
8 Selfish Reasons to Send the Elevator Down
09/18/22 • 11 min
Growth Hacker Marketing: A Primer on the Future of PR, Marketing and Advertising Kindle Edition by Ryan Holiday
It maybe fairly old by this point (8 years at time of writing) but by no means is this book out of date. When I was in tech start up world, this was my bible. If you've got a marketing budget of closer to zero than squillions, how are you supposed to create a movement around your product or service? How can you get to your first thousand - or million - clients?
Although written with SaaS founders in mind, I strongly believe there is something here for every person with marketing in their remit.
Clients From Hell: A collection of anonymously-contributed client horror stories from designers by Anonymous
A cult phenomenon among those who work in graphic, print and web design — and those lucky enough to have discovered the namesake blog — Clients From Hell has been bringing readers to tears with its unbelievable and always hilarious anecdotes from the twenty and thirty-somethings on the frontlines of design. It'll help you realise which clients to appreciate, and which you should probably shed for your own good.
The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
Series of letters written by copywriting legend Gary C. Halbert explaining the secrets to effect marketing. This is a timeless classic that holds true even though the thoughts were penned as far back as 1984. Fewer people appreciate the power of words than Gary, and it all holds true today. If words are part of your service, this is a must-read.
ReWork: Change the Way You Work Forever by Jason Fried
This has been on my repeated reading list since 2017, but it has never felt more poignant and relevant than following the disruption to the way we work, due to Covid. From the founders of the trailblazing software company 37signals (the people behind Basecamp and more) here is a different kind of business book - one that explores a new reality and way of working. Essential reading for anyone who wants to make lean, remote working a long term part of their business set up.
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you get more clients, more money and more time:
- Listen to this podcast episode and identify your agency archetype so you know exactly how to market and sell your services - £0.
- Get your marketing and new business plan active and find regular client projects without breaking the bank - £1796.
- Get my eyes on your business for the next quarter and scale to reach regular £30k plus new business opportunities - £4500.
Growth Hacker Marketing: A Primer on the Future of PR, Marketing and Advertising Kindle Edition by Ryan Holiday
It maybe fairly old by this point (8 years at time of writing) but by no means is this book out of date. When I was in tech start up world, this was my bible. If you've got a marketing budget of closer to zero than squillions, how are you supposed to create a movement around your product or service? How can you get to your first thousand - or million - clients?
Although written with SaaS founders in mind, I strongly believe there is something here for every person with marketing in their remit.
Clients From Hell: A collection of anonymously-contributed client horror stories from designers by Anonymous
A cult phenomenon among those who work in graphic, print and web design — and those lucky enough to have discovered the namesake blog — Clients From Hell has been bringing readers to tears with its unbelievable and always hilarious anecdotes from the twenty and thirty-somethings on the frontlines of design. It'll help you realise which clients to appreciate, and which you should probably shed for your own good.
The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
Series of letters written by copywriting legend Gary C. Halbert explaining the secrets to effect marketing. This is a timeless classic that holds true even though the thoughts were penned as far back as 1984. Fewer people appreciate the power of words than Gary, and it all holds true today. If words are part of your service, this is a must-read.
ReWork: Change the Way You Work Forever by Jason Fried
This has been on my repeated reading list since 2017, but it has never felt more poignant and relevant than following the disruption to the way we work, due to Covid. From the founders of the trailblazing software company 37signals (the people behind Basecamp and more) here is a different kind of business book - one that explores a new reality and way of working. Essential reading for anyone who wants to make lean, remote working a long term part of their business set up.
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you get more clients, more money and more time:
- Listen to this podcast episode and identify your agency archetype so you know exactly how to market and sell your services - £0.
- Get your marketing and new business plan active and find regular client projects without breaking the bank - £1796.
- Get my eyes on your business for the next quarter and scale to reach regular £30k plus new business opportunities - £4500.
Previous Episode

The Irony of Pricing Higher Than is Comfortable
If you feel you're undercharging, you're in company. Industry-wide, designers are often hung up on charging for time because of the decades they've spent filling in timesheets. Here's how to get over this money block.
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you get more clients, more money and more time:
- Listen to this podcast episode and identify your agency archetype so you know exactly how to market and sell your services - £0.
- Get your marketing and new business plan active and find regular client projects without breaking the bank - £1796.
- Get my eyes on your business for the next quarter and scale to reach regular £30k plus new business opportunities - £4500.
Next Episode

How To Hire Your First Marketing Employee
For many design firms, the first marketing/ new business person's hire represents an exciting marker of growth. A kind of milestone that says you've made it, and a signifier of your ambition to scale.
It also represents a resignation that you can't do it all, and that you're willing to relinquish the outward message of your agency to another, more specialist person.
Only most agencies can't afford for their first marketing hire to be a specialist. More often than not, they hire someone junior who has enthusiasm but needs direction. The direction that the business owner can't give. After all, that's the reason they hired someone in the first place.
I know, because I was that young hire, and here is what I would recommend, having been in that position.
If you prefer to read this rather than listen, hop to our blog: https://www.kaffeen.club/blog/how-to-hire-your-first-marketing-employee
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you get more clients, more money and more time:
- Listen to this podcast episode and identify your agency archetype so you know exactly how to market and sell your services - £0.
- Get your marketing and new business plan active and find regular client projects without breaking the bank - £1796.
- Get my eyes on your business for the next quarter and scale to reach regular £30k plus new business opportunities - £4500.
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