definition of market value in terms of how to ask for a raise

5 factors that determine your salary

The key to asking for a raise and actually getting it is knowing your worth, improving your skills, and increasing the value you add to your company. Your income is often commensurate with the value you add to the marketplace.

Here are the five factors that determine your salary:

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  1. Skills: The set of capabilities you offer a company in exchange for compensation.
  2. Experience: The level of mastery you possess over your skills demonstrated by the results you’ve previously achieved.
  3. Company: The specific enterprise you offer your services to within an industry.
  4. Industry: The market sector your particular company belongs to (retail, banking, e-commerce, insurance, technology, etc.).
  5. Geography: Where your job is located in the country (or world).

Let’s examine each factor to learn how they impact your market value and ability to ask for a raise.

Before we go further, I’d like to make clear, when I refer to something as having “low value” or “high value” it has nothing to do with a human being’s intrinsic or moral value. Rather, it has to do with the value associated with the marketplace from a business perspective.

Skills

Dan Lok, entrepreneur and investor, is well-known for talking about what he refers to as “high-income” skills. A particular set of skills that correlate to a higher income include public speaking, cybersecurity, supervising, copywriting, teaching, sales, web design, and digital content creation. As you can see, these are highly specialized skills that require training, time, and experience to develop competence and mastery.

Therefore, in order to create a higher income and get the raise you’re asking for, learn high-income skills and develop mastery.

Your job title may also impact your salary, and most job titles are given based on skill and experience, so take that into consideration when determining how much to ask for when you ask for a raise.

chart that shows the difference in pay scale for different skills

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Experience

Which doctor would you rather perform your heart surgery: the rookie or the veteran? Of course, the veteran! Why? Because you have a greater sense of certainty the more experienced physician will do the job right because of their experience. The same goes for your employer when they evaluate you for a raise.

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There are four factors that make up your experience:

  • Time: How long have you been implementing the skills associated with your job?
  • Quantity: How many times have you completed the primary tasks associated with your job?
  • Quality: How well did you complete the primary tasks associated with your job?
  • Effectiveness: How do the results you’ve produced measure up to your job’s KPIs (key performance indicators)?

To enhance your experience and increase your value to your employer, take advantage of professional development opportunities associated with your job and industry. To maximize your income, do your job well, and strive to become the best at it over time. 

Company

Blockbuster or Netflix? It blows my mind to know these companies competed head-to-head at one point. Both started in the video rental industry but resulted in two completely different outcomes. When Netflix launched in 1997, Blockbuster was the clear market leader in the video rental industry. By 2020, Netflix was valued at $203 billion. Today, Blockbuster is now left with a single store in Bend, Oregon.

chart that shows the value netflix brings customers vs blockbuster

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A company’s leadership, strategy, and execution make a difference in how it is positioned within an industry. How well your company is doing affects your chances of getting a raise. Be aware of what’s going on with your company and its competitors when it comes to asking for a raise.

Industry

The last few years have impacted different industries in different ways. The pandemic heavily impacted industries including travel, entertainment, and restaurants. And while some of those industries are starting to see upticks, others have been hurt by supply chain issues. And most industries have been severely impacted by rising inflation.

Pay attention to the latest trends taking place in your industry and how they may impact your company and job. This can help you determine the right time to ask for a raise as well as for how much.

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Geography

Salaries for the same type of job can vary depending on where you live due to the differences in cost of living, taxes, etc. I’ve hired candidates who’ve taken nearly a 50% pay cut just to relocate to Texas for the lower cost of living. You can use tools like PayScale’s Cost of Living Calculator to see how your city measures up to the rest of the country.

payscale cost of living calculator

Now that you understand market value and the five factors that determine my salary, the next step is determining when to ask for a raise.

When to ask for a raise

There’s no rule as to how often you can ask for a raise. But there are key times when asking for a raise and actually getting it is more probable.

