How can professional services firms get started with video marketing?

Yes, it is possible to get started with video, even right now! In this episode of Spiraling Up, Austin, Joe, and MB explore whether or not professional services marketers can actually measure ROI on their marketing. And then video producer Dane Frederiksen joins the show to play a game called 'fill in the blank.' In this fun conversation, we cover:

• The biggest mistakes firms make when starting with video
• The most important element of a video marketing strategy
• What to consider when scripting videos
• Keys to creating high quality content, consistently
• The best type of video for showcasing thought leadership
• How many times you should post videos per week
• How to use videos for client testimonials
• The future of video marketing

Connect with Dane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalaccomplice/
Visit the Digital Accomplice website: https://www.digitalaccomplice.com/

How do High Growth professional services firms go to market today? Download the 2025 High Growth Study to find out: https://www.hingemarketing.com/highgrowth

In this episode of Spiraling Up, the gang draws parallels between Super Bowl advertisements and professional services marketing. Then, Austin tries to trick Joe and MB in a marketing game of “Fact or Fiction” based on the results of Hinge’s recent 2025 High Growth Study. In this episode, you’ll learn:

• If creating content is still the top marketing priority
• What percentage of revenue firms dedicate to marketing today
• The key business challenges firms face, like AI integration
• How proficient firms are in using marketing metrics
• The impact of speaking at targeted events
• The effectiveness of webinars in current marketing strategies
• What type of research High-Growth firms focus on

How do High Growth professional services firms go to market today? Download the 2025 High Growth Study to find out: https://www.hingemarketing.com/highgrowth

In today's episode of Spiraling Up, Austin, Joe, and MB explore the new challenges marketing faces in professional services, especially with the rising influence of AI and automation. Then, they channel the excitement of the NFL Draft by hosting the inaugural marketing tactic draft where each host picks from a selection of high growth  efforts to build a championship-caliber campaign for 2025. In this conversation, we cover:

• How AI is changing professional services marketing
• The top challenge marketers want to learn about in 2025
• Differences between networking and speaking at conferences
• The strategic impact of thought leadership and content creation
• Ways social media advertising is being leveraged in B2B
• Effective approaches to presenting in webinars
• The importance of incorporating PR in your marketing strategy
• The role of video blogging in expanding expertise and visibility

How do High Growth professional services firms go to market today? Download the 2025 High Growth Study to find out: https://www.hingemarketing.com/highgrowth

In this episode of Spiraling Up, we discuss whether marketing attribution is a myth, inspired by Sherehan Ross’ hot take on LinkedIn which sparked a debate about revenue as a marketing KPI. 

Then, we welcome author, speaker, and sales strategy expert Amy Franko to play a game of ‘Would You Rather: Sales Edition.’ In this fun, gameshow style interview, we explore sales team dynamics, the importance of integrating technology, and practical tips for professional services marketing. In this fun-filled segment, you’ll hear whether Amy would rather…

• measure a marketing team’s performance based on revenue or a combination of core funnel KPIs?
• lead a team that excels in traditional sales tactics but is resistant to change, or a team that's adaptable but less experienced?
• focus on selling to established industries or emerging markets?
• have a salesperson who talks excessively and doesn't effectively listen to the client's needs or one who is too passive and fails to proactively guide the client through the sales process?
• enhance your sales team’s expertise in traditional sales methods or in new technologies such as AI and automation?

BONUS: At the end, we do a rapid-fire ‘lightning’ round with Amy to see how many questions she can answer in 5-minutes.

