Reflecting on 25 years at the helm of Responsory, I share a journey of growth, resilience, and innovation. From humble beginnings to becoming a full-service omnichannel marketing agency, the journey has been about understanding clients, embracing change, and driving results through creativity and data. This post shares 25 insights and lessons I learned from a quarter-century of marketing success.
Twenty-five years. Wow. Where has time gone?
It seems like just yesterday I was convincing my very skeptical wife, Maria, with my vision for what would become Responsory. I was determined to shatter agency stereotypes – she gave it 3 months tops.
I think it’s safe to say we’re both glad she was wrong just this once.
As I reflect on the last quarter century of my life at Responsory – the changes and challenges that led us here, the people we met and friends we made – I’m so humbled to be here and grateful to all of those who helped make this milestone happen.
At the risk of sounding like a know-it-all, I wanted to share some of the things I’ve picked up over the years. Every success, every failure, every mistake and every pivot was an opportunity to learn, grow and move forward. So here are 25 insights from 25 years as a business owner, marketer and mentor.
On a Client-Centric Approach
1. Understand Clients Inside and Out: True success comes from diving deep into the client’s world, understanding their challenges, aspirations, and the nuances of their industry. This insight forms the foundation of strategies that resonate and deliver.
2. Build Lasting Relationships: Long-term relationships are the lifeblood of our agency. They’re built on trust, mutual respect, and a collaborative spirit. We’ve learned that true partnership goes beyond transactions.
3. Set Realistic Expectations: Finding the balance between ambition and realism is easier said than done. Over the years, promising only what we can deliver (or over deliver), and being honest about what we can’t, has been the key to building trust and credibility.
4. Adapt to Feedback: Feedback is a gift. We actively seek it out and use it as a springboard for continuous improvement, ensuring we stay aligned with our clients’ evolving needs and the industry as a whole.
5. Adopt a Client-Centric Attitude: Putting our clients first is how we all win. It’s all about really getting what clients are up against – their challenges, what they have to work with, and who they’re trying to reach to ensure our strategies and actions always align with their best interests.
On Growth and Adaptability
6. Embrace Digital Transformation: The marketing world of 25 years ago is vastly different from today’s digital-first landscape. Staying ahead means embracing new technologies and platforms, always looking for innovative ways to connect and engage.
7. Keep on Top of Trends: The only constant in marketing, or any business for that matter, is change. It’s about being a lifelong learner, always ready to adapt and innovate to keep your strategies sharp and engaging.
8. Change as an Opportunity: I view change not as a threat but as an opportunity for growth and innovation. From turnover to technology, stuff happens. Each new challenge has given us a chance to reassess, adapt and overcome.
9.Take Calculated Risks: I didn’t go into advertising to play it safe, but I sure as heck didn’t go into business to risk it all. Instead, I try to find that sweet spot between being careful and daring, making sure each risk is a thoughtful step towards growth, not just a leap of faith.
10. Be Willing to Pivot: It takes a lot of guts to acknowledge when something isn’t working and try a new direction. Flexibility and agility have allowed us to adapt to the unexpected, turning potential setbacks into opportunities.
11. Forge Strategic Partnerships: My team knows a lot and does a lot, but bench strength builds champions. Collaborating with complementary businesses has expanded our offerings, enabling us to provide a wider range of services to our clients.
12. Prepare for the Future Today: Part of the reason we lasted more than 3 months is we stayed one step ahead of the competition. That means smartly investing in the next-gen tech, training, and strategies that have kept us ahead in the game.
On Measurable Marketing
13. Focus on Results: At the end of the day, it’s all about the results. Demonstrating tangible ROI has been key to not just winning clients but retaining them. We’ve honed our ability to align marketing strategies with business objectives, ensuring every campaign makes a measurable impact.
14. Use Data-Driven Decision Making: In a world awash with data, we’ve embraced a data-driven approach. This helps us make informed decisions, optimize strategies and continuously improve our outcomes.
15. Balance Creativity with Strategy: I’m a creative guy; that’s my bailiwick. But creativity without strategy leads to bad marketing. Innovation, guided by insight, has enabled us to create marketing campaigns that are not only creative but also effective in achieving business goals.
16. Think But Don’t Overthink: It’s about making smart choices without drowning in the what-ifs, moving forward with confidence based on what you know and feel. I trust my gut enough to make decisions efficiently and keep things moving without overcomplicating them.
17. Choose Quality Over Quantity: Exceptional work and meaningful client relationships will always be more important than just adding numbers to our portfolio. This includes delivering our best in every project and choosing clients that appreciate the depth and quality of our work.
On Staying True to Your Values
18. Stay Curious: I cannot emphasize enough how important curiosity is as a marketer and a human. By staying curious, we’re constantly growing, creatively solving problems, and understanding the world better, making us more effective and enriched individuals.
19. Invest in People: My team is my greatest asset. Sounds cliche but it’s sound business. I hire people for their potential and passion, and not just their skills. Investing in their growth and fostering a collaborative culture has paid dividends in creativity, innovation and job satisfaction.
20. Assume Best Intentions: We’re all aiming for the same goals, even if mistakes happen along the way. Embracing a culture where we believe everyone’s doing their best fosters a team spirit, cuts down on conflicts, and makes sure everyone feels appreciated and driven.
21. Communicate: I may not be the most thorough communicator. But I am concise and definitely direct. Fortunately, I have a team that’s not afraid to push back for clarification or context, ask questions and ensure everyone is aligned and moving forward together.
22. Respect the Process(es): I have a tremendous amount of respect for the processes my team has put in place to get stuff done. While my lone wolf side may argue, deep down I know these steps are there to make things run smoothly, keep quality up, and get things done right.
23. Act as an Educator: Part of our role is to demystify the marketing process for clients and each other. Whether sharing an interesting article or taking time to explain the why, it makes for smarter, more informed and just plain better collaboration.
24. Believe Things Happen for a Reason: Call it divine intervention or just dumb luck, but I really do think that every experience, whether positive or negative, contributes to growth and leads us to where we’re meant to be. It’s about trusting the journey, learning from every situation, and finding value and direction in the outcomes of our actions.
25. Celebrate Success: We take pride in celebrating our achievements and milestones. Recognizing the hard work and dedication of our team reminds us that we’re all in this together.
A Toast to the Next 25 Years
As I look back on 25 years with Responsory, I’m filled with gratitude for the lessons learned, the relationships built, and the successes achieved. But more than anything, I’m excited for what the future holds.
Thanks for helping make this possible. And here’s to continuing to learn, adapt and grow together.
And, as always, if you want to talk through your marketing goals, trends and technologies or any other kernels of wisdom gained over the years, contact us or email me directly. I’m always up for a chat.
About the Author
A prominent marketing strategist and nationally recognized thought leader, Grant A. Johnson is president and CEO of Responsory. He is a sought-after public speaker, direct marketing trainer, copywriter, award-winning author and the creator of Direct Branding℠, Responsory’s method for producing sure-fire measurable results.
