Swift and continuous evolution has long been a trademark of the highly competitive world of marketing, which means staying on top of industry trends and identifying opportunities to innovate is key to success in the field. Consequently, this race to stay ahead of the curve all of the time can become exhausting for agency professionals.
Where do the experts turn to find the inspiration that stokes their creative fires and keeps them moving forward? Below, members of Forbes Agency Council share 10 go-to industry publications, agency peers and other influential resources that consistently inspire them to do more, reach higher and try new things.
Forbes Agency Council members share their top sources of inspiration.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS.1. Scott Galloway
I enjoy the market and industry insights that Scott Galloway delivers with self-deprecating humor via his popular “No Mercy/No Malice” newsletter, as well as his podcast with Kara Swisher, “Pivot.” Professor Galloway is not only an accomplished marketing professor, but also a hugely successful operator. His commentary always gives you something to chew on. - Aliza Freud, SheSpeaks, Inc.
2. Digital Wave
One that I am a huge fan of is Digital Wave, which is based in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania. The reason I love their work is that they are always ahead of the curve in terms of taking a holistic view of the complete software approach as well as marketing. This is something that is very surprising and has not been done before. - Jon James, Ignited Results
3. Matt Weiss
Talking to other agency owners consistently is imperative. Matt Weiss at Huge in Brooklyn has been such a big help to me. There’s something about talking through trends with others and hearing firsthand how colleagues handled similar challenges that inspires me. By adopting an abundance mindset and dropping the mindset of scarcity, agencies can develop inspiring rather than competitive relationships. - Scott Harkey, OH Partners
4. ‘The Collaborator’
I'm a big fan of John Moore, who goes by “The Collaborator” on social media. He’s an executive at Bigtincan, where he focuses on one of the biggest challenges in inbound marketing today: sales and marketing alignment. His podcast “Coffee, Collaboration, and Enablement” is good stuff, and it offers practical advice to help salespeople be more effective. - Scott Baradell, Idea Grove
5. Fast Company
As an entrepreneur, I find it very inspiring to read about other business founders and leaders who are innovators and visionaries in their fields. Fast Company is a publication that does this very well. Their articles always get me thinking about new directions to take my business. - Paula Chiocchi, Outward Media, Inc.
6. The Bizversity App
The Bizversity app is a great tool for me to learn new tech tools and marketing techniques while on the go. It’s essentially like Netflix for business owners, offering thousands of shows segmented by different channels, allowing you to learn cutting-edge ways to grow and develop your business firsthand via videos. - Adrian Falk, Believe Advertising & PR
7. Gary Vaynerchuk
I am a big fan of Gary Vaynerchuk’s content simply because he cuts to the bone quickly and doesn’t lean on industry lingo to prove a point. He practices what he preaches and is very active in the industry. Beyond this, he is obviously passionate about what he does, which is infectious. His content is also nonstop. It’s timely and fresh on a day-to-day and week-to-week basis. - Bernard May, National Positions
8. Google Alerts
My go-to source of information is Google Alerts. Drop in your targeted keywords, and you’ll get daily a recap email that includes articles from the most trusted sources. It’s helped me stay ahead of the curve for most of my career. - Brian Meert, AdvertiseMint
9. Harvard Business Review
Staying engaged right now is tough for many companies due to financial constraints. Harvard Business Review is a great source of information on what is trending and who is using the pandemic as an opportunity to push through to success despite the downturn of the entire world. There are opportunities if we stay focused and adjust to find new ways to advertise and meet the changing needs of our consumers. - Sherri Nourse, Ambition Media
10. Sandler Training
Sometimes we meet someone whose attitude is so contagious, you can’t help but adopt it. I love learning and challenging myself, and one of my latest obsessions in this regard is Sandler Training. If you haven’t heard about Sandler methodology yet, take a look. Trust me, these folks will change the way you see sales forever. - Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS
