unbillable hours - a podcast about better professional services marketing: Recent Episodes
Ash, Flo
So, your job is to market a consultancy?
Excellent - then we have something just for you: unbillable hours, our podcast about better professional services marketing.
“unbillable hours” is all about selling business services through highly effective marketing. You know, the kind which gets clients through the door, competitors on edge, and the practice to respect you.
Oh, and: it’s free, and created by two folks who have nothing to sell (we have jobs, mind you).
Care to give it a try? Then listen in right away - or read a bit more about the project here:
https://unbillable-hrs.com/
It's 2026... and we're still wondering: How are consulting firms using AI? How should they use it? So, we decided to ask someone who should know: QVALNT's Michael Boham is building solutions for this very space and has a few opinions about how firms should leverage AI, how they shouldn't do it, and where value can genuinely be found (spoiler: it's about so much more than just the tooling!).
Episode guest
Michael Boham, founder, QVALNT
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Sure, consulting services are great. But you know what's even better? Consulting programs! As in: Outcome-focused, time-boxed, and IP-supported bundles of services and capabilities. They're just so much clearer and therefore more helpful for everyone... plus they can really improve your delivery! And in this episode, Ash and Flo will give you the full rundown of why they're great and how you might start to design some.
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Shownotes
No notes for this one!
Alright... you've stuck with us long enough - which is why, yes, finally: you'll get to talk about your services (yay!). In all seriousness, though: There IS a time and a place to introduce prospects to your services, of course... It's just not at the start. And in this episode, we'll explain where they belong, and how you should introduce them. Listen to it here!
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Shownotes
No notes for this one!
So how, exactly, did things go in 2025? And what, exactly, did we learn? We brought on advisor to the consulting industry, founder of Prudent Pedal and all-around sector strategist, Jeff McKay, to discuss his insights into where we've been, we're we're headed, and, sure: what to make of "AI" and other new pressures resetting consulting.
Listen to it here!
Episode guest
Jeff McKay, founder, Prudent Pedal
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Shownotes:
Check out Jeff's blog about designing the AI era professional services org here
Nah ... AI isn't going to kill consulting. But it'll certainly change the sector ... especially by influencing perceptions and expectations. So, how can firms prepare? Ash and Flo's workshop answers the question of how consultancies can counter clients 'dwindling "willingness to pay" while positioning to capture whatever value can be found in the new, much-heralded AI solutions for themselves.
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
THE PODCAST IS BACK! (Sorry for yelling...) And this time, we’re looking at the other side of the trust equation: not just whether clients trust you, but whether they trust themselves—to make the right decision, rally internal support, and deliver results. Listen in how a well-crafted consulting proposition can help them build this self-confidence... and, therefore, hire you ;)
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Shownotes
No notes for this one!
Some frameworks just sit in decks. Others do real work. They spark interest, guide delivery, and help consulting firms stand out with confidence... and in this episode, we dive into the kind that do exactly that—signature frameworks—with designer and methodology expert Charlotte Crowther. We unpack how to craft one that’s not just smart… but strategic. So, iIf you’ve ever wondered what separates a slide from a system—this one’s for you!
Episode guest
Charlotte Crowther, founder, SignatureFramework.com
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Ever heard of "Rainmakers" - the bizdev champions of the services world? HBR published a piece saying their game is changing. Ash and Flo dove in to figure out how, exactly (spoiler: it's related to marketing!)
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Please find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
We're back - and start our post-summer show with a deep dive into answers to the dreaded question "What should our consultancy post about?" (or some such): Tune in to hear Flo discuss the best philosophy for thought leadership planning and how to derive content from your value proposition. Enjoy!
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Shownotes
Check out the upcoming Deltek Webinar feat. Flo here
You’ve nailed your value proposition—now what? In this episode, we show how consultancies can embed business development capabilities across the whole firm, turning scattered effort into a coordinated go-to-market machine.
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Shownotes
No notes for this one!
There, we'll say it: "Cold outreach selling" - whether by email, phone, or LinkedIn - doesn't really work in consulting (with a few exceptions perhaps confirming this rule). So... what can you do instead? Ash and Flo share some insights and tips you might want to listen to before sinking another 20k into an outreach effort with no ROI...
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Shownotes
No notes for this one!
We pause our strategy guide curriculum for a bit of news-related coverage - and have Ash and Flo review the new "Trends - Artificial Intelligence" report by Mary Meeker and her Co-authors at VC firm, Bond. The two use it to share some views re. how consultancies should position in this so-called "age of AI"... enjoy!
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Matt Hodkinson and the "Consultancy Edge" team
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
Link to the Trends - AI report on bondcap.com
Ah, yes: Case studies - the workhorses of consultancy business development! So important to prove you can deliver your proposition! And yet, often in such sorry, sorry states... (Like, really: Many of them are not exactly great). The team invited Lead Comet's James De Roche to discuss why so many case studies don't work, how to fix them, and much more - listen to their conversation here!
Episode guest
James De Roche, founder, Lead Comet
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
Find Lead Comet's website over at: https://leadcometdigital.com/
Follow James on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesleadcomet/
Yes, we've explained how to design a value proposition. But what if a single proposition won't cut it - because your firm is large enough to house several practices, multiple service lines, and an even greater number of services? Ash and Flo explain, but want to remind you again here: Multi-propoisition stacking is a tool to facilitate effective strategy in larger firms - it's not your excuse to stay as broad and messy as possible 😉.
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Matt Hodkinson and the "Consultancy Edge" team
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
Find all "Consultancy Edge" episodes over at: https://www.thevisibleauthority.com/blog/how-to-structure-multiple-value-propositions-without-losing-your-firms-identity
Oh, hey - a "prequel!" Well, of sorts, at least: In this episode, Ash and Flo explore how small and mid-sized consultancies can compete—and win—against the big guys. They share four moves to help you out-position, out-deliver, and outsmart the giants, including how to de-risk the buying journey, pick smarter battles, and show up differently. It's great input to have before refining your firm's value proposition (hence the "prequel" comment here).
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
Link to the The Visible Authority case study Flo refers to
Surprise episode! For this one, we'll break from our pre-planned curriculum of "how-to" episodes to syndicate a conversation between Total Growth Ownership's Matt Hodkinson and Flo for Matt's "Consultancy Edge" podcast. Listen to the two of them discuss positioning, productisation and pushing boundaries in consulting!
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Matt Hodkinson and the "Consultancy Edge" team
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover for the unbillable hours podcast by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
Find all "Consultancy Edge" episodes over at: https://podcast.totalgrowthownership.com/
Find Matt's LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthodkinson/
And do check out Matt's full YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNyv2M0jJ-zAtGzxOgW7cpw
And, here we are: This is the sixth and final episode of our "value proposition design" mini-series introducing the "Value Proposition Canvas" by TheVisibleAuthority! In this one, we'll cover why your firm needs both a point-of-view and a method of delivery, how the two are connected - and how you can go about designing yours. Enjoy!
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
No notes for this one!