Salary review

Most companies have an established salary review cycle. The last company I worked for had yearly salary reviews. Some companies review employee salaries at least twice a year. If you don’t know what your salary review cycle is, ask your HR department. This is your prime time to ask for a raise.

Performance review

Companies generally conduct performance reviews more frequently than salary reviews. My last company conducted performance reviews quarterly. Meetings with your supervisor specifically to discuss performance can be an opportunity to ask for a raise.

Outlier event

Good companies will reward outstanding performance. Did you land a huge account? Did you optimize a workflow that saved your company millions? Did you implement a recognition program that increased employee retention by 50%? Any time you move the company forward in an extraordinary way can warrant an opportunity for you to ask for a raise.

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4 simple steps to ask for a raise

Now that you understand the details behind what factors determine your salary, when to ask for a raise, and how much you should ask for, it’s time to actually ask for a raise. Here are three simple steps to follow to ask for raise.

1. Know your value

Use salary research tools such as PayScale, Glassdoor, and Indeed as reference points to learn your market value. You can add parameters such as job title, years of experience, and geography to get as accurate of a valuation as possible.

indeed salary comparisons homepage

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If you’re bold, have direct conversations with others in your profession about their salary. Every time you get a call from a recruiter or another company, document the rate they are pitching you at.

Capture as many data points as you can wherever you can get them. We’ll use these data points to build your case to get a raise. The best way to ask for a raise is using data and logic, not emotion.

2. Be specific

Like all negotiations, you can ask for whatever you want! However, you have to be able to justify what you are asking.

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The market average is 3-5% of your current salary. This of course will vary depending on your industry and company as well as your experience and individual performance.

3. Build your case

Great results are the key to you getting a raise. Be meticulous about documenting every win, accomplishment, and result you’ve produced that moved the company forward. Yes, I’m asking you to keep a log of results.

This will actually make you a better employee because you’ll be more aware of the contributions you’ve made to your company. This greater awareness will also increase your confidence when asking for a raise.

The best results to document are ones you can tie to cost savings, time savings, increased revenue, and increased efficiency.

Here’s a real-world example: On the first day of my job at my previous employer, I walked into a stack of receipts from staffing agencies. Staffing agencies charge on average 20% of a candidate’s base salary as a placement fee. Therefore, a $100,000 software engineer would cost $20,000 to hire. As the internal recruiter, my job was to relieve the company of its dependence on staffing agencies to save costs. During my seven years with this company, we hired over 400 team members and didn’t pay a single perm placement fee. I documented every hire we made as well as how much it would have cost if we hired through an agency. This is I how grew my salary by 57% and ranked in the top 1% of highest-paid corporate recruiters in the nation.

4. Make the ask

Be direct and lead with results. The key to making an effective ask is your preparation. Speak to your manager in terms they care about.

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The following are actual supporting points I’ve used to consistently get raises.

  • Hired 114 employees while paying $0 in hiring fees to 3rd party agencies (7 years consecutive).
  • Saved $8,000 / year by discontinuing unnecessary recruiting software licenses.
  • Effectiveness & Results: 77 hires (42 regular, 22 temps, 13 contractors) despite the loss of one full-time recruiter.
  • Facilitated nearshore resourcing initiative which cut development costs 50%.
  • Implemented “pipeline recruiting” strategy which reduced time to hire by 50%.
  • Saved $5,000 of approved recruiting spend by maximizing organic recruitment strategies.
  • Achieved 60% y-o-y increase of internal referrals (135 total) by influencing a recruiting culture.

As you can see, I’m big into tying my results to cost savings and increased efficiency. This is a highly effective strategy to get a raise and should also give you an example of the way you can and should structure your results.

Copy and paste email examples to ask for a raise

Actually asking for a raise can be difficult, but starting the conversation doesn’t have to be hard. Here are some email templates you can copy, edit, and make your own.

But remember, it’s always best to have the raise discussion in person (or virtually) so you can have a detailed conversation with your manager about why you feel you deserve a raise and also hear any feedback they may have for you.

