Smart Agency Masterclass with Jason Swenk: Podcast for Digital Marketing Agencies

Have you struggled to build relationships and connections for your agency? Are you looking for a way to increase your agency's authority and become a leader in your niche? A podcast is a great tool to get your agency voice out there and strike up meaningful and productive conversations. In today's episode, we'll cover: 2 reasons your agency should start a podcast. 2 mistakes to avoid when you start a podcast. #1 Way to grow your agency. Today I sat down with Jeremy Weisz, co-founder of Rise 25, a B2B podcast consulting agency. Jeremy is a strong believer podcasts are the number one thing you should do to grow your agency. In his role, he works with agencies to help them see a return on investment from their podcast. He's here to share a few tips on how to leverage your podcast to gain referrals and create greater connections in your marketing space. 2 Reasons Your Agency Should Start a Podcast You've heard me say it over and over again — if you run an agency, you need to have a podcast. It's the number one thing I've done that has helped my business grow. Jeremy follows the same line of thought. He says there are a number of benefits to starting your own podcast: Greater authority. Creating a podcast gives you a platform. You have the opportunity to have thought leadership conversations and create your own message. When you bring on guests in your niche you build trust with your audience and increase your authority. A chance to build connections. Your podcast isn't just for your listeners, it can serve as a resource for you. When you invite guests on your show, you have the opportunity to share something valuable and exchange ideas. Worst case scenario, you've learned something new and have created engaging content. Best case scenario, you've built a relationship where this person may end up as a resource, or even a client, later down the road. 2 Mistakes to Avoid When You Start a Podcast Jeremy's literally in the business of creating podcasts and making sure agencies get the best return on their investment. Because of this, he's got an inside look at some of the most common mistakes agencies make. Here are a few things Jeremy says you need to avoid: Vanity metrics. One of the first things people do when they start a podcast is focus on the numbers. How many downloads did I get? How can I get more subscribers? Don't. Quit focusing on things that don't matter. At the end of the day, it's about connecting with the right people. Instead, think about what you can give back to your guests and how you can give them a platform to talk about what they're doing. Wasting too much time. Are you trying to do everything? Are you creating the podcast, editing, and writing up the show notes? Don't try to take on all the pieces yourself. Your job is to focus on connecting to your best referral partners and clients. It's okay to bring in someone else to do the rest. #1 Way to Grow Your Agency Right Now As agency owners, it's all about the relationships we create. Without our clients, our partners, and our contacts, we wouldn't be able to do what we do. The number one thing you can do to help your agency grow is focus on your relationships. This means less automation and more personal connections. Jeremy says he sets aside time every week to connect with his clients. It could be a 45-minute phone call or a quick text just checking in. Find out how your connections like to communicate. You can even create a quick video and send it through a message. Want to do something right now and see an immediate return? Sit down and make a list of 10, 20, or 50 people who already like you or have already been referred to you. Now send them a note or give them a call. Take the time to show them you appreciate them. Jeremy says most times people will respond with a thank you, or better yet, a referral. Creating a podcast is a fun, simple way to broaden your reach and increase your authority. Don't wait. It's okay to jump right in. I guarantee you'll get more out of it than you expect. Are You Looking for Outsourced Copywriting for Your Agency or Clients? Verblio is a content creation solution designed specifically for agencies. Their writers can help with everything from blog posts to ebooks to video scripts and more. Forget the hassle of finding and hiring your own writers. Verblio has a pool of more than 3,000 highly vetted writers who produce custom, SEO-rich content. You set the criteria for style and tone and they match you with writers that have expertise in your specific subject matter. Verblio's platform is designed specifically for agencies -- and for a limited time, they are offering my audience 50% off your first month of content. My team is using Verblio and loving it, so make sure you check them out.