Connect with Amy Franko on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyfranko/
Visit Amy Franko’s Website: https://amyfranko.com/

How do High Growth professional services firms go to market today? Download the 2025 High Growth Study to find out: https://www.hingemarketing.com/highgrowth

In today's episode of Spiraling Up, Austin, Joe, and MB look at the cringy side of LinkedIn, exploring some of the most awkward moments on the platform. Then, they welcome podcast expert John Tyreman to debunk common myths about podcasting in professional services, like:

• Myth #1: Podcasts don't work in professional services
• Myth #2: You need a huge audience to start a podcast
• Myth #3: Only charismatic personalities can be successful hosts
• Myth #4: Creating ROI from a podcast is impossible
• Myth #5: Podcasting is a fad that will soon fade away

Connect with John Tyreman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntyreman/
Visit the Red Cedar Marketing website: https://www.redcedarmarketing.com/

Download the 2025 High Growth Study Executive Summary:
www.hingemarketing.com/highgrowth

In this episode of Spiraling Up, we tackle the ever-persistent question: Is SEO dead? Join Austin, Joe, and Mary-Blanche as they dive into fascinating new data from SparkToro (‪@SparkToro‬ ) highlighting Google's dominance and the relevance of SEO best practices. The team also hands out special marketing superlatives, recognizing companies excelling in thought leadership, talent acquisition, past performance, and more. In this episode, you'll hear:

• Is SEO dead? (enough with this nonsense)
• The Black Hole Award
• The Talent Magnet Award
• The Acquisition Amplification Award
• The People Powered Firm Award
• Legacy of Excellence Award

How do High Growth professional services firms go to market today? Download the 2025 High Growth Study to find out: https://www.hingemarketing.com/highgrowth

In this episode of Spiraling Up, the Hinge team discusses the complexities of time tracking in professional services, debating its benefits and drawbacks. Then, Becca Johns, an expert in accounting marketing, joins the show to play ‘Buy or Sell?’ where she shares insights on the challenges and potential of marketing in the accounting industry. The conversation touches on marketing strategies, ROI, risk aversion, the impact of marketing on M&A, and the importance of building personal brands.

In this episode of Spiraling Up, the Hinge team dives into the growing trend of fractional executives in professional services. Austin, Mary-Blanche, and Joe are joined by Jen Hamilton, a fractional COO and mentor to COOs, to play a game of “Blind Rankings” in a fun exploration of on-demand work in various aspects of business operations. 

Download the 2025 Marketing Budget Benchmark Study Executive Summary: https://accountingmarketing.org/category/surveys-studies-research-and-more/

In this special in-person episode of Spiraling Up, the team attended the 2025 AAM Summit in Phoenix, Arizona. During the event, marketing leaders, practitioners, and industry experts joined the show to share their ‘pivotal stories’ from the event—key learnings, takeaways, and overall impressions. Many common themes bubbled up, like how to build marketing budgets, fostering trust among teams, SEO strategies, and of course, artificial intelligence (AI). Recorded live on the showroom floor, this episode offers a window into one of the accounting industry’s key events.

In this episode of Spiraling Up, the team dives into the implications of Google's new AI product, Veo 3, which can generate highly realistic video content from text prompts. What impact will this have on marketing? On humanity? 

Then, the hosts welcome Megan Battaglia, VP of Marketing at ThunderCat Technology, for a game of 'B2G Power Plays.' Megan shares valuable insights on building a government-focused marketing strategy, leveraging vendor partnerships, and ensuring event success. Don't miss this engaging discussion on the future of marketing in the B2G space!

00:00 Introduction
05:31 Pivotal Story: Google Veo 3 
16:50 Introducing Megan Battaglia
19:13 Power Play 1: Going from Solo Marketer to Small Team
32:35 Power Play 2: Impact of Administration Changes on Marketing
39:13 Power Play 3: Running a Successful Charity Golf Tournament
52:03 Ultimate Power Play: Mission Focus Mindset
53:33 Outro

Connect with Megan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganbattaglia/
Learn more about ThunderCat: https://www.thundercattech.com/

Buy or Sell? Relationships are the #1 asset to your organization.

In this episode of Spiraling Up, Austin, Joe, and Mary-Blanche sit down with Dr. Ryan O'Sullivan, Global Account Manager at Introhive for a game of ‘Buy or Sell?’ This fun conversation centers on the importance of building stronger business relationships. 