In this episode, we tackle the next big question in value proposition design: “What can clients expect from us?” Flo breaks down how to nail your expertise, immediate impact, and business outcomes—from defining your consulting type to describing clear before-and-after states. Quick, punchy, and BD-ready. Tune in!
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
No notes for this one!
On to the next part of our strategy/value proposition design series: Describing your ideal clients' needs and struggles - or, more specifically, jobs-to-do, hurdles to success, and options for overcoming said hurdles. Sounds complicated? Don't worry, it isn't - Ash and Flo will explain!
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
No notes for this one!
In this episode, we'll dive even deeper into value proposition design ... and discuss the next critical issue: Defining your consulting firm's ideal client profile or "ICP." Flo will guide you through all key steps, from defining "ideal" to reviewing your best recent engagements, to deriving a crisp description of your ICP.
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
Link to our handy "Best Engagement Review Guide" (a Google Doc)
You've heard how important it is to refine your firm's value proposition - so let's get to it! In this episode, Flo will walk you through the process of filling in box nr. #1 in TheVisibleAuthority's "Value Proposition Canvas," and find a comprehensive (and compelling) answer to the question: Why do clients come to you?
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
No notes for this one!
We've already told you how important it is to refine your firm's value proposition before you refine its bizdev strategy. So, let's explore a framework for doing just that, shall we? Listen to Ash and Flo explaining the "five questions" you can answer to create a compelling proposition, and hear their tips for differentiating your promise to the market.
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
Link to Luk Smeyer's and Flo's piece on TheVisibleAuthority.com (it's titled "Building a Winning Consulting Value Proposition")
Ever heard the idiom "sh#t in, sh#t out?" Well, it's very much true for business development, too. Which is why, for this first episode in our mini-series about "strategy," Ash and Flo explain which inputs need to go into your bizdev strategy if you're to be successful with it.
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
No notes for this one!
Since we seem to have screwed up last week's upload ... here's the very same episode, yet again, in full length and quality. Apologies, everyone!
Ready to systematize your consulting firm's business development inititiatives? Well, let's start you off the right way then ... and discuss objectives, metrics and targets (yay!). Listen in to this "monologue" episode to hear Flo explain which benchmarks to pursue with your efforts... he'll keep it light on the math, we promise!
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
Show notes
Link to the SPI research report Flo mentions
A news release by SPI featuring some of the market stats
Ready to systematize your consulting firm's business development inititiatives? Well, let's start you off the right way then ... and discuss objectives, metrics and targets (yay!). Listen in to this "monologue" episode to hear Flo explain which benchmarks to pursue with your efforts... he'll keep it light on the math, we promise!
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
Link to the SPI research report Flo mentions
A news release by SPI featuring some of the market stats
Ready to change how your consultancy "does bizdev?" Great! But chances are, you'll have to convince a few other people in your firm... which is why, in this episode, Ash and Flo sketch out the case for shifting to a more strategic, more systematic way of business development. Enjoy!
Credits
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Show notes
- Link to Simon Nathan's LinkedIn-post with the Kennedy Insight data
- Link to AI solution vendor "fifthrow.com" (an example for AI solutions "eating into" consulting)
A new year, a new chapter for the podcast! Listen to how Ash and Flo will focus the show on "systematizing" business development from now on, and hear them explain the concept and underpinning structure so you can understand what's coming (well' be exploring systematic strategy, client journey, firm story and bizdev systems from here on in... we hope you enjoy it!).
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
In a year where many consultancies struggled, US martech boutique "Stitch" crushed it. Their secret? Intentionally designing a strategy around a single tech vendor, and then building from there. Stitch CEO Michael Burton is back to share why doubling down on a partnership like this worked, how the tech consulting landscape is shifting, and why 2025 looks even better. Listen in to learn why sometimes "putting all your eggs in one basket" might be smarter than you think.
Episode guest: Michael Burton, Founder and CEO, Stitch.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com
Most consultancies "do marketing" like they think it should be done, which is: as mere promotion. The most successful firms, however, do it differently - and follow a process which, Ash and Flo argue, is much more similar to scientific publishing... Listen in to learn how, why - and why you should consider 'copying science' in this way, too.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Did "Gen AI" just create a "leopards-eat-my-face" moment in consulting? Ash and Flo aren't entirely sure yet... but they're certain the technology - with all its current issues - has started to impact the industry. Listen in on their discussion how firms and their marketers should respond:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
It’s that time of year when consulting firms pull out their crystal balls to forecast the future. But we’re turning the spotlight back on them. Austin McNair from Hinge gives us a sneak peek into their upcoming research on high-growth consulting firms. Curious about what makes firms thrive or want our wild predictions? Tune in and get ahead of Hinge’s newest insights.
P.S.: Please participate in their survey to indirectly tell us where we have it all wrong ;) - https://hingemarketing.com/unbillable
Episode guest: Austin McNair, marketing lead, Hinge
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Ever wonder why consultancy marketing is such an uphill struggle? Well, we've identified the root causes—and in this episode, Ash and Flo will both present them to you and share tips for resolving them. Enjoy!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Ever wondered whether setting up one of those LinkedIn-Newsletters we're all constantly invited to subscribe to would be ... worth it? We always had our doubts... until we came across Westofcenter's Andy West, who, clearly, aced the LI-NL with his helpful, concise, and, above all, highly social "Agency Advisory." So... we invited him to the show, and asked him to explain ...
Episode guest: Andy West, founder, Westofcenter Consulting
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Stressed out by "new biz," RFPs, pitches and proposals? Might be your firm's vague value proposition is at fault... Listen to Ash and Flo discussing the "downstream" issues caused by too broad, too generic propositions, and how these lead to much-too-high pre-sales and bid management efforts and business development cost. Oh, and, stay tuned for their tips re. how to do better!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
We constantly tell consultancy marketers to speak less about what their firms do, and more about which outcomes they can deliver. But hey, easy for us to say, right? What are you supposed to do if your firm doesn't seem to have any hard outcome data points to share? Ash and Flo explain:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Can you position - and then successfully grow - a firm by positioning it around a extreme, if not "radical" candor? Nikhil Suresh and his colleagues over at Hermit Tech (a "radically ethical" data consultancy) sure think so - and continue to make waves by calling out the bullshit in all things digital, data, and AI. Listen in to hear Nik speak to how it's working for them!
Episode guest: Nikhil Suresh, co-founder, Hermit Tech
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Do your firm's service websites convert... or stink? Chances are, they're at least a bit smelly - simply because that's the expected state of things in this industry of ours. But don't fret... you can make them much, much more effective quickly by using the principle and structure Flo discusses in this episode.
Oh, you might want to reference this Bain website as you listen to this (it's our case example for this episode).
Voices, production, etc., by Flo only (just this time).
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
It's a summer break replay y'all ... focused on a key, key topic:
Strategic account management - if well executed - is one of the best ways to win new work for a firm. Which is why we invited friend of the show and account strategy expert Ute Wellenberg to explain how she drives effective account planning. And, well ... Let's just say: If your job is to market a consultancy - you can't miss this episode!
Episode guest: Ute Wellenberg, friend of the show and account strategy GOAT (so to say).