Is pride standing your way of growing your agency? It's easy to get in your own way sometimes as an entrepreneur. I had something in my personal life that made me step back and reflect on this lesson. In this video, I'll talk about progress vs. pride. Sometimes pride holds us back. Whether it's our desire to be right or just a matter of principles, we lead with our pride and sometimes do things that prevent growth. As I think back over the 12 years I owned my agency, I remember many occasions where this was true (even though I didn't realize it at the time). Choose progress over pride. It's easier said than done, right? But here's the secret and something I tell my agency-owner clients all the time... remove emotion from the decision. Don't lead with your feelings on a certain matter but instead eliminate those emotions and make a level-headed decision. When you take away the emotion you're left with facts and that will lead you to progress. Is pride standing in your way? If not pride, what IS standing in your way of growing? Comment below and maybe I can help. ================================================ SUBSCRIBE NOW to follow my entrepreneurial journey. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDvZHFVeqEMq58q6tMoyMK-ufpp0ysoVP ================================================ Thanks for watching. I hope you keep up with the daily videos I post on my channel. Make sure you subscribe and share your learnings with others. Your comments are why I do this, so please take a second and say hello. JASON SWENK IS AN AGENCY ADVISOR THAT GUIDES MARKETING AGENCIES THROUGH A PROVEN FRAMEWORK FOR GROWING THEIR AGENCY FASTER & EASIER. Fresh out of college Jason was off to work for Arthur Anderson, one of the big 5 consulting firms. He quickly realized that he could never work for anyone other than himself. He decided to change direction, launch a digital agency that quickly grew to a multi-million dollar operation working with brands such as AT&T, Hitachi and Lotus Cars. After 12 years of steady growth, the agency caught the attention of bigger agencies and Jason sold it in 2012. Now, Jason leads http://JasonSwenk.com, a unique media company & consultancy helping marketing agencies grow & scale their agencies faster by applying the framework that he used to grow, scale and eventually sell his agency. Jason has helped over 10,000 agencies in 23 countries meet or exceed their business goals. Jason currently hosts two shows that are available for download… The Smart Agency Master Class Podcast, dedicated to providing tactics and strategies to agency owners and decision-makers that cut through the BS, focus on exactly what works and what doesn't; and SwenkToday a vlog that documents the entrepreneur journey of building another multimillion-dollar business, where he shares the latest strategies, and answers the most burning questions entrepreneurs have. SCHEDULE TUES & THUR VLOG #SwenkToday Q&A from my digital agency audience Ask me A Question http://jasonswenk.com/askswenk Podcast Wednesday: (Digital Agency Interviews) https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/smart-agency-masterclass-marketing/id870206013?mt=2&ls=1 or http://smartagencymasterclass.com Follow me here: Website: http://jasonswenk.com Podcast: http://smartagencymasterclass.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jasonswenk Twitter: https://twitter.com/jswenk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jswenk Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonswenk Medium: https://medium.com/@jswenk/ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jasonswenk Music by epidemicsound.com

Does your current agency business strategy support long term sustainability? Are you looking for some simple strategies to be a more effective leader? It probably comes as no surprise the two issues often go hand-in-hand. In today's episode, we'll cover: 3 elements to any successful agency. What is the key to agency client retention? How to be a more effective agency leader. Today I had an informative talk with Ryan Cote, digital services director at Ballentine, a direct mail and digital marketing agency founded by his great-uncle over 50 years ago. Ryan's here to share how his family's agency has sustained success for over five decades, and how he has become a better leader. 3 Elements to Any Successful Agency If you want to know the secret to success, there's no better place to start than with an agency that's been around since the mid-1960s. During a time in which many agencies have started and failed, Ballentine has not only survived, they've thrived. I asked Ryan why he thinks his family's agency has been so successful. His answer — it all begins with the basics: Always look for sales. As agency owners, we have a tendency to back off from bringing in new sales when business is good. But we often experience lulls where we have to catch up to find new clients and replace some that have left. Constantly sell and bring on new clients. Keep your current clients happy. Ryan says his team is always revising their onboarding strategy to make sure clients get the attention they need. In order to retain clients, make sure you're giving them the attention they deserve. Start with leadership. As your agency begins to grow, the way you treat your team can make a big difference. For some people, leadership comes naturally. For others, it doesn't. Take the time to make sure you have the right leaders in the right places. What is the Key to Agency Client Retention? Many agency owners make the mistake of thinking converting leads is the secret to rapid growth. The truth is, you have to focus on your current clients first. It's far easier and cheaper to retain existing clients than to keep finding new ones. The number one key to client retention is communication. There's no quicker way to lose a client than to make them feel neglected. Make time to show your current clients you're still invested. For Ryan, this means bi-weekly phone calls and quarterly check-ins. For you, this could be something different. Establish a procedure