Then, the gang cuts through the GEO vs. SEO hype in this week’s Pivotal Story inspired by a post by Jeremy Moser.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Welcome
04:26 Dr. Ryan O’Sullivan
08:29 Gameshow - Buy or Sell?
10:50 Buy or Sell #1
14:35 Buy or Sell #2
20:54 Buy or Sell #3
24:36 Buy or Sell #4
31:49 Buy or Sell #5
35:38 Buy or Sell #6
39:42 Buy or Sell #7
44:28 Buy or Sell #8
48:52 Pivotal Story

Connect with Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-osullivan-uk/
Visit IntroHive: https://www.introhive.com/

Fight back against toxic workplace cultures ✊

In this episode of Spiraling Up, the Hinge team dives into the evolving landscape of work culture, featuring an insightful discussion with John Garrett, author of 'What's Your And?' Garrett emphasizes the importance of valuing employees beyond their job titles and integrating personal passions into professional life. The conversation also explores the impact of AI on productivity, managing work-life balance, and creating a people-centric workplace. 

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
04:54 Introduction to John Garrett
11:27 Toxic Takes
13:01 Toxic Trait #1
20:21 Toxic Trait #2
22:53 Toxic Trait #3
30:22 Practical Ways to Apply Your 'And'
35:43 Toxic Trait #4
39:46 Sharing Hidden Talents
43:01 Connect With John Garrett
44:01 Pivotal Story: The Infinite Workday
54:41 Final Thoughts

Connect with John Garrett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thejohngarrett/
Visit John Garrett's Website: https://www.thejohngarrett.com/

In this episode, Matt Tait, Co-Founder of Decimal joins the show to play a game of 'Would You Rather?' with Austin, Joe, and Mary-Blanche. 

Spinning a digital wheel to decide the questions, Matt is given abominable choices across 5 various categories: people, growth levers, profit centers, leadership, and business killers. This fun, gameshow-style podcast interview showcases important business leadership lessons in an entertaining way. Then, the gang explores why CMOs have shifted their strategies from client acquisition to client retention.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction & Limited Banter
01:58 Would You Rather: Spin the Wheel Edition
06:42 Cash Flow Nightmares or AI Disruption?
09:43 Ignore Major Issues or Over-Flag Minor Concerns?
13:58 Sacrifice Margin for Fast Growth or Slow But Profitable?
19:58 Spend $100k On Brand or Outbound Sales?
25:54 Employee Happiness or Maximum Profits?
28:57 Hire Veterans or Young Talent?
33:21 Scale w Toxic Performer or Fire Them Now?
36:51 GTM Strategy: Go Deep or Broad?
39:28 Learn More About Decimal
40:03 Pivotal Story: CMOs Focus on Client Retention

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mtait83/
Visit the Decimal Website: https://www.decimal.com/

In this special Intern Takeover episode of Spiraling Up, the 2025 Summer Intern, Sabrina Alperin, hosts an exciting gameshow very similar to (but definitely different than) the popular gameshow, Jeopardy!

Austin, Mary-Blanche, and Joe compete to answer questions in categories like 'Everything Sabrina,' 'Marketing Mayhem,' and 'Hinge Story.' Sabrina also shares insights from her internship at Hinge, discussing the importance of SEO, social media strategies, and the role of AI in marketing. The episode wraps up with Sabrina's plans for the future as she returns to Vanderbilt University.

Connect with Sabrina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinaalperin/

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Welcome
02:32 Intern Puts Marketing in Jeopardy
22:36 And the winner is...
23:31 Gen Z Perspective on B2B Marketing

In this episode of Spiraling Up inspired by the hit 1999 movie, "10 Things I Hate About You", Austin, Mary-Blanche, and Joe dive into the top ten things they hate about professional services websites. They discuss issues from huge navigation menus to poor SEO optimization and offer illustrative examples of websites that are doing it right. 

Hinge's Art Director Christian Baldo, also joins the show to share his perspective on why brands (and the world) has gone gray. And don't miss the unique closing segment where Joe reads a heartfelt poem about these website woes. 

