Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Schober.
Hi Patrick, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my career as a B2B journalist, with an emphasis on company finances (Accounts Payable & Payroll). Writing about accounting and regulations gave me a crash course on how to run a business, and it ended up being invaluable as I transitioned into the agency world back in 2017.
In the summer of 2018, I started Poetica Marketing. It was probably too soon to start on my own—I was still relatively new to marketing—but I learned as much as I could as quickly as I could, and I eventually established a client base that’s still running strong today.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We’ve had our share of classic small business issues, but here’s what I’ll share for today’s interview:
I’ve learned (the hard way) to identify and heed red flags early in the sales process.
When I first started, I needed money, so I would work with just about anyone—even if I spotted potential issues.
It always came back to bite me.
So, for example, one of my biggest clients a few years ago introduced me to her friend and his business. When we talked about pricing, he pushed really hard to barter services.
I just wanted the cash.
Well, surprise, surprise: A few months later, they fell behind on paying their invoices (on top of a few other issues), and I ended up cancelling their contract.
They never paid, despite my reminders. They jerked me around a little bit via email and text until I finally scheduled an in-person meeting with them.
I visited their tiny office, and they stood over me in the single chair they had while I outlined their options:
1. They could pay me right then in full, and I would get out of their hair.
2. They could do nothing, and I would see them in small claims court.
3. They could sign an agreement for a payment plan I’d drawn up.
They said they wanted to talk it out instead, but I cut them off: “You only have three options today. Option 1, Option 2, or Option 3.”
Well, one of the owners flew off the handle. He stepped toward me and screamed, “Get the hell out of my office!”
“Alright,” I said. “I’ll see you in court.” And then I left.
That was a Friday afternoon.
By Sunday evening, he texted saying he was ready to sign the payment plan agreement.
Crisis averted.
Lesson learned: Business is hard enough without terrible clients. If you spot issues early on, keep moving.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Poetica Marketing?
We’re a values-driven marketing and branding agency, and I’m incredibly proud of our insistence on living out our four key values:
1. Growth & Results
2. Honesty & Integrity
3. Community
4. Family
We go above and beyond for our clients, and that shows in our reviews and the loyalty they show us in return!
While there are tons of agencies out there, I think we’re especially strong in the two cores of our entire suite of services: copywriting (the foundation of SEO, blogging, webpages, eBooks, etc.) and design (the foundation of websites, brochures, logos, etc.).
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I work best while listening to music, so most of the content you see from me—from ghostwritten blog posts about EMDR therapy to digital campaigns about railroad attractions—was created while blasting rock and metal at semi-unsafe volumes. On rotation in the last week: The Big Rip, Albatross Overdrive, Monolord
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.poeticamarketing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poeticamarketing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PoeticaMarketing/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-schober-pgh/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PoeticaMarketing
