The Cracker Barrel Logo Disaster (And What It Teaches Agency Owners)

Hey There,

Did you see what Cracker Barrel just did to their logo?

Holy crap.

They took a perfectly good brand that's been working for DECADES...

And turned it into something that looks like a tech startup's rough draft.

Lost all the warmth. All the heritage. All the "grandma's kitchen" vibe that made people actually WANT to eat there.

For what? To look more "modern"?

This is what happens when decisions get made in boardrooms instead of conversations with actual customers.

Someone should've picked up the phone and asked a few loyal customers:

"Hey, what do you love about coming to Cracker Barrel?"

I guarantee NOBODY would've said "I wish your logo looked more like a minimalist app icon."

But speaking of phone calls preventing disasters...

This meme showed up in my feed today and I nearly choked on my coffee:

Because this perfectly captures what I've been thinking about lately.

The difference between these two clients isn't just the money.

It's the entire psychology.

And here's what most agency owners miss...

You can spot this difference in the first 10 minutes of conversation.

But only if you're actually HAVING the conversation.

The $500 Drama Queen

Few months back, I get this inquiry through my website.

Long, emotional email about how their business is "at a crossroads" and they need someone who "really understands their vision."

Red flag #1: Any email longer than a CVS receipt.

But I'm feeling generous, so I suggest a quick 15-minute call.

"Oh, I prefer to communicate via email first. I need to make sure you really GET what we're trying to accomplish here."

Red flag #2: Avoiding human contact.

Three weeks of email tennis later, I finally get them on the phone.

Within 5 minutes, I know this is going to be hell.

They want to "collaborate on every decision."

They need "regular check-ins to make sure we're aligned."

They're "really hands-on" with their projects.

Translation: They want to micromanage a $500/month retainer like it's a $50K project.

I politely declined.

The $50K Professional

Same week, different prospect.

Two-sentence email: "Saw your work with [client]. Need something similar for a product launch. Available for a call this week?"

Twenty-minute conversation.

Clear objectives. Realistic timeline. Professional budget.

"Can you deliver X by Y date?"

"Yes."

"Great. Sending contract and deposit today."

Done.

No drama. No therapy sessions. No novel-length emails about their "vision."

Just business.

Here's What Both Stories Teach Us

Whether it's Cracker Barrel's logo disaster or my client selection...

The phone call reveals what emails and boardrooms hide.

Cracker Barrel's customers would've told them the rebrand was garbage.

My $500 prospect revealed their crazy immediately once I heard their voice.

But we keep hiding behind digital tools instead of having real conversations.

Agency owners are:

• Sending 15 follow-up emails instead of making 1 phone call

• Writing detailed proposals instead of having discovery conversations

• Using chatbots instead of building relationships

Then wondering why they can't close deals or keep attracting nightmare clients.

Here's the truth...

The agencies making real money in 2025 aren't the ones with the best AI tools.

They're the ones still willing to pick up the damn phone.

Speaking of phone calls...

I'm teaming up with a sales expert who specializes in getting people to actually pick up the phone and close deals.

His thing? Taking agency owners who are terrified of sales calls and turning them into confident closers.

We're recording something this week about exactly this topic.

Why agency owners are hiding behind digital tools instead of having real conversations.

And why that's killing their businesses faster than any AI disruption ever will.

Should be... eye-opening.

(And probably uncomfortable for anyone who's been treating their phone like it's radioactive.)

Stay tuned.

Talk soon,
Laura

P.S. What's your worst "should have taken the phone call" story? Hit reply and tell me. I read every response, and the best ones might make it into next week's newsletter. (Names changed to protect the guilty, obviously.)