that prioritizes communication and keeps the client involved every step of the way. Take nothing for granted. Speaking of communication, make sure you communicate successes and what you're doing behind the scenes. As another podcast guest said, "If we didn't communicate it, it never got done." Give your clients a way to track metrics and provide benchmarks to show how far they've come. How to be a More Effective Agency Leader Ryan says having a team made him take a look at his own ability to be a leader. This, in turn, pushed him to focus on personal development. Despite what you're lead to believe, leadership doesn't come out of a book and it's not something that you really can teach. Successful leadership comes from within. I end my day answering "What did I learn? What did I accomplish? Am I ready for tomorrow?" This simple ritual allows me to visualize the day ahead and get a good night's sleep. Ryan, on the other hand, focuses on a morning routine. His regimen includes meditation, exercise, and morning journaling. Whatever you choose, take some time to focus on what went well and how you can improve. Being aware and continuous learning are two attributes of a good leader. So much of your success as an agency will come down to your values. When you invest in your clients and your team, you're more likely to see your agency grow. Looking for a Payroll and HR Solution for your Agency? Payroll and benefits are hard. Especially when you're a small business. Gusto is making payroll, benefits and HR easy for small businesses. You no longer have to be a big company to get great technology, great benefits and great service to take care of your team. For a limited time, Gusto is offering a deal to Smart Agency Master Class listeners. Check out Gusto.com/agency for 3-months FREE once you run your first payroll with them.

Are you struggling in a partnership that is no longer working? Are you anxious about sitting down and have that conversation? As agency owners, we often get into partnerships because we want someone to bounce ideas off of and take on some of the burden of leadership. But sometimes, a partnership is just not a good fit. In today's episode, we'll cover: Is your partnership holding you back? The #1 discussion any agency owner should have before bringing on a partner. Why the important conversations should always include risk. Today I sat down with David Valentine, CEO of Avadel, a Facebook advertising agency. In 2017, David made the difficult decision to step away from his partner and run the agency they had started together, on his own. He's here to discuss what brought him to this decision and what he would do differently if he could go back. Is Your Partnership is Holding You Back? As humans, we tend to avoid confrontation at all costs. Who wants to have a difficult conversation when we can just ignore it and hope it all goes away? David knew there were problems at his agency about a year and a half in. The main problem — David wanted to be more aggressive and go all in and his partner, well he wanted to go hiking. The two simply had different goals and ideas about the amount of work they wanted to put into the agency. If you're working with a partner, you may have noticed things that could be red flags: Do you have different ideas about how you measure success? Do you have different thoughts about how you want to approach the big decisions? Is one partner putting in a lot more work than the other? In a partnership, you want someone who will complement your weaknesses, but in the end, your core values need to align. If things just aren't meshing, it may be time to have the difficult conversation. The #1 Discussion Any Agency Owner Should Have Before Bringing on a Partner David didn't expect his partnership to fail. After all, he had started his agency with his best friend. But looking back, there are a few things he would change. Whenever you are working with a partner or going in a new direction there is one important conversation you have to have. Before you talk about revenue or staffing or any other major decisions, sit down and talk about your perfect day. What does your perfect workday look like at your agency? What about the perfect week? The perfect month? The perfect quarter. For me, I know I want to work 9-3, Monday through Thursday, with summers off. If I were to ever bring on a partner in the future, these values would have to align. When you think about time and what you're doing first, you'll never sacrifice revenue. When you prioritize revenue, you'll always sacrifice time. Why the Important Conversations Should Always Include Risk So you've sat down and decided to talk about what your ideal future looks like. Beyond your basic expectations, you can't forget to talk about risk. How much risk are you willing to take? This will play a big role in the direction of your agency and your overall investment. David says he felt like he could not fulfill his potential in the early stages of his agency. If you are working with a partner, you have to make sure it is someone who has the same goals, not someone who will hold you back. A partnership is a great way to bring in new ideas and bring on someone that will have your back. But the reality is, many partnerships don't work out. And that's okay. When you go in with a clear expectation of what you expect and are prepared to have those tough conversations, you're more likely to see success. Ready to Outsource Your Content Creation? Do you want to try out Verblio's services and learn how you can simplify your agency's content creation? Verblio has a team of over 3,000 writers plus an amazing staff that helps manage your writing projects and make it even easier to provide quality content for you and your clients. Right now, Verblio is offering two free months of account management services to Smart Agency Masterclass listeners. This offer includes content creation, SEO optimization, and your own personal account manager. For more information, head over to Verblio.com/Easy to learn how your agency's content creation can be easier than ever.

