In Episode 085 of Agency Bytes, I had the privilege of sitting down with Dia Bondi, a communications expert and author of Ask Like an Auctioneer. Dia shares her fascinating journey from the world of auctioneering to becoming a sought-after communication coach.

We dive deep into the art of asking effectively in high-stakes situations, exploring how to embrace rejection, craft impactful asks, and understand the value behind what you're offering. Dia introduces her powerful framework for building and delivering asks with confidence and clarity.

This episode is packed with insights on training your mindset to recognize what you truly want, articulate it boldly, and go after it fearlessly. Dia inspires us to make our dreams known and actively chase our goals with intention and determination.

If you’ve ever struggled with asking for what you deserve, this conversation is one you don’t want to miss!

Key Takeaways

• Asking like an auctioneer involves maximizing potential asks.

• Rejection should be seen as a sign of success, not failure.

• Design your asks based on what you truly want, not what you think you can get.

• Understanding the perceived value is crucial in negotiations.

• The offer inside the ask should benefit both parties involved.

• Mindset plays a significant role in how we approach asking for what we want.

• It's important to communicate your dreams to those around you.

• Asking for more can lead to greater outcomes than anticipated.

• The process of auctioneering provides valuable insights into effective communication.

• Honesty and generosity should guide your asks, not manipulation.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Asking Like an Auctioneer

05:16 The Connection Between Asking and Auctioneering

10:28 Mindset: Embracing Rejection

15:30 Designing Your Ask

20:57 The Offer Inside the Ask

27:03 Final Thoughts and Rapid Fire Questions

Dia Bondi is a Communications Catalyst, Speaker and Author of Ask Like an Auctioneer: How to Ask for More and Get It. She coaches VC-backed founders, executives, and ambitious professionals to speak powerfully when the stakes are high. She helped Rio de Janeiro win the right to host the 2016 Summer Olympics and has helped countless leaders secure hundreds of millions in decisions and resources. A hobbyist fundraising auctioneer, Dia’s TEDx Talk was selected as a TED Editors’ Pick, showcasing how to make the kinds of asks that can change everything.

https://www.diabondi.com/bytesized

In episode 54, I got to sit with Mark Riggs from Pemberton, a consultant and coach for agencies. He shares his insights on shifting from the RFP rat race to building organic growth of existing and new clients. He emphasizes the importance of solving client problems and being proactive in account growth. Mark discusses the need to set expectations with clients from the beginning and continuously communicate and collaborate with them. He also highlights the value of focusing on organic growth and investing the same energy and innovation into existing clients as in winning new business. Mark advises agency owners to start out with defined principles and have patience in their journey. Tune in to hear his top secrets on nailing organic account growth.

Takeaways

Focus on solving client problems and being proactive in account growth.

Set expectations with clients from the beginning and continuously communicate and collaborate with them.

Invest the same energy and innovation into existing clients as in winning new business.

Start out with defined principles and have patience in your agency journey.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:04 Shift in Biz Dev and Account Growth

09:36 Setting Expectations and Scoping

14:21 Operational Scoping and Profitability

23:08 Lessons from Marketing During Downturns

25:49 Invaluable Business Advice

Mark is the founder and CEO of Pemberton which is a management consultancy that exists to be the go-to resource for marketing/communications agencies to discover and reveal pathways to organic growth while changing the mindset of an RFP-obsessed industry.

Before starting Pemberton, Mark spent 20-plus years in the agency world working for IPG’s Mullen Lowe, an Ad Age A-List Agency, Taylor, the Holmes Report’s Consumer Agency of the Decade, MWWPR and French/West/Vaughan, the Southeast’s largest independent agency.

Mark has spent a career learning the art of integrated communication developing and executing award-winning consumer programs for brands and companies like Allstate, Honda, Ford, Kimberly-Clark, Polaris, Coke, Diageo, RJ Reynolds, SunTrust Banks, the U.S. Navy, the Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN, to name a few.

Mark has a reputation as a business-builder and a strategic counselor and has experience in leading client services, insights and planning functions, as well as developing talent. A creative thinker and problem-solver, Mark believes that great thinking can “come from anywhere,” it’s the ability to harness it and leverage it for clients that makes the intellectual property of the agency valuable and an integral part of the marketing mix.

Contact Mark:

www.pembertonworldwide.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmarkriggs/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/pembertonworldwide/

In episode 051, I had the great privilege of speaking with my long-time friend, Debra Rizzi, partner and president of Rizco, a women-owned brand-led marketing agency. We got to discuss the launch and evolution of her agency nearly 25 years ago, the benefits of becoming a certified woman-owned business, and the integration of new tools and processes like EOS. She emphasizes the importance of community involvement and maintaining core values and culture in her agency. She also talks about her day-to-day responsibilities and offers business advice, including the significance of gratitude and self-acknowledgment.

Key Takeaways

• Launching a business can arise from unexpected circumstances and opportunities.

• Becoming a certified woman-owned business can open doors and provide access to funding and resources.

• Integrating new tools and processes can enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

• Community involvement and maintaining core values and culture are essential for long-term success.

• Expressing gratitude and acknowledging personal achievements are important for personal and professional growth.