How to Keep Your Agency on Track in 2023
Happy new year, everyone! New beginnings, fresh starts, new challenges, rejuvenised mind sets, blah, blah, blah!
Let’s be honest, it’s the same every year, you make a bunch of promises or create a to do list of all the things you want to achieve by the end of the year and what happens? You’ve given up by mid-February, we don’t blame you. These are unpredictable times we are living in. For the last 3 years, it has felt very much out of the frying pan and in to the fire, now you’re completely frazzled.
The first day back to work can be a tough one, it’s hard to stay focused with the remnants of Christmas past scattered around the office. Tinsel still hanging from the ceiling, your secret Santa gift is left in the top drawer of your desk and everywhere you turn your colleagues are pushing a left-over chocolate on you like some sort of dodgy dealer. You started with good intentions but after coming back to so many emails it will take until April to get through them, post-Christmas meetings with your team, phone calls with clients and just like that, your new year motivation has been zapped.
We feel your pain, as an agency owner you are the one that has to stay motivated and keep the team’s morale high, you are the one they turn to for direction. The problem is, you’re struggling yourself to keep spirits high.
Fear not, we are here to keep your agency on track, focused and motivated right through to 2024, so pull up your socks, roll up your sleeves, get your head down, it’s time to crack on.
Make time
We know it’s easier said than done when everybody wants your attention, the phone won’t stop ringing and your emails won’t stop pinging, simply turn them off. Carve an hour out of your day, put it in your calendar, put your headphones on and put a sign on your desk that says “Do Not Disturb.” This is your sacred hour to get stuff done, distractions will slow you down and make you lose focus, there’s nothing worse than being in a good flow and suddenly that annoying email ping noise breaks your concentration, it’s hard to get back on track. Make time and get more done.
Create a to do list
You may have done this already, if you haven’t now’s your chance. Having a to do list is the best way to save time and streamline your workflow. You don’t waste time looking for what to do next, or being unsure at what stage a project is at. You’re more likely to complete a task if it’s written down rather than going by memory. Write down your aims, objectives and goals for the rest of the year, what are you hoping to achieve.
Get organised
Now you have your to do list it’s time to get organised, agencies are notoriously known for being organised messes. It’s time to change that, implement deadlines to align with your to do list, with time limits in place you are more likely to complete them rather than keep putting them off.
Plan ahead
Winston Churchill said: “He who fails to plan, is planning to fail.” How do you know where you’re heading without a plan of action? Having a plan will help you identify and overcome any potential blockers early before the arise. Share your plan with the rest of your team, this allows them to organise themselves and align their tasks with yours.
Collaborate
Collaborating can help progress an idea further or help solve a problem. We all hit a brick wall every so often, being a bit stuck on what to do next. Bounce ideas off other people, use them as sounding boards to get you out of your creative rut. Bringing fresh eyes to a project could bring a whole new perspective to it. Like they say “It’s good to talk”.
Invest in technology
Love it or hate it, technology has impacted our lives, there are plenty of useful tools designed to help assist you. Investing some time and money into the right technology can help you become more productive and efficient in your working day, like project management systems that allow to keep track of projects. At Paprika we have developed this side of our agency management software as we know how important it is for an agency to deliver client work on time and on budget.
One piece at a time
When you have a to do list a mile long it can be a little intimidating, it might be easier to bury your head in the sand. You need to prioritize your to do list based on:
Then tackle it head on, remember how Johnny Cash got his Cadillac? One piece at a time.
Give it a rest
Just because you took some time off over the festive period doesn’t mean you have to chain yourself to your desk just to catch up. Taking regular breaks away from your screen can help clear your mind, rest your eyes and stretch your muscles. So, after you have read this blog go and grab yourself a cuppa, go on, you deserve it. Remember procrastination isn’t a dirty word, as long as you don’t do it all day.
Celebrate the small wins
It can become pretty monotonous ploughing through your to do list, day in day out, ticking things off as you go without rewarding yourself. It’s important to celebrate the small wins, these keep us motivated, knowing that you and your team achieved something, no matter the size can really help.
Get cracking
And there we are, just a few things you and your team could do to stay motivated and keep moving forward. Don’t beat yourself up if you stumble, dust yourself off and try again.
Paprika Agency Management Software
Paprika software was built with agencies in mind, it has been developed to keep up with the demand of the creative industry. Paprika software provides you with a complete 360 view of your agency’s performance, this allows you to make key business decisions based on real time data.
To find out how Paprika could transform your agency, why not Book a demo for a non-obligation run through with one of our experts.
Be more with Paprika.