Does it feel like no matter how hard you work, you just keep running around in circles? Are you ignoring all the signs that your agency's crying out for help? When you get to a point where it seems like your agency is out of your control, often, the best solution is a simple change of perspective. In today's episode, we'll cover: 3 signs your agency needs more attention. 2 steps get a stalled agency back on track. Do you have your priorities all wrong? Today I sat down for an engaging chat with Brad Martineau, repeat podcast guest and owner of Sixth Division, a digital marketing agency. Like so many of us, Brad saw success early on but quickly stalled out. He's here to talk about why he found himself in this position and how he scaled back to scale up. 3 Signs Your Agency Needs More Attention As agency owners, we have a tendency to set our sights high. We go into the business with a lofty goal in mind and won't stop until we get there. When this happens, it's easy to gloss over (or even purposely ignore) signs you're in trouble. Brad says to ask yourself these 3 questions to find out when your agency needs your attention: Is your team excited? One of the first signs something is wrong is team morale. Brad says there's a difference between a disappointed employed and a disgruntled employee. If your team's unhappy or constantly overworked, it's time to slow down. Are your clients pumped? Your clients should be excited about your work and see the value your agency delivers. If your client response is lackluster or worse, you're losing clients, do something now. Is revenue shrinking? A sure-fire sign you need to make a change is less money coming in. If you're not as profitable as you once were, you're either spending too much or you're losing clients. 2 Steps to Get a Stalled Agency Back on Track Brad says he spent 1.5 years ignoring all the signs something was wrong. If you're not careful, success will tell you you can do no wrong. But ignoring the problem can cause a lot of unnecessary pain and anxiety, as Brad will attest. So what can you do to get your agency back on track? Acknowledge the problem. This one's hard. As humans, we'd rather ignore a problem than confront it. Pay attention to the signs and get good at recognizing problems from the beginning. The longer you wait, the harder it is to fix. Set aside your ego. Brad says this meant coming to terms with the fact he might not be a $3 million agency. Put aside your preconceptions of how it should be and focus on the fix. For Brad, when he finally faced the issue head-on he was able to cut over $100,000 from his monthly budget. Do You Have Your Priorities All Wrong? How do you create goals for your agency? For most of us, it's easy to set monetary or other tangible goals. And for the longest time, I was just like everyone else. My goals were always revenue, projects, time, in that order. There's this bad mindset we get in where we tell ourselves, if I just make this amount of money, my family will be happy, and then I'll have everything I want. But in the end, that goal just keeps getting bigger and bigger and you never catch up. If you really want to grow, you have to flip the switch. Brad says we need to get away from focusing on monetary profit and prioritize time and emotional profit. When you do this, you'll find you're happier and more fulfilled. And bonus, when you slow down, you free up your headspace to be more creative, which ironically may help increase profits after all. Don't get too consumed with that bottom line that you forget to enjoy the ride. When you slow down and focus on what's important, then you'll truly be able to enjoy your success. Looking for a Payroll and HR Solution for your Agency? Payroll and benefits are hard. Especially when you're a small business. Gusto is making payroll, benefits and HR easy for small businesses. You no longer have to be a big company to get great technology, great benefits and great service to take care of your team. For a limited time, Gusto is offering a deal to Smart Agency Master Class listeners. Check out Gusto.com/agency for 3-months FREE once you run your first payroll with them.