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
In our experience, many consulting workshops are far less effective than they should be – and it really has to change. Which is why we invited Mesozoic’s João Landeiro, an expert in workshop design and facilitation, to hear from him how experts can turn unfocused examples of do-not-much ‘executive education’ into laser-focused productivity sessions driving real results.
Episode guest: João Landeiro, founder, Mesozoic.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Please find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com
Keen for some practical tips for improving your firm's business development AND delivery success? Then listen to this replay of a recent Deltek webinar, which has Flo summarize a few key pointers around value proposition refinement and "signature method" design!
Episode host: Deltek, through their "Powering consulting efficiencies" series.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the webinary-accompanying blogpost here.
Yes, we've discussed productizing before on this podcast... but we hadn't done so with Eisha Armstrong yet, who literally wrote the book about it. So, Ash and Flo invited her on - and she kindly hopped on to share what she knows about structuring, templatizing, and tech-enabling services before building entire "products." A Highly recommended listen!
Episode guest: Eisha Armstrong, co-founder, Vecteris, and author, "Productize" (among other things)
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Please find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com
Q: "Hey Ash, Flo - would love to implement some of the value proposition stuff you keep talking about. But we're a 15-practice firm! Where should I even start?" A: "You start by creating multiple propositions. Here, let me show you..." proceeds to pull out pins, red string, and a Matryoshka doll
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Please find the shownotes to this episode on unbillable-hrs.com.
Oh, and: Register for the Deltek webinar with Flo (July 18th, 8pm CET) using this link right here. Thanks!
All consultancies have know-how... but not all of them have it formalized (let alone refined to a point where it might become some form or IP). If your firm is in the latter group - which steps could you take towards a more refined, compelling form of "know-how-packaging"? We asked Curley Thirty Three's Liam Curley for tips:
Episode guest: Liam Curley, Founder, Curley Thirty Three.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Please find the shownotes to this episode on unbillable-hrs.com.
Ash and Flo discuss a recent think piece from Source Global Research, pointing to interesting changes in professional services buyers' spending patterns and service buying preferences. Is it time to tweak your firm's messaging?
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Please find the shownotes to this eposide at unbillable-hrs.com.
Sure, your firm has frameworks - but does it have a "signature methodology," i.e., a proprietary process designed to help educate prospects and structure engagements? If not, you should design one ASAP - and listen to this to learn how you might do it:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Have your value prop, signature method, and offerings defined (as per our earlier episodes)? Great, congrats! Then you're ready to keep improving everything by using client feedback in some of the ways Ash and Flo describe here.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Does your consultancy have a point of view on its clients' industry, business, and challenges yet? No? Well, then, this is the episode for you because in it, Ash and Flo share their framework for distilling one (or several, should you need them).
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Please find the shownotes to this episode on unbillable-hrs.com.
Ever wonder how we're producing this humble podcast? Well, Flo spilled the beans when speaking to John Tyreman over at "Podcasting in Professional Services," and John was kind enough to permit us to re-release the episode here, in this feed, so here you go!
Episode guest: Flo Heinrichs, founder, client friendly.
Voices, production, etc. by John Tyreman and crew at Red Cedar Marketing.
Check out John's podcast over at https://www.redcedarmarketing.com/podcasting-in-professional-services (or wherever you get your podcasts)
"Market segmentation" remains the most under-utilized source of differentiation in all of consulting... So how can you segment properly, and create an edge for your firm? Ash and Flo discuss:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Is digital marketing really the end-all, be-all of consultancy business development? Our guest for this episode, Interview Valet's Tom Schwab, disagrees (and so do Ash and Flo) - and explains why, right now, the greater opportunity might be exploring everything besides digital ads, SEO, and social selling:
Episode guest: Tom Schwab, Chief Evangelist Officer & Founder, Interview Valet.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Ah, yes... creativity! It is so important in marketing, yet so rare in most marketing materials consulting firms tend to put out (not yours, of course, you're good!). Why is that? Why does it matter? And - how could firm marketers ramp up the creativity of their messaging, collateral, and ads? Ash and Flo discuss:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Ever heard of "effectuation?" No? Well, it's one of these management frameworks or something. And it contains a bunch of principles you might find helpful when preparing your marketing programs for execution. Here goes:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Are you thinking about your services in the same ways your clients do? And do you use the same words they use to describe them? Well, chances are, you're not—or not anymore. Prospects' categories for thinking about and searching for consultancy services are ever-changing, and Source Global Research's CEO Fiona Czerniawska explained in some detail why it pays to pay attention.
Episode guest: Fiona Czerniawska, CEO, Source Global Research.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
How can consultancy marketers make firm-wide change? We asked someone who should know because “making change” is part of their marketing executive day job: Marc Appel, head of content and editorial strategy at Accenture.
Episode guest: Marc Appel, head of content and editorial strategy, Accenture.
Voices, production, etc., by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Seems like a lot of you liked our "Professionalizing Bizdev" episode - and some of you even sent us some questions. So... we double down on the theme, and explore how firms can push beyond "unfocused" business development and into a much more focused way of pursuing clients and new business:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Ever considered LinkedIn ads for your firm or service? We certainly have... and we've learned enough about them to understand we'd need to have an expert explain them to us ... which is why we invited Hannibal, who was kind enough to share his insights. So, here you go: A full episode on "buying ads"!
Episode guest: Hannibal Herforth, consultant, Kvadrant Consulting.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com
Flo recently hopped onto Alastair McDermott's "Recognized Authority" podcast to discuss some fresh ideas for consultancy content creation - here's the replay for you:
Check out the Recognized Authority Podcast here!
Voices, production, etc., by Alastair McDermott
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com
Improving, i.e., focusing, strategizing, and scaling a firm's business development efforts, can be a somewhat lengthy journey. Soo... how could you fast-track it?
Listen to Ash and Flo discuss the journey, its usual stages, and what to do during which to get to where you'd like to be much quicker.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Does your firm have a "Point-of-View?" No? Or: not sure? Well, then it's high time we change all of that - starting with this very episode: Listen to Ash and Flo explain what a "PoV" is, why you need one, and how to create yours:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
You've spent all this effort on your firm's thought leadership efforts... so what did you get in return? Here's how you might get to an answer:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com
Whenever there are alignment issues between marketing and "the business" in a consultancy, marketing should work to fix them. But how? Ash and Flo discuss their views (and potential solutions) in this "workshopping" episode:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Imagine all your firm’s subject matter experts were, like, really visible and influential online. What would that do for your clients and your firm? Oh, and, more importantly: How could you make this vision a reality? Flo asks Liz Harr from Hinge, who just co-published a book about these very questions.
Episode guest: Elizabeth Harr, partner, Hinge.
Voices, production, etc. by Flo (Ash wasn’t in for this one) Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Still not happy with your consultancy's marketing performance? Then follow Ash and Flo along the causal chain of issues causing your pain - in this full-fledged "causal chain analysis" where, when, and how professional services marketing breaks down.