Email template #1: Starting the conversation

Dear [insert manager’s name here],

I would like to set up some time to discuss a performance-based salary increase. Due to the supporting points referenced below, which significantly moved the company forward, I believe my performance warrants the review of my existing compensation.

[Insert supporting points here]

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Completed [specific task] which created [measurable outcome] that resulted in [quantifiable benefit to company].

Please let me know if you would be willing to have this conversation with me, and what day or time would work best.

Email template #2: Scheduling a salary review

Dear [insert manager’s name here],

I would like to set up some time to discuss my current salary. According to market information referenced by PayScale, Indeed, and Glassdoor, the average salary for a [your title] with [# of years] experience in [your city/location] is [avg. market salary]. My current compensation is [%] below the industry average.

Respectfully, I’d like to ask for a review of my salary to ensure it’s aligned with the market average in our next one-on-one meeting. Please let me know if I can provide any additional details ahead of this conversation.

Now go get your raise!

The ultimate strategy for getting the raise is to become more valuable to your company. You become more valuable by enhancing your skills, demonstrating effectiveness, and producing great results. Know your value, lead with results, believe in your case, and make the ask!

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About the author

Julian Placino is a Sr. Recruiter turned success speaker, show host, and personal branding consultant. You can find home on YouTube, connect with him on LinkedIn, or visit his website.

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PPC Advertisers Guide To Google Consent Mode V2

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PPC Advertisers Guide To Google Consent Mode V2

This update is not merely a technical enhancement but a robust response to the stringent privacy regulations and changing user preferences. With a compliance deadline set for March 2024, it’s crucial for websites utilizing Google services to understand and implement Google Consent Mode V2, ensuring alignment with global data privacy standards.

PPC Advertisers Guide To Google Consent Mode V2

Understanding Google Consent Mode V2

Google Consent Mode V2 enhances the initial version by introducing refined mechanisms for managing user consents related to cookies and data tracking. Key to this version are the new parameters: ad_user_data and ad_personalization, which join the pre-existing analytics_storage and ad_storage, providing users with greater control over their data. This tool communicates user cookie consent preferences to Google’s suite of services, ensuring data is handled in compliance with privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA.

The integration of these parameters signifies Google’s commitment to bolstering user privacy, offering a consent-based approach to data insights. For businesses, this means navigating a landscape where user consent directly influences data collection strategies.

The Significance of Compliance

The mandatory implementation of Google Consent Mode V2 underscores the importance of adhering to digital advertising and data privacy regulations. Its significance is twofold: it aligns website operations with legal requirements, particularly in the European Economic Area (EEA), and preserves the integrity of user privacy. For website operators, the practical aspect of compliance involves the strategic implementation of consent mechanisms that do not undermine the data’s value for insights and analytics.

Implementation Strategies

To leverage Google Consent Mode V2 effectively, website owners can opt for Basic or Advanced implementation options. The Basic approach ensures full data collection upon user consent and halts it otherwise. Advanced implementation, however, allows for the transmission of anonymous, cookieless data for modeling purposes even without consent. This method hinges on employing a Consent Management Platform (CMP), adjusting website configurations to respect consent choices, and enabling cookieless data collection for analytics and advertising purposes.

The Impact on Data Tracking and Privacy

Implementing Google Consent Mode V2 has profound implications for data tracking and user privacy. It allows websites to maintain a balance between collecting valuable user insights and respecting privacy preferences. The mode’s design ensures that user consent directly influences how data is collected and used, facilitating a privacy-compliant approach to digital marketing and analytics.

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The Role of AI in Consent Mode V2

AI and machine learning play a critical role in bridging the data gap when users opt-out of cookie tracking. By analyzing patterns from consenting users, Google can model the behavior of those who decline, enabling advertisers to gain insights while adhering to privacy standards. This AI-driven approach underscores the potential of Consent Mode V2 to revolutionize data analysis in an increasingly privacy-focused world.

