EP319 - Why Red Flags Matter In Client Selection Ft Kat Sale PPC Live The Podcast - The F*ck Ups That Led To Triumphs podcast

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EP319 - Why Red Flags Matter in Client Selection ft Kat Sale

5d ago 30:08

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In this episode of PPC Live The Podcast, host Anu interviews Kat Sale, co-founder of House of Performance, about a catastrophic client experience that serves as a cautionary tale for agency professionals. Kat shares how a gifting company client spent £40,000 in just three days with zero sales, despite her team's explicit warnings against their aggressive launch strategy. The situation escalated when the client refused to pay £12,500 in consultancy fees, forcing Kat to write off the loss and end the relationship.

Key takeaway discussed:

Key Takeaways

"Eat the dog food" - Always test and understand your client's products before marketing them
Red flags to avoid: Clients who speak poorly about their own team, have churned through multiple agencies quickly, or consistently ignore expert advice
Don't launch on Fridays unless you'll monitor campaigns over the weekend
Start conservative: Begin with exact match keywords and modest budgets, then scale based on performance
Cut losses quickly - Don't waste time chasing bad debts or difficult clients; focus energy on good relationships
Document everything - Keep clear records of advice given when clients ignore recommendations
Don't take failures personally - Sometimes clients aren't ready to listen, and that's not your fault
Be transparent with mistakes - Clients appreciate honesty; cover-ups destroy trust
Use AI as a tool, not a crutch - Maintain strategic thinking and creativity rather than relying completely on AI
Create psychological safety - Leaders should share their own failures to normalise learning from mistakes
Know when to walk away - Some clients aren't worth the stress and damage to your business
Maintain perspective - "We're not heart surgeons, it's just advertising" - don't let work stress destroy your mental health

00:00 Introduction

01:31 Kat Sale's Background

02:48 The Concept of 'Eating the Dog Food'

04:43 Major Business Failure and Learnings

22:43 Discussion on AI in Digital Marketing

28:03 Conclusion and Where to Find Kat Sale

Follow Kat on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠

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PPC Live The Podcast (formerly PPCChat Roundup) features weekly conversations with paid search experts sharing their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape.

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314 episodes

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