Voices, production, etc., by Ash and Flo Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com
We're revisiting all things KPI, targets, and measurement in this one... and Flo and Ash share their method and model for building a dashboard that will enable you to predict and report on business outcomes.
Oh, and a note: DO make sure to grab the shownotes on unbillable-hrs.com ... they come with a fully editable PowerPoint including the model Ash and Flo discuss here, plus a collection of Benchmark conversion rates for your own funnel!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Flo recently hopped onto Alastair McDermott's "Recognized Authority" podcast to discuss some fresh ideas for consultancy content creation - here's the replay for you:
Check out the Recognized Authority Podcast here!
Voices, production, etc., by Alastair McDermott Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com
As we're entering planning season, a lot of us are under pressure to "do more with less" next fiscal... so how do we do it? (HOW?!?). Ash and Flo share some insights around where you might, in fact, find some budget you could save in your current budgets ... without hurting your results, of course. Plus, they share a framework for how to find specific darlings to kill... ("imagine a spreadsheet," really?).
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
You'll be planning events for your consultancy, no? Then you might as well go ahead and listen to this episode, where Ash and Flo get some tips for how to run them well in '23 by consultancy event expert Lynda Field (she's awesome!).
Episode guest: Lynda Field, founder, Lynda Field Productions.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Ding-ding-ding... it's that time of the year! We've officially left Q2 behind and, with it, the first half of 2023. And... uh... where are we now? And where are things headed? Ash and Flo discuss 7 observations they've made in the first half of this year in a run down of the - now official - ubhrs "state of consultancy marketing, year '23 edition." There are even a few tips re. how to cope in here!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
"Specificity" is crucial in all things consultancy marketing: Ideal client profiles, firm positioning, service design, messaging ... etc. So, how can marketers get as specific as they should be? Ash and Flo discuss a framework they've found in the wild and which you might find helpful:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
If you haven't been living under a rock (or stuck at your desk for this one big proposal), you have heard about "ABM." But what, exactly, is it - and how could you make it work for your consultancy? We asked someone who knows: Fullfunnel.io's Stapho Thienpont.
Episode guest: Stapho Tienpont, Fullfunel.io.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
We sure do talk a lot about "systems" and "processes" on this podcast. But today, we'll kick it up to the next level - and discuss "operational excellence" in marketing with expert guest Joseph Paris. Listen to his tips for how to leverage OpEx principles and practices in your day-to-day!
Episode guest: Joseph Paris, author, consultant, and chairman, Xonitek group.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
How can consultancy marketers make firm-wide change? We asked someone who should know because “making change” is part of their marketing executive day job: Marc Appel, head of content and editorial strategy at Accenture.
Episode guest: Marc Appel, head of content and editorial strategy, Accenture.
Voices, production, etc., by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Ever heard of a "diagnostic funnel?" It's like one of the old buzzfeed.com quizzes, but better - and for consultancy marketing. Ash and Flo explain how you might use these, and give examples (pls. see our shownotes for links!).
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
And here it is (finally, sigh!): In this episode, Ash and Flo present their model for what, exactly, "strategic" consultancy marketing is and how it works within a firm. It's a bit of a tying together of lots of loose ends from previous episode into something coherent - and we sure hope it'll be helpful to you and your work.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
"Ok, what are we doing for Father's Day tomorrow," asks the managing partner for the first time ever as he steps into the marketing office... the evening before. Ever had something like that happen to you? Then listen to our tips for preventing it from happening ever again here:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Is your marketing function providing in-house trainings to consulting colleagues? If not... you might want to consider changing that. Listen to Ash's and Flo's reasons for why marketers should train consultants, and their tips for how and in what. They even share some tips for how to get your "training service" started!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
It's still an under-utilized source of differentiation, marketing success, and firm growth: Proper market segmentation. We mean the kind where you DON'T just go after entire industries but create much more helpful sub-segments to increase your marketing's effectiveness. And in this minisode, we explain how you can get to them by viewing your market through four simple "lenses."
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
We speak about "stakeholder engagement" a lot on this podcast. And in this episode, Ash and Flo bring it home - to "corporate comms." Listen to hear their views and tips around working with the function to improve your marketing results!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Next up: How to map your consultancy's content to the service buying journey of your ideal clients, and improve the effectiveness of your inbound efforts (like, literally, that's what's in this week's minisode: We discuss the why, how, and what to watch out for when mapping your content to your clients' service buying journey... let's go!):
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
In this episode, Ash and Flo chat about the difficulties of getting your organic social media posts to work these days... and then share a framework that helps you write effective posts. Plus, we also talk about how AI-generated content can help optimize your posts...
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
In this episode, Ash and Flo chat about the difficulties of getting your organic social media posts to work these days... and then share a framework that helps you write effective posts. Plus, we also talk about how AI-generated content can help optimize your posts...
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Need new insights, content ideas - or even content pieces? Don't go off and reinvent the wheel... use the assets your firm already has instead! In this "solo episode", a lone Flo shares our seven tips for "where to find" ideas, expertise, and collateral you can repurpose while Ash is out "doing Ash stuff" somewhere in Europe. Enjoy!
Voices, production, etc. by Flo (Ash is out today!)
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
We're not saying this is always the case... BUT: Sometimes, when consultancy marketing efforts seem to "not do much," it's not marketing's (or: marketers') fault - but the consequence of misconceptions. Here's more:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
"How can I convince a consultancy exec who 'doesn't believe in marketing' to invest in marketing?" is a question both Ash and Flo are hearing more often these days - and so we decided to answer it, comprehensively, in a single episode. Enjoy!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
So, how willgenerative AI change professional services marketing? We’ve promised to revisit this very question for a while now – and, in this episode, do it with the help of Hinge Marketing’s Karl Feldman and Austin McNair, who have a strong point of view on the matter.
Episode guests: Karl Feldman, senior partner, and Austin McNair, senior marketing manager, Hinge Marketing.
Voices, production, etc., by Ash and Flo.
Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ
Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota
Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the show notes for this episode at https://unbillable-hrs.com.
Since we, uh... lost our original episode for today (which was all about "misconceptions"), Flo had to go back into the dusty archives and uncover this classic, which is about the capabilities and mechanisms your firm should have within its marketing function. Enjoy!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
With the economy changing yet again - should firms update their Thought Leadership strategies? Ash and Flo asked this very question to an expert who should know because he's just researched it: Here's our new episode with Grist's Andrew Rogerson!
Episode guest: Andrew Rogerson, founder and Managing Director, Grist.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Ash and Flo continue our mini-series about "digital-first go to market," and discuss why, and how firms should design a consistent, cohesive story about their clients, their firm, and the services they offer, instead of whipping up disconnected messaging documents and talking points here and there.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Let's discuss "ecosystem" partnerships, joint go-to-market, and co-marketing with someone who's crushing it with their consultancy, shall we? Ash and Flo interview Stitch's Michael Burton about how his firm partners with software vendor, Twillio, to help clients digitalize their marketing. It's a case study!
