Teams | Collaboration | Customer Service | Project Management

February 2023

The To-Do List Template to End All Other To-Do Lists [+15 Template Ideas to Start]

The human brain is powerful. It outperforms even the most advanced computers in absorbing, filing, and connecting information. And it does all this while using less energy than a lightbulb. But there’s one function where the brain pales in comparison to computers: recall. Humans are not great at remembering. Details, events, names, faces—we’re even capable of forgetting what we’re doing while doing it!

Using the Basecamp Message Board

The Message Board in Basecamp is the perfect place to make announcements, pitch ideas, pose a question, or share progress. And in many cases, it can replace emails. In this video, Kimberly from Basecamp's Customer Success team does a deep dive into the Message Board to show all of its features and how it can help you keep your work organized. Timestamps: Other Basecamp video tutorials.

Basecamp in Boston: Meetings, meetings, meetings.

How many meetings have you had this week? How many emails do you still need to read and reply to? Basecamp went to Boston to chat with people on the street to hear their thoughts, to check their calendars and inboxes, and to learn more about their wasted time at work. The good news is, there’s a better way. Basecamp can cut your meetings, emails, and other interruptions in half. Many of us at 37signals only have 3, maybe 4 meetings a week! Imagine that.

Basecamp Communication Tools: Message Board vs. Campfire vs. Pings

Not sure when to post on the Message Board instead the Campfire? Confused on when to post in the Campfire vs. sending a Ping? The Basecamp communication tools are intentionally different from one another, and in this video, Kimberly from the Basecamp Customer Success team walks through the three main communication tools and when it's best to use each one. And stick around for the quiz at the end to make sure it all makes sense!

How to Create a Diverse Content Plan That Fits Your Client's Needs

Your clients hire you for one reason and one reason only: to get the results they struggled to get themselves. Desired results vary widely. But with the ability to track detailed, granular KPIs these days, it’s very clear to see when an agency succeeds and when they fall short. And if you didn’t do your job, guess what? Your contract won’t be renewed and you’re out a client, forcing you to spend more time and money to acquire new clients.

Client Management Strategies for Agencies That Make Everyone's Lives Easier

Horror stories about poor client experiences make the rounds online, in friend circles, and between colleagues. These stories can include anything from a lack of communication to being scammed out of money for deliverables. Either way, your brand reputation extends beyond just your work; it encompasses the entire client experience. One of the best things you can do for your business is give your clients a great experience from the start.

How to Set the Right Client Expectations

Finding clients is an important job for agency owners. Clients keep the lights on and your employees paid. But even more important is finding a way to keep existing clients happy and coming back for more work. When you do the hard work to land a new client, the last thing you want is for them to leave. It costs 5x to 25x more money to replace a client than it does to retain them. Meaning if you lose too many clients, your business is on a slippery slope towards demise.

Creating Basecamp Project Templates

If you're creating the same type of Basecamp projects over and over again, you can save time by creating a Basecamp template. In this video, Kimberly from the Basecamp Customer Success team walks through how to create a Basecamp template. You'll even learn how assigning tasks and setting relative due dates within a template are handled once a project is created.

Agency Lead Generation Ideas: No More Cold-Calling

If all you ever do is chase, you’ll run out steam and collapse. Any business that is reliant on cold outreach isn’t one that’ll last long. Why? Because you’ll always have to hunt for new clients. And if you want that client roster to grow (or need to replace clients that you fired), your outreach machine must be humming 24/7. It can be done, sure. But wouldn’t it be nice to turn clients away instead of chasing them down?

2023 Social Media Marketing Trends to Watch

Ever see someone’s Facebook posts or Instagram stories and cringe? You know the ones. They follow the same lame script that was being used in 2018 (the last time that script actually worked). But what worked five years ago is now cringe-worthy. Hell, what worked a few months ago might be cause for cringe today. Social media trends change all the time. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll be left behind while others race on a completely different track.