Beyond the Cookie Banner

A key aspect of utilizing Google Consent Mode V2 is the requirement for a compliant cookie banner. This necessitates the implementation of a CMP that aligns with both Google’s standards and privacy regulations. The consent banner acts as the intermediary, signaling user preferences to Google services and adjusting data collection accordingly.

Preparing for the Future

As the deadline for Google Consent Mode V2 implementation approaches, website owners and advertisers must take proactive steps to ensure compliance. This involves understanding the intricacies of Consent Mode V2, integrating a compliant CMP, and reevaluating data collection strategies in light of user consent.

In essence, Google Consent Mode V2 represents a pivotal development in the realm of digital privacy and data management. By embracing this new standard, businesses can not only ensure compliance with global privacy laws but also foster trust with their audience, building a foundation for sustainable digital practices in the years to come.



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11 Actionable Ways to Build Client Relationships That Last

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11 Actionable Ways to Build Client Relationships That Last

Some agencies manage to build a steady client base that strengthens over the years, while others ride roller coasters and eventually close up shop. What’s the difference? Client relationships. Strong client relations make for greater success with projects and campaigns, loyal clients who stay with you longer and refer new clients, and a better reputation for your brand. Even better, they make everyday work more enjoyable for all.

So what makes for a strong client relationship? The same traits that define any good relationship: awareness, communication, empathy, dependability, accountability, honesty, and the list goes on.

In this post, I’ve compiled 11 ways your agency can demonstrate the above and more to achieve the best possible outcomes for you and your clients. I’d say happy endings, but good relationships don’t really end.

Table of contents

Why are client relationships important?

It’s easy to skim over the importance of creating a strong relationship with your clients—you know you have to do it. But when you dig into how it helps your agency grow, you can be more strategic about it.

Reduces churn

It can be 25 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than to keep an existing one. You also have a much higher probability of selling a new agreement to a current client than closing a deal with a new one.

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A strong client relationship helps you weather rough patches and identify clients who are at risk of leaving. Both will help you reduce customer churn.

Increases referrals

Customer referrals are an extremely important source of new clients for your agency. That’s because referred customers are more likely to buy, are more loyal, and spend more on average than non-referred customers.

When you have a strong relationship with your clients, you can ask them to give reviews and refer other businesses. That’s especially helpful if your agency serves a niche industry where everyone knows everyone else.

Provides opportunities to learn

Have you ever wanted to know how a new regulation would affect your clients? Or how to best sell a service like PPC? When you have a rock-solid relationship with your clients, you can ask them.

It takes time to build that sort of comfort, but when you do, your best clients become your agency’s de facto advisers.

📣 Learn how 300 marketing agencies manage services, pricing, and challenges in our State of the Digital Marketing Agency report.

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How do you build client relationships that last?

In the following list, you’ll find actionable ways to improve client satisfaction and build mutually beneficial partnerships, with input from PPC agency experts like Mark Irvine, Francine Rodriguez, Akvile DeFazio, and Susie Marino.

1. Gather “hard” and “soft” information

A strong agency-client relationship starts before the client even becomes one. You know that you need as much information as possible about your client to come up with a winning proposal. But the solution you come up with isn’t going to establish a meaningful connection between you and your potential client. It’s how you present that solution with respect to both the business’s goals and the personalities and values of the team you’ll be working with.

This means collecting “hard” information like:

  • Products and services they offer
  • Target audience and the end-users of their product or service
  • Top three competitors
  • Prioritized list of goals and challenges
  • Strategies that have worked and not worked in the past
  • Software are they currently using
  • Budget

But also “soft” information like:

  • What they define as success
  • Their future hopes or anticipations, like scaling, adding on new offerings, etc.
  • The company’s mission, beliefs, and values, and unique selling proposition
  • What makes them different from their competitors
  • Hobbies, interests, and preferences of the individuals you’ll be working with

strengthen client relationships emotional vs logical intelligence

Think with both sides of your brain when gathering information about your client.