Episode guest: Michael Burton, co-founder and CEO, Stitch
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
A recent LinkedIn post about how "CRM is a business process, not a software" by friend of the show, Mark Wainwright, prompted us to bring back this hit from our archive: Our conversation with Mark about consultancy sales, sales processes - and CRM software. It's a "director's cut" of episodes S12E2 and S12E3 (combined for your convenience)... and we hope you enjoy it!
Episode guest: Mark Wainwright, principal and owner, Wainwright Insight.
Voices by Ash and Flo.Production by crossing the river studiosCreative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakotaPlease get the shownotes to this episode on unbillable-hrs.com (1) and (2).
Continuing our miniseries about "digital-first" marketing strategies, Ash and Flo discuss the now-more-important-than-ever discipline of "client journey design" ... and share 10 questions consultancy marketers should ask themselves.
Voices by Ash and Flo.Production by crossing the river studiosCreative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
We've been discussing "digital-first" bizdev and marketing for a bit now... and we're getting even more into the weeds of the concept with this one: Ash and Flo discuss how you might derive a "digital-first" marketing strategy using a real-world example from Flo to keep things (hopefully) helpful and practical. Do give it a listen and tell us what you think?
Voices by Flo (Ash couldn't join this one)Production by crossing the river studiosCreative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
For this episode, we re-visit a concept you've just heard about in S17E3 (if you listened to it, that is): "Digital-first" business development, marketing strategy, and marketing. And this time, we dig a little bit deeper: What, exactly, is the concept about? How does it impact consultancy marketing? And which building blocks could you put in place to enable it? Listen to it here!
Voices by Flo (Ash couldn't join this one)Production by crossing the river studiosCreative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Alright, alright: It's the new year, so we should spend at least some time thinking about what's coming in the world of consultancy marketing. And to make it more valuable to you, our excellent listeners, we invited a true industry expert with a firm view on all the key trends and shifts we should know about: Luk Smeyers, founder of thevisibleauthority.com (and now three-time returning champion at unbillable hours!)
Episode guest: Luk Smeyers, founder, thevisibleauthority.com
Voices by Ash and Flo.Production by crossing the river studiosCreative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
It's the New Year - and, therefore, time to reflect on how to improve our consultancy marketing game in the next 12 months. But Ash and Flo are still on PTO, and, frankly, still a bit lazy... So they turn to the GPT3-Chatbot to ask it which mistakes they should avoid in 2023:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Happy holidays, dear listeners - and thanks for following the podcast so far! Since Ash and Flo had to take time off to finish some festive preparations, we'll be re-playing S7E4 "Saying no" for this one, our handy guide for constructively declining sh#tty requests.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Ever wondered "how the sausage gets made?" Like, you know, as in: this podcast is the sausage, and our processes (and results) are the "how"? Well, you're in luck, because Ash and Flo are about to share it all in this episode - from how we started this thing to the numbers we're seeing 80-ish episodes in.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo.Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com
Ever felt like "writing proposals" was kind of broken at your consultancy? You're not alone. We spoke to Charles Boutens about why the RFP process is so full of friction, how firms might fix it - and how consultancy marketers can help.
Episode guest: Charles Boutens, co-founder and CEO, uman.ai
Voices by Ash and Flo.Production by crossing the river studiosCreative and design advice by @calmar.creativInto, outro voiceover by @iamthedakotaMusic also by @iamthedakota
Do your firm's service websites convert... or stink? Chances are, they're at least a bit smelly - simply because that's the expected state of things in this industry of ours. But don't fret... you can make them much, much more effective quickly by using the principle and structure Flo discusses in this episode.
Oh... you might wan to reference this Bain website here as you listen to this (it's our case example for this episode).
Voices, production, etc., by Flo only (just this time). Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
There's a key trick you should pull whenever creating a marketing or thought leadership strategy for your firm and practice. And in this episode, Jason Mlicki, a true expert in professional services marketing, explains it in great detail. Listen in to hear him explain the idea of "problem-ownership:"
Episode guest: Jason Mlicki, principal at Rattleback, co-creator of the "Profiting from Thought Leadership" conference, and co-host at the Rattle & Pedal podcast (with Jeff McKay).
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com
Ah, a new season, how nice! We should celebrate, and ... discuss budgets? Uh, ok... Tune in to hear Ash and Flo discuss which mindset you should bring to the end-of-year cost-projection frenzy, and which steps you could take to push beyond simplistic budgeting and into building a proper business case for your money. So, uh...Yay, we guess?
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
"Stakeholder management" is so easy to say. But how, exactly, do you do it - and well? For this surprise bonus episode, Ash and Flo talk to friend of the show, Scott Renneberg, to find out... and he had some great tips to share!
Episode guest: Scott Renneberg, friend of the show and soft-skilled internal comms whizard.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
So, how "commercially minded" is your marketing team or function? And how comfortable are you discussing market- and business dynamics with the practice? If the answer is "not very," - don't fret: Ash and Flo will talk you through the habits you can build to become much more business savvy and earn the much-needed "seat at the table" with your firm's business executives.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
So your firm has driven a content program for months with discipline, but you're still not seeing the expected results? Don't worry; Ash and Flo have you covered - with their pro tips for fixing your content portfolio (and pieces).
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com
Ash and Flo have discussed "positioning" and "messaging" a number of times, and in a number of episodes. But how, exactly, should firms "get the word out" once they've defined it - and improve the visibility of their story and services? Listen to hear their two-part answer here:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
It's pretty clear we're headed for a downturn at this point... in many of our clients' industries, at least. So, how should firm marketers respond and prepare? Ash and Flo discuss why changing your messages and offering is very likely a must at this point, and how you should think about cutting spending and increasing efficiency in your own function.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
All the reasons for why you should listen to this podcast, in under 2 Minutes!
(Check out this podcast's website at unbillable-hrs.com)
Let's say you've just finished all the exciting work to create new messaging for your firm or practice - how should you go about "landing it," i.e., publicizing it within the firm... and your markets? Ash and Flo discuss common execution mistakes and how to avoid them.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Since we had to teak a break from recording fresh episodes, Flo and Ash have dug into the archives to find this replay of our S6E1, "Leadership notes," with former big-firm senior managing director (turned investor), Eric Schaeffer. So, if you've ever wondered what the practice leadership thinks about marketing - you can hear the answer here. Listen to Eric sharing his notes on firm marketing and how to manage it!
Episode guest: Eric Schaeffer, Managing Partner, Sherpa Tech Invest.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
They're the pillar of every consultancy's marketing strategy - and they're also pretty darn difficult to get right: Client case studies (or: "cases")! If you're struggling with getting enough of them together for your efforts, then the tips Ash and Flo share in this epsiode might help - click here to listen!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Does "better marketing" mean "increased value" for the firm? We asked Michelle Swan, a partner at growth equity firm Tercera.io (which invests in professional services firms). Listen in to her answer, view - and tips for marketers seeking to help build true firm value here.