View the Hinge website portfolio here: https://hingemarketing.com/portfolio#website-design

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro + Banter
04:22 Pivotal Story: Is the World Losing Color?
15:53 Complex Main Navigation
21:18 Bad Homepage Headlines
25:36 Stock Imagery
30:24 Websites With No Filtering Tools
33:07 Lack of Case Stories
37:16 Lack of Expert Bio Pages
39:40 Attributing Thought Leadership to the Company
43:33 Lack of Video
47:40 Lack of Employer Branding
51:09 Poorly Optimized For Search
55:40 List Recap
56:38 Slam Poet Joe

What if winning work felt a little more like dating? 

In this episode of Spiraling Up, Joe and Mary-Blanche sit down with marketing pros Amy Cuddy (Wilmot Sanz) and Abby Harrington (Gilbane Building Company) to unpack the parallels between proposal pursuits and modern matchmaking. From the principal in charge who “flies in and out” to the designer who just can’t stop tweaking, Amy and Abby share how to manage every personality type you’ll encounter in business development — and when it’s time to swipe left.

They’ll also play a round of The Business Development Dating Game, where red flags and green flags fly fast. Whether you’re chasing RFPs, courting clients, or trying to build better teaming partnerships, this episode will help you navigate the pursuit process with humor, empathy, and a few laughs along the way.

00:00 Welcome to Spiraling Up
03:19 Introducing Amy and Abby
07:52 Principal In Charge
08:48 Project Manager
12:42 Marketing Manager
14:43 Marketing Director
16:02 Business Development
18:35 Swipe Left Or Right?
20:03 Pick Up Line 1
21:30 Pick Up Line 2
23:38 Pick Up Line 3
26:29 Pick Up Line 4
27:54 Pick Up Line 5
29:38 Pick Up Line 6
30:56 Pick Up Line 7 
32:42 Pick Up Line 8 
35:36 Pick Up Line 9
38:09 Pick Up Line 10 
39:30 Pick Up Line 11 
41:18 Pick Up Line 12
42:30 Conclusion

Connect with Amy Cuddy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amypcuddy/
Learn more about Wilmot Sanz: https://www.wilmot.com/

Connect with Abby Harrington: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-f-harrington/
Learn more about Gilbane Building Company: https://www.gilbaneco.com/

Participate in the 2026 High Growth Study Today: https://hingemarketing.com/survey

In this episode of Spiraling Up, the Hinge team dives into classic rom-com territory with 'How to Lose a Lead in 10 Days.' Austin McNair, Mary Blanche Kramer, and Joe Pope discuss seven surefire ways to lose a lead, from neglecting your website to giving prospects only one option. 

The team touches on the importance of social media, the pitfalls of responding to every RFP, and why you should never just talk about your services. Plus, learn how to involve your subject matter experts and tailor your pitches to prospects' actual needs. 

CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome
04:04 Have a Disorganized Business Development Process
13:52 Neglect Your Company's Website
19:10 Hide Your Subject Matter Experts
24:38 Respond To Every RFP That Comes Your Way
29:20 Limit Content To Focus on Your Firm And Services
36:19 Ignore the Prospect's Business Situation 
43:17 One solution at one price
48:49 Pivotal Story: Sprout Social Report
58:13 Conclusion

Participate in the 2026 High Growth Study today: https://hingemarketing.com/survey

In this episode of Spiraling Up, the Hinge team welcomes Wayne Larson, the CRM Plumber, for a lively discussion on how to un-clog your CRM pipes. From bad data to cumbersome reports, learn how to clean up your tech issues. Finally, the team dissects common branding missteps, taking lessons from Cracker Barrel and Patron Tequila. 

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Welcome
06:20 Becoming a CRM Plumber
07:04 The Current Conversation on CRM
10:40 Five Scenarios
11:54 Our Data is a Mess
18:31 Metrics
23:51 Users
29:46 Marketing Teams
35:01 Partners are Questioning CRM's Value
41:56 High Growth Study and AI
45:49 Pivotal Story
58:19 Conclusion

Connect with Wayne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larsonwayne/
Visit A-Sesh Tech: https://www.aseshtech.com/