Building emotional intelligence about the team you’ll be working with will help you to make communication more personalized as you move through these initial phases of your journey together.

Side note: Be prepared to answer their questions too! Even their non-PPC questions.

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2. Internalize that information

This is the information you’ll be not only including in your proposal, but applying throughout your actual execution and ongoing communication with your client. Take the time to really internalize it so that it shines through organically in everything you do.

  • Gather the information in person (or video): Body language and facial expressions tell a lot. Take note of what gets them excited (and not so excited). Also, be sure to send out a list of the questions you’ll be asking far in advance so the client can have time to think about answers and produce follow-up questions.
  • Iterate back: As you listen, iterate back to your client what you have interpreted so you can make sure you’re crystal clear on the information you’re receiving. Remember, incorporating the tiniest details into your proposal and execution is what will give your clients confidence that you truly understand their needs.
  • Templatize: Have an internal templated document where you can collect all of the information you’ve gathered in one place. This gives every team member something to continually refer back to, and the uniformity makes it easier to internalize.

3. Go above and beyond with your proposal

    From a project standpoint, your proposal shows what you’re going to do to achieve your client’s goals. From a relationship standpoint, it’s your opportunity to reinforce, once again, that you have a deep understanding of your client—both the business and its team members. Speak to both the client’s business goals as well as the more personal pain points and desires of its employees.

    To do this, think in terms of “what,” “why,” and “so that.”

    • The what refers to what you’ll be doing from a process standpoint.
    • The why ties the process to one of the business’s specific goals.
    • The “so that” speaks to the pain point it will address for the business’s team members.

    For example, we’d like to ramp up ad spending in the latter half of the month to drive more signups so that your sales team isn’t scrounging for leads. Just be sure to use the language that your clients used in the initial information-gathering process.

    This strengthens that partnership feel. You’re not just looking to achieve goals, you care about the individuals impacted by them.

    how to strengthen marketing agency client relationship with a winning proposalhow to strengthen marketing agency client relationship with a winning proposal

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    4. Have an onboarding process

    This is one of our customer retention strategies as well. Once you get started, there will be more points of contact added to the roster for both sides. A streamlined onboarding process will set the stage for the clear communication and seamless execution needed for a strong and long-lasting client relationship to form. During this process, you may want to:

    • Mail them a welcome kit: Send along some giveaways like branded swag, a greeting card, and additional goodies based on the more personal information you’ve collected.
    • Take care of housekeeping: Make sure each of you has the access needed for tools, accounts, and dashboards.
    • Have a kickoff meeting: This is to ensure everything is lined up for perfect execution. You’ve also become pretty familiar with one another at this point. This is a good time to have a more informal atmosphere.

    🛑 Free guide >>> The 6 Absolute Best Strategies to Grow Your Digital Marketing Agency

    5. Treat clients like partners

    Treating your client like a business will make your relationship purely transactional (i.e., no relationship at all). Treating them like family leaves too much room for miscommunications and unmet expectations.

    Treating your clients like partners, on the other hand, sets the stage for a healthy mix of personal, purposeful, and transactional encounters where both your and your client’s identities are preserved, and each of you supplies the essential ingredients for success.

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    • Embrace the truth: Remember that at the end of the day, both of you are businesses that want to make money. There’s no need to skirt around that. They need your service to generate revenue, and you need their continued business to generate yours.
    • Maintain structure with some fluidity: Keep deliverables clear and stick to the intended plan as much as possible, but always leave the door open for input and feedback.
    • Let them in: While some of your tools and processes may be proprietary, give them access to dashboards and data when possible. Let them in on (non-confidential) tidbits about your agency that “outsiders” wouldn’t know. Their earning your trust is just as important as you earning theirs.
    • Stay honest: This means giving pushback on your client’s desires or requests that may not be best for long-term success (wants vs needs). A good partnership is not one where both parties constantly agree; it’s one where the two parties come together with different perspectives to bring to the table, resulting in better output than either one could have achieved on their own.

    6. Be proactive rather than reactive

      Akvile DeFazio, President of AKvertise, makes this a priority with clients.

      Her team makes sure to proactively:

      • Share ideas and propose new campaign strategies.
      • Forewarn about upcoming platform changes and any action required.
      • Educate the client to empower them further.

      “This shows care and builds trust, and our clients share that they appreciate our diligent proactivity,” she says. “When we work with clients, we aim to be a seamless extension of their team and genuinely embed ourselves as so. When they win, we win, and proactive communication is the key to success for all.”

      7. Be empathetic rather than defensive

      This recommendation from Mark Irvine, Director of PPC at Search Labs Digital, ties back to the partnership mentality in tip #5. The scenario here is that your agency is doing great work. Performance metrics continue to climb. But the client is upset. They aren’t seeing new business come in.

      “A wrong response here is to dig your heels in,” Mark says. “Telling them that their business is doing fine is at best tone-deaf. Instead, let them talk it out and listen to them. This may even lead them to discover the problem is in their other marketing or sales teams.”

      If this ends up being the case, Irvine recommends that you take yourself out of the problem to prevent it from becoming an “us versus them” situation. Take the approach of teaming up together to come up with a solution. Use language like:

      • “I see what you’re talking about.”
      • “This is a valid concern.”
      • “That really is frustrating, we’re glad you brought this up with us.”
      • “Let’s make a plan to review this and report back with some solutions to remedy this.”

      Position yourself as a partner in their campaigns. Value their feedback. Even if you’re an expert, allowing them to work with you will help build a long, trusting relationship.

      “And remember,” Mark adds, “if you dismiss or fight their concerns, there’s an agency sales rep somewhere else who will be happy to listen to them vent about you all day.”

      8. Establish structure around communication

      Brett McHale, founder of Empiric Marketing, LLC, provides some great tips around communication and setting boundaries:

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      Stay away from being “always available

      Being always available, whether through Slack or other forms of direct communication, blurs the ever-important work-life balance. It can also distract you away from other clients.

      Hold regular meetings with actionable takeaways

      Instead, establish weekly or bi-weekly meetings to check in, review performance, and answer questions. “I always have some takeaway or action item from those meetings,” Brett says. “This keeps me accountable, and when I deliver on things that I say I’m going to do, it helps build trust with the client.”

      Use email and instant messaging

      Brett says, “Email can be very robotic, and I try not to be too professional or polished all the time. Communicating with clients directly via a messenger helps to build rapport and have a more laid back ‘human-to-human’ relationship.”

      He suggests designating instant messaging for urgent matters and email otherwise. This cuts out the back-and-forth emailing and also reassures your clients that while you may not always be available, you will never leave them hanging.

      how to strengthen relationships with clients the seven c's of effective communicationhow to strengthen relationships with clients the seven c's of effective communication

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      9. Share your concerns early

      This suggestion from Mark Irvine is particularly relevant to the many changes happening in the advertising realm lately. The scenario here is that your client has big plans and aspirations, and you want to say yes to everything they want. But in the back of your mind, you’re not sure if they can create that audience in Google or build that campaign on Bing. You’re unsure of how the new iOS updates will impact their Facebook targeting.

      “Don’t nod, say yes, and then stress,” Mark says. “You lose trust with your client if you say you can do something and then can’t, even if that’s not your fault.”

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      Instead, show your expertise by sharing your concerns. Practice saying:

      • “That’s a really good idea. I know that some ad policies might come into play as we explore it, so let me double-check those first.”
      • “This new change could pose some challenges to us. I’ll keep an eye on it as it changes over the coming days.”
      • “It’s tough to say what this means for us yet, but I wanted to make sure we all knew about it in advance.”

      If you really have to put your foot down, try something like:

      “We agree that this is a great idea, but we can’t in good conscience proceed with it until we know that it won’t cost you in the long run.”