Episode guest: Michelle Swan, partner, Tercera.io
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Ooops... we had an accident with todays episode, which should have been about planning season and "looking around" when planning for times of changing markets and uncertainty. Since Flo is still trying to recover the file for this one, we'll bring you a replay instead to enrich your Friday listening - so please enjoy this replay of S7E1, "Strategic thinking"!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Many consultancies get stuck in a "commodity positioning" because they're merely selling their capability - and not a pre-structured, pre-packaged offering. In this episode, Ash and Flo discuss a process you might use to spring your firm from this trap. Care to tune in?
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Have a burning question about professional services marketing, about or a career in the field? Then listen to this episode, because Ash and Flo might answer it ... in their first ever "answering somewhat-random, web scraped questions" show (a.k.a. "the reddit episode"):
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com
If you’ve been listening to “unbillable hours,” you know Ash and Flo keep going on about how consultancy marketers need to “bring client insight to everything they do.” So, here are 11 tips for where you could find some – even without a budget.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Let's say you're finally there - and have an issue, some questions, and even a nice budget to drive... your first extensive market or thought leadership research program. How'd you do it? And how would you ensure success? We asked someone who knows because he does these things for a living: Aarohi Sen, friend of the show and expert in all things research. Here's what he had to say -
Episode guest: Aarohi Sen, friend of the show and research expert.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the show notes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
You can say "marketing is an investment!" as often as you like - you'll likely not convince practice leaders unless you back your assertion up with some hard, hard numbers. But... which numbers? And, how to get them? Listen to this step-by-step walkthrough by Ash and Flo to learn how to use "unit economics" to make your case:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
So you're halfway through your consulting firm's marketing plan for the year - and suddenly, things shift. Now, you have to react, re-plan, and course-correct. How, exactly, do you do that? Ash and Flo share a framework of steps you can take, and even through in the odd book recommendation:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
So, you've just been tasked with building a marketing team... from scratch? Then this episode is for you (especially if you're being asked questions like "what roles should we create?", or "who should we hire first?")! Ash and Flo will walk you through their simplified framework - and even give you some role descriptions in the show notes:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
It's 2022, Covid is, uh... sort of behind us (not really though) - and firms are hosting in-person events again... only to realize that, well, they don't always run quite as smoothly as they used to do. Why? And how do we fix it? Ash and Flo discuss:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
It's 2022, Covid is, uh... sort of behind us (not really though) - and firms are hosting in-person events again... only to realize that, well, they don't always run quite as smoothly as they used to do. Why? And how do we fix it? Ash and Flo discuss:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Let's discuss CRM software! And, like, the real questions: What to look for in it? How to choose one for your firm? And what to be aware of before buying and implementing one? In this part two of our "sales" mini-series, Mark Wainwright walks Ash and Flo through all of the above:
Episode guest: Mark Wainwright, founder, Wainwright Insight.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episodes at unbillable-hrs.com
Does your firm run a systematic sales process? And if so – do you fully understand it? If the answer is “uh… not sure” (or even “no”), then this episode with consultancy sales expert Mark Wainwright is for you: Lots of highly practical tips in this one!
Episode guest: Mark Wainwright, founder, Wainwright Insight.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
"Ok, but... which channels should our firm be on? Like, LinkedIn... Instagram... what else?" - It's a question we sure here a lot, and one which came up again during our recent live show recording. So, Ash and Flo revisit it once again, and give their answer (which, spoiler alert, is all about changing the question!)
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
How should firms do business development in 2022? Ash, Flo and their guest Luk Smeyers discuss this very question from the two perspectives of “the business” and “marketing,” and share their answers. Recorded in front of an awesome live audience!
Episode guest: Luk Smeyers, founder, The Visible Authority.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
JOIN OUR LIVE SHOW! REGISTER NOW FOR THE SESSION ON MAY 30th, 1.00 pm CET
Whether you believe in the "marketing funnel" or not - Ash and Flo think it's still a helpful, practical concept... and they're also convinced most consulting firms could improve theirs. How, exactly? Well... here are their tips:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
We've been speaking a lot about why marketing is so critical to consultancy growth... so let's move on - and talk about how to market your firm in 2022! In S11E3, Ash and Flo discuss all things lead-gen vs. demand gen, and which "marketing play" is the best one for your consultancy.
PLEASE NOTE: We'll be hosting a live show on May 20th, 1pm CET - more info on that coming very, very soon on www.unbillable-hrs.com!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
You manage projects, right? So how's your stakeholder management? In this re-broadcast of one of our S1 episodes, Ash and Flo riff on why things like stakeholder mapping and comms tend to be, uh, underutilized in consultancy marketing efforts, and how you can do better to save yourself some headaches.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
"What does marketing even do (for the firm)?" might NOT the be the question consulting executives will ask you explicitly, like, in your face. But it IS a question many of them still have - so marketers better have their answer ready. Ash and Flo have some tips for how to structure yours, and chat about why you should give it constantly:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Getting your marketing strategy right can make or break your firm ... so let's ensure you're getting it right! Ash and Flo have created this "listicle" epsiode to give you the 10 capabilities - or "mechanisms" every consulting firm should have within its marketing function. So, uh... go take a listen, and then build those you don't have yet?
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Ash and Flo revisit the - highly important - issue of marketing marketing, internally. How do you make a compelling case to shift to a more strategic, marketing-driven bizdev model? Spoiler: by having three very specific conversations ...
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Helping a firm grow some serious "strategic marketing fangs" isn't for the faint of heart. Ash and Flo discuss the phases you'll have to push through if you're to build a strategic marketing capability for your firm - and share tips for how to do it.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Bob Buday has been "doing" thought leadership efforts for 35 years and has been involved in some of the most impressive successes in the field. He also just published a book about the discipline - which gave Ash and Flo permission to invite him for an interview 😉. Listen in to hear to him share some of his best insights ... and have pen and paper ready, because you will be taking notes!
Episode guest: Bob Buday, founder, Buday Thought Leadership Partners, and author, “Competing on Thought Leadership.”
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this epsisode at unbillable-hrs.com!
"Link marketing to revenue" is much easier said than done - - - so, how can you work towards it? Listen to Ash and Flo discuss how you should break your measurement efforts into "phases" and progress from measuring cost and efforts to conversions, to business metrics. An episode for all of us who struggle with "measuring success!"
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Quick: How can you help the practice create better content, more consistently, and at higher frequency? Don't have an answer? Don't worry! We went and asked SGP Lab's Stephen G. Pope, who makes a living building modern "content engines" for clients... and he had a ton of tips (including for the future of Thought Leadership, TikTok, and more!).
Episode guest: Stephen G. Pope, founder, SGP Labs, and host, the Stephen G. Pope Youtube channel.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
To SEO, or not to SEO? Ash and Flo chat about “search”, and discuss the role of SEO, PPC, etc. in firm marketing, plus some ideas for how to view and use search marketing. Oh, and: They go a bit off script, too … you’ve been warned!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Care for a case study in "firm marketing, done right"? We spoke with Thomas Rohrbach, co-founder and MD at NEONEX, a German industry digitalization consultancy, and Noah Haxel, the firm's marketing manager. Together, we discuss NEONEX’ marketing strategy and brand-building journey, its focus on "positioning" - and why they offer "packaged" consulting services with pricing (!) on their website.