Are you starting an agency and debating whether you need a partner? Is your agency growing, but you're not sure where to go from here? It doesn't matter what kind of work you produce or how motivated you are if you don't have everything aligned behind the scenes. In today's episode, we'll cover: Why do so many agency partnerships fail? 2 key stages of growing a successful agency. Why your agency should always invest in culture first. Today I had an engaging talk with Francisco Serrano, president and CEO of 121, a digital implementation agency. In the last 16 years, Francisco has grown his agency to a team of 90 employees and just recently hired a COO. He's here to talk about the stages his agency went through to get to where they're at and why you should always put your agency employees first. Why Do So Many Agency Partnerships Fail? I've talked to many agency owners over the years who have started with a partner and eventually dissolved the partnership. It isn't because either partner is bad or not putting enough work; most of the time, it's just not the right fit. And as the agency grows, it's perfectly natural to outgrow one of your partners. Francisco joins a long list of owners who realized they were better off on their own (including myself). If you're thinking about taking on a partner or are currently working with someone, the question is, how can you determine whether a partnership is going to work? The answer comes down to open communication. But before you say, "Great, we've already got that covered," understand there's a difference between being able to talk to your partner and really being honest about what you hope to get out of your agency. The number one reason most partnerships fail is because partners don't have the same vision for the direction of the agency. Before you begin to talk about strategy or revenue or anything else, talk about your focus and your passion. If you don't agree on what you want to stand for, how much work you want to put in, and what you're willing to risk, it's probably not going to work. 2 Key Stages of Growing a Successful Agency So you've begun to see some growth and are getting more clients — great! But if you stay with the same strategy and don't switch it up, eventually, you're bound to hit a plateau. Francisco says there are 2 main stages his agency went through in order to see continued growth: Team building. When you're building a team, usually you're the one that does all the hiring. After all, who better to find the right people for growing your team than you? But as you continue to grow, you'll realize you just don't have enough time to handpick every new member of your team. Francisco says the first big step was hiring an HR professional to recruit and hire new team members, as well as keep the existing ones happy. Execution. Francisco recently brought on a COO to take care of the day-to-day execution. With a team of 90, he wants to focus on building relationships and working on the business, which will ultimately help the agency grow. Why Your Agency Should Always Invest in Culture First When we're first starting out, many of us fail to recognize the importance of agency culture. Francisco makes an interesting analogy between running an agency and osteoporosis. He says, if you don't focus on what's on the inside and what holds everything together, the bones will crumble. A lot of building a solid culture comes down to communicating with your team and understanding what motivates them (no it's not money). Figure out what they're good at, what they want to do, and what just doesn't make them happy. When you do this, you'll find your team is happier, more successful, and devoted to the agency as a whole. You'll never find true success as an agency unless you master the fundamentals. If you have talent, culture, and you can execute, the rest is fun and games. Are You Looking for Outsourced Copywriting for Your Agency or Clients? Verblio is a content creation solution designed specifically for agencies. Their writers can help with everything from blog posts to ebooks to video scripts and more. Forget the hassle of finding and hiring your own writers. Verblio has a pool of more than 3,000 highly vetted writers who produce custom, SEO-rich content. You set the criteria for style and tone and they match you with writers that have expertise in your specific subject matter. Verblio's platform is designed specifically for agencies -- and for a limited time, they are offering my audience 50% off your first month of content. My team is using Verblio and loving it, so make sure you check them out.

Are you looking for a way to scale up without adding new employees? Do you want to get back to enjoying what you do? When you try providing everything to everyone, you're likely to get burnt out fast. But when you find what you're good at and focus just on that, you'll find freedom and enjoyment in owning your agency. In today's episode, we'll cover: #1 pitfall of full-service agencies. 2 steps to grow your agency without bringing on excess staff. The only 5 roles you should fill as an agency CEO. Today I sat down with Chris Kneeland, CEO of Cult Ideas, a digital marketing agency. Just over 7 years ago, Chris made the jump from a large, publicly-traded US agency to a smaller firm based out of Canada. He's here to discuss what he's learned from the transition and how you can get to a point where you can do what you love. #1 Pitfall of Full Service Agencies It's no secret, I'm not a fan of full-service agencies. In fact, you'll find this to be a common feeling among many agency owners. Why? After working for a very large, publicly-traded agency, Chris says there is one thing that stood out. The agency was constantly over-leveraged with staff. It got to a point where Chris began to wonder, "When did my job become keeping our bloated staff billable?" When you try to provide everything for everyone, you tend to hire a bunch of different people to fill all those roles. But if you're not getting the business to support your staff, you'll end up working just to pay your team. 2 Steps to Grow Your Agency Without Bringing on Excess Staff "But Jason, don't I need to expand my team if I expect to grow?" Not at all. Chris uses a strategy that's similar to the one I would use if I could do things differently. He says there are two steps to growing your agency without bringing on a ton of new employees: Figure out what you