      Be transparent and ask them for their trust. Most of the time, you’ll come out as the person who helped them navigate through uncertainty, and they won’t forget that.

      10. Embrace small talk

      Small talk often gets a bad rap, but Susie Marino, WordStream’s Senior Content Marketing Specialist and former Customer Success Specialist, has found that it actually helps with building strong client relationships.

      “I know it can feel cringey or uncomfortable at first, but just go for it,” she says. “You’d be surprised at how receptive clients are. Next thing you know, you’ve got a great rapport going, and the banter at the beginning of meetings becomes more meaningful.”

      “People love to talk about themselves, and clients are no different,” Susie adds. “When you ask them about how that home garden is coming along, they’ll be pleasantly surprised. These conversations reveal how much you truly care.“

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      Clients are people who like to work with real people who also have personalities and personal lives. If you don’t show a touch of personality with small talk, it will be harder to stay connected and to demonstrate your genuine care, outside of campaigns and metrics.

      11. Establish quarterly business reviews

      Francine Rodriguez, former Senior Manager of Customer Success at WordStream, believes that quarterly business reviews are essential for client retention.

      “I think all agencies get into a cycle of monthly reporting and proving that deliverables were completed,” she says. “It is important to take that step back once a quarter and have a focused conversation on high-level strategy.”

      The QBR allows the agency and the customer to reflect on new goals, the efficiency of strategies taken in the past, and what needs to pivot for the future.

      It is also a time to allow your customer to provide insight into how their business goals are changing and perhaps what strategies outside of the agency’s scope they are also planning in the near future. Having that dedicated time to talk without existing action items on the table is a great way to strengthen the relationship, create trust, and become better partners.

      It may also lead to surprising discoveries, where an agency could find opportunities to upsell its customers into new services. If your agency is doing QBRs now and your conversations don’t look any different from your regular monthly check-ins, it is time to change the format!”

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      Start cultivating strong relationships with your clients today

      Strong agency-client relationships are built on virtues like trust, reliability, transparency, and personability, and they result in greater outcomes for everyone involved. If you find that you’re lacking in productivity, loyalty, or the overall feel of harmony with your clients, see if you can adopt or improve any of these strategies for your agency:

      1. Gather “hard” and “soft” information about your client
      2. Internalize that information
      3. Go above and beyond with your proposal
      4. Have an onboarding process
      5. Treat clients like partners
      6. Be proactive rather than reactive
      7. Be empathetic rather than defensive
      8. Establish structure around communication
      9. Share your concerns early
      10. Embrace the small talk
      11. Have quarterly business reviews

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Google change the meaning of “Top Ads”

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Google change the meaning of “Top Ads”

What is Top Ads in world of Google? well it’s changed. Today Ginny Martin, Ads Product Liaison at Google shared a subtle but potential significant change of definition of Top Ads. If your deep in the detail of paid search campaigns on Google this is the kind of tweak that’s easy to miss.

Now Google’s documentation reads;

Google change the meaning of Top Ads

Top ads are adjacent to the top organic search results. Top ads are generally above the top organic results, although top ads may show below the top organic results on certain queries. Placement of top ads is dynamic and may change based on the user’s search.

Google’s official documentation

Ginny clarified on LinkedIn that this is a definitional change (as ads can appear above the organic result or below for certain queries) and doesn’t affect how performance metrics are calculated. And that the definition update clarifies that top ads may show below the organic results for certain queries. Although, for most queries, ads will continue to appear at the top of search results.

Why make the change? Anthony Higman suggested it might be due to the change in how some ads are being presented like in the screenshot below and the general shift towards more SGE on the SERPs and the consequences that change in user experience might have on ad placement. And does seem part of increased amount of experimentation on where ads appear on search engine results pages.

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1711605382 993 Google change the meaning of Top Ads1711605382 993 Google change the meaning of Top Ads



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