Episode Guests: Thomas Rohrbach, co-founder and managing director, and Noah Haxel, Marketing Manager, NEONEX Consulting.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Let's talk about the stuff which gets in the way, shall we? Ash and Flo sum up the biggest "marketing struggles" (i.e., challenges around marketing effectiveness) they've come across both in their careers, and offer a few pointers for how to overcome them.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Here’s the thing: You’ll never be able to do effective marketing if “the business” doesn’t do their part to build authority for the practice. But… how, exactly, would they do that? We’ve asked former consulting executive and authority expert Luk Smeyers – and he had some answers you wouldn’t want to miss!
Episode guest: Luk Smeyers, founder, “The Visible Authority,” and author of the “Authority” newsletter.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Continuing their chat about "process stuff," Ash and Flo share a few insights into how they think about building processes not just for content production, but for running their teams / their team's day-to-day. Care to listen in?
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Enough with the planning already - it's time to start implementing everything you've said you'd deliver in 2022! But... wait: What was the best way to get from "planning" to "traction" without dropping too many balls again? Ash and Flo discuss a process you might like to copy:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
We’re back for the new year – and we’re not alone! Kira Tchernikovsky joins Ash and Flo to kick off 2022 with some practical advice around how to work with (and in) your firm’s CRM. Listen in to hear how you could start working with hard sales and business data in the new year!
Episode guest: Kira Tchernikovsky, co-founder, customerization, and host, the Tachless Show
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
A lot gets said about "BizDev," but much of it comes in the form of tactical tips. Surely, there must be a comprehensive strategy and method for it, too? We asked Costas Papaikonomou, who recently wrote a book about both. His central hypothesis: Talk to lots of people over decaf, and often!
Episode guest: Costas Papaikonomou, co-founder, Happen, and author of - among other things - "The Magic Ingredient: Business Development for Creative Professionals."
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Oh, my ... recruitment - hiring - retention - ouch! Professional services firms (and their marketing teams) struggle with "The Great Resignation", too - and Ash and Flo discuss a few ideas for dealing with it. Check it out!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Trust us: If you create any "Thought Leadership" content at all, you'll not want to miss this episode. Because in it, Ash and Flo hear from Andrew Rogerson, who regularly surveys executives about their TL expectations, preferences, and, yes: reading habits. Listen in to learn what your clients want to read, and how!
Episode guest: Andrew Rogerson, Founder and MD, Grist.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com.
Truth: If you work in consultancy marketing, you will get sh#tty requests at times - asks for stuff neither you nor your time should spend any time on. So... how do you say "no" to these when they come your way - constructively?
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Ah, yes - agencies. They can be key players driving epic success, and often are. Or ... they can struggle, and don't help much at all - in which case, it's often our (the firm marketers') fault. So, let's try to do better - and be smart about when, why, and how to hire them:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
We've all at least dabbled in thought leadership, right? And we've all wondered "how do you, like, really hit this out of the park?" at least once. Well... in this episode, Ash and Flo speak to someone who has some answers, and the track record to go with them. Listen to their chat with Neelima Mahajan, corporate publishing expert and current editor-in-chief of Roland Berger's "Think:Act" magazine here:
Episode guest: Neelima Mahajan, editor-in-chief, Think:Act Magazine, Roland Berger.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Ash and Flo take a break from interviewing guests... and discuss why consultancy marketers should be able to think like business strategists instead. Listen in to hear why marketing can't fix what a sh#tty strategy has broken, and where you should focus on to help mending things.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Like, seriously: Do ask him… or “it,” to be precise: AskBrian is an AI-powered assistant designed to help consultants and consultancy marketers get sh#t done… and it’s finding more and more friends among professionals. We wanted to know what all the fuss was about – so we asked Ask Brian founder and CEO Pavol Sikula to join us and explain. Oh, and we discussed marketing an "AI service", too!
Episode guest: Pavol Sikula, founder and CEO, AskBrian
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
It's 2021... and, therefore, time for more modern, data-informed, and flexible content strategies. But, how, exactly, would you build one of these? We didn't know ... and so asked someone who does: Brad Yale, a data and content strategy expert at Medical Knowledge Group (plus host of the "Agency Pod" podcast series), stopped by to share his insights setting up, budgeting for, and iterating on content strategies, 21st century-style. It's ok to take notes!
Episode guest: Brad Yale, VP, Director of Digital Content Planning & Data at Medical Knowledge Group, and host, producer and editior of the the "Agency" podcast.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
In this season "intermezzo", Ash and Flo discuss how they (and you) could take some of the insights from previous episodes - and then use it to build that "better alignment with the business" the two of them keep talking about.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Can your marketing function ever push beyond the "grunt work" - and graduate from order-taker to strategic advisor? We asked someone who should know: former consultant, firm CMO, and strategy consultant Jeff McKay. He did give us (some) hope - and shared a bunch of tips you should hear.
Episode guest: Jeff McKay, Founder & CEO, Prudent Pedal.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Ever wondered what the practice leadership thinks about marketing? Well, in this episode, you can hear the answer - from no other than Eric Schaeffer, consultant extraordinaire, published author, and former senior managing director at a major (like, major-major) consulting firm. Listen to him share his notes on firm marketing and how to manage it!
Episode guest: Eric Schaeffer, Managing Partner, Sherpa Tech Invest.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
We promised to bring Ute back for a second session during our "Upsell messaging" episode, to flesh out our wild mix of her account planning framework and Flo's storytelling process. And with this epsiode, we do! Listen in to hear how you the two run workshops to execute our "upselling method" (ahem).
Episode guest: Ute Wellenberg, friend of the show and account strategy expert.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
"You seem sure do talk about processes and frameworks a lot... could you, like, elaborate?" was an excellent question we recently got from a fellow consultancy marketer. And so... we use this episode to elaborate. Listen in to hear which processes we use in the day-to-day!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
And. We. Are. Back! Ash and Flo return from their summer breaks to discuss a book they both read on the beaches of Europe (so to speak) - Lou Downe's "Good Services." And, no: this isn't a paid book promo or anything... Just the two of them sharing the best "service marketing" insights from the title.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Continuing our series of "workshop" episodes, Ash and Flo use S5E2 to discuss consultancies' recruitment marketing - and how to improve it. Why, you ask? Because bringing in fresh talent is a pressing challenge for many firms right now, and marketing can help overcome it. Listen in to hear the two discuss how to fix recruiting content, distribution, job ads, and more - and see if you find some ideas for your practice? They even mention reddit and TikTok!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
In this "workshop session," Ash, Flo, and friend of the show Ute Wellenberg brainstorm how marketers might help the business "upsell" accounts and win bigger deals through better messaging. Listen to the three build out ideas for a messaging framework, and hear how you could bring it to account teams and strategy meetings early on!
Episode guest: Ute Wellenberg, friend of the show and account strategy expert.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
How could you measure the success of your campaigns? We asked a true expert in marketing attribution, i.e., the science of attributing business results to marketing (and content) efforts: Steffen Hedebrandt, co-founder at multi-touch attribution platform "dreamdata.io." Listen to his tips here!
