David Vernon’s Post

Candidsky is expanding and we're looking for a Senior SEO Manager to join our Manchester based team! If you know anyone looking for a new role, tag them in the comments below or apply directly. I'd love to hear from you 😃 #hiring #seo #manchester

The biggest mistake I made early on in my career... Not using my intuition enough. Every time I got 'stuck' on something like converting a doc to a PDF, I asked for help. When in reality, I could just use my intuition and Google it - therefore not bothering my colleagues on something so simple. Believe it or not, asking for help on problems that have simplistic solutions comes across as lazy to management. And the more you depend on your seniors for simple tasks, the less trust points you get for that promotion you're aiming for in 12 months time. Leaders need to know they can depend on you even when they're not around. And you need to have the answers to 80% of stuff. That's not to say don't ask for help. Just reserve that power for things you ACTUALLY need help with. Research and diagnose first, and if you can't find the answer you're looking for, ask away. On a less serious note, Googling things is a genuine skill. Get good at it and you'll be unstoppable.

Some of the greatest leaders I've ever met started their career 'doing the do' (delivering the work), and Katy Leeson is a prime example of that, and something we discussed in our latest podcast. There's a point in time that most individuals reach where they've done everything they possibly can in a company, and if they've got the right mindset, they go on to hire people who are better than them to continue their legacy and lead the pack. That's how great leaders are born in my opinion. It's not pre-meditated, it's not an ideal to strive towards, it calls to them. And they answer. Do you agree? Watch the full episode on YouTube and Spotify now (link in the comments) #leaders #marketing #podcast

You're not ready for this one... We had the incredible Katy Leeson on Talking Candid recently, sharing her impressive journey leading SocialChain and the invaluable lessons she learned from top entrepreneurs like Gary Neville and Steven Bartlett. I won't give away too much - but the episode goes live tomorrow morning. Who's excited? 👀

What do you REALLY look for in a marketing agency? It's one of the questions I asked Amanda Walls in our recent podcast - and I agree with her view that clients just want transparency... so what does that mean? What transparency is: ✔️ Providing regular updates on work & results ✔️ Having someone at the agency (account manager or equivalent) on speed dial ✔️ Being honest about good AND bad results, and why ✔️ Being straight when the client is holding the work back ✔️ Telling clients realistically how much its going to cost & why ✔️ Open processes with no 'hidden secrets' ✔️ Channels where collaboration can happen Let me know if I've missed anything in the comments below 👇 Full episode linked in the comments. #podcast #marketing #agency

What a great start to the week! We've been shortlisted for not one, but two Global Search Awards for our incredible SEO work with PGL Travel & HS Direct. A huge shoutout to all the team at Candidsky. We really do pour our heart into every campaign, so this means a lot. Fingers crossed we bring home the win 🤞 #award #seo #marketing

Every CEO / Agency owner I’ve met didn’t beleive in having a client services department… until they got one. I’ve heard: ❌ Bunch of middle men ❌ Our experts can communicate, why waste money? ❌ Glorified sales person ❌ it’s a barrier for the client ❌They’re non billable And I know these opinions are true because when I joined Candidsky 5 years ago, I was their first ever ‘client services’ person - and it was abundantly clear that I was a big risk for them. Head of departments grumbled thinking I’d get in the way, the team thought I’d suck the fun out of work with process, the owners though I could end up burning a hole in their pocket… But it turned out that I completely changed the business: ✅ Client retention went from 55% to 90% ✅Upsell opportunities tripled in the first three months ✅Revenue increased by 30% ✅Team satisfaction & happiness went through the roof because I supported everyone I could and dealt with tricky clients ✅Over 70% of new business opportunities were won - and we won the right ones ✅Client services went from nothing to being rated 10/10 via the The Drum Recommends by our clients. The best score we’ve ever got in the companies history and miles above our competitors. ✅Processes were slicker, more efficient and saved us hundreds of hours a month. And now I can well and truly say that client services is a fundamental part of what we do & we’d never run the company without it. It is a thankless job sometimes - and as a department we go through a lot of struggles that are hidden from the team. Because that’s what we’re here for. World class teams can only be world class if they don’t have to deal with weekly calls, meetings and a bit of gob from Ken in finance about budgets. And not long ago I proudly passed the gauntlet to Giuseppe Antonio Cicchirillo so I could step into operations. And he’s built beautiful relationships ever since. And big shout out to my sidekick Hayley Powell who’s made all of the above possible. So if you’re an agency owner/CEO - or work in an agency. Give client services a chance. It could change your business too.