Episode guest: Steffen Hedebrandt, co-founder at dreamdata.io.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Consulting firms tend to be sales-driven. But... almost all of them also need marketing to grow beyond a certain size. So - how do you "switch on" the function, a strategy, and programs which work? We asked Mark Cowan, co-founder of innovation consultancy "happen" how he did it back in the day - and he had some very surprising, very thoughtful answers. Don't miss them!
Episode guest: Mark Cowan, friend of the show and co-founder at happen.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
It's planning season! Or... reporting season? Ok, your experience will vary depending on where you work. But: This week's "unfair advantage edition's" tips for planning and reporting will be helpful no matter where you are, and what you'll be doing over the summer. Oh, and and - we have a little extra something for our listeners this week: A job opportunity with Ash's team! So, do take a listen, apply our tips... and maybe apply for a new job, too?
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find Ash's job at at ventureweb.com, or reach out to him directly on LinkedIn.
Well, we promised you an all-fun conversation about "social content" with LinkedIn's Bian Salins - and: Here it is! Join her and us for an insightful conversation about how content distribution is turning social, why content creation will go back to subject matter experts, and what it all means for consultancy marketers and their work.
Episode guest: Bian Salins, Head of Content and Creative Consulting, LinkedIn.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pretty much everything you need to know to create your very own, very awesome marketing scorecard and be oh-so much better off - in just under five minutes! Ok, technically... in a bit more than that, because in this bonus episode, we challenge you to find, read, and apply some background materials... Cf. the link below!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the e-book we mention at beckon.com.
At last ... we get to discuss the big one: "Thought Leadership", the key discipline within all things professional services marketing. We reached out to PwC's Paul Barbagallo to hear how he thinks firms should design both their TL programs and individual pieces - and he had lots of answers. So, grab a pen and a notebook... and listen in?
Episode guest: Paul Barbagallo, Senior Editor, Global Integrated Content at PwC.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Aaand... here you go! In this week's "unfair advantage edition" of the unbillable hours podcast, Ash and Flo challenge you to spend some time clarifying (and then: aligning around) a tight definition of what your function's or teams job should be in the firm. Listen to find out how doing so will help your efforts and career!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
It’s a common but tough one for firm marketers: how do you sell something as complex, hard, and often misunderstood as “transformation?" We asked Sach Gajree, Head of Transformation at Kyocera UK (and therefore on the client side) how he thinks we should do it. Brilliant insights inside!
Episode guest: Sach Gajree, Head of Transformation, Kyocera Document Solutions UK.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
So, last week, Ash wrote a LinkedIn post about how the "great resignation" has many people reconsider their career choices - and try their hands in new fields. So we thought that this week, we'd go and challenge you to spend one unbillable hour and apply for a new consultancy marketing role (or... just a change in departments, if you've just gotten into your current one?). Here's the full thing:
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Now, we often talk about how firm marketers should talk to clients more often. But then… we’re no experts in doing that well (i.e., in a very productive manner). So we invited someone who is – and spoke to Andrew Swallows about his tips for conducting “voice of the customer” type research.
Episode guest: Andrew Swallows, friend of the show, solution architect and UX expert.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Surprise, surprise! We've been working in the background here to bring you a tiny extension of the podcast: the "unbillable hours - unfair advantage edition". In this series of bonus episodes, we'll give you one idea every week for how you might spend one of your unbillable hours to build your skills and capabilities as a firm marketer. Let's go!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
"Ok, so: How do you market an uber-complex b2b service to a super-heterogenous target group?" - was (roughly) the question we asked delivery-as-a-service platform Gophr's CEO, Seb Robert, and his marketing director Chris Mason for this one. Listen to their compelling answers here!
Episode guests: Seb Robert, Founder and CEO, Gophr, and Gophr's Director of Marketing, Chris Mason.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Strategic account management - if well executed - is one of the best ways to win new work for a firm. Which is why we invited friend of the show and account strategy expert Ute Wellenberg to explain how she drives effective account planning. And, well ... Let's just say: If your job is to market a consultancy - you can't miss this episode!
Episode guest: Ute Wellenberg, friend of the show and account strategy GOAT (so to say).
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
We were curious about which trends are changing professional services markting, like, right now. So we asked someone who has a handle on them: Silverback Strategy’s John Tyreman, a researcher-of-firm-marketing-turned-firm-marketer. And… he had some great answers!
Episode guest: John Tyreman, Director of Marketing, Silverback Strategies and host of “Digital Marketing Troop“.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Say hello to our first guest on the show, ever: Will Eke from Passle! We asked him about his insights into how consultancies create their content, how they get their experts involved - and how they might improve all of it, big time.
Episode guest: Will Eke, SVP of Sales, Passle.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Surprise release! In this new, "launches on a Wednesday"-episode, Ash takes Flo through his "brand pyramid" framework for branding... well, anyhting, pretty much. Pretty useful for all of you who are tasked to "brand" (or: create messaging for) things like service offerings, a practice... or the entire firm?
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes to this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Yeah, more meetings! In this second of our two-part piece on review meetings, Ash and Flo continue their "how would you prepare this fictional review session" exercise, and share some more tips about prep, agenda setting, and all the other "blocking and tackling" you'll need to succeed.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
So, let's say it's that time of the month / quarter / year again - and you have to go into a planning- or review meeting with the practice. How should you prepare? Well, we don't know. But we can share how we do it, of course - and in this first part of a two-part piece on review meetings... we do!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Ah, the buyer's journey ... a classic! Ash and Flo revisit the topic, and discuss where consulting firms might be missing "journey-related" opportunities. Plus, Ash, uh, gets into why "integrated planning" ≠ "strategic planning".
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
"You're back already?" - heck yes we are! Ash and Flo kick off season two by discussing how to build a "growth model"... which is fancy speak for defining how much of your firm's growth expectation should be met by marketing (i.e.: you). Is it 5 percent, 10, or 25? Listen in to find out!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
In this last episode of S1, Ash and Flo discuss "strategic marketing:" why it's important, how firms should do it - and why strategic planning is different from "integrated planning."
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Since "product-led-growth" is becoming an ever-hotter issue elsewhere in b2b marketing, Ash and Flo discuss how consultancies could pull off something similar. Includes a blockchain idea!
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Pls. find the shownotes for this episode at unbillable-hrs.com!
Does the practice even know how you and your team create value for the firm? If not (and if you're spending too much time in "self-defense mode"), listen to this to get tips for how to fix it.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
You manage projects, right? So how's your stakeholder management? In this episode, Ash and Flo riff on why things like stakeholder mapping and comms tend to be, uh, underutilized in consultancy marketing efforts, and how you can do better to save yourself some headaches.
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota
Ash and Flo kick off the first season by discussing the very basic, uh, basics: Defining how marketing contributes to a consulting firm’s growth. Listen in to learn how to explain the value of your work to “the business” … and maybe your parents, too?
Voices, production, etc. by Ash and Flo. Creative and design advice by @calmar.creativ Into, outro voiceover by @iamthedakota Music also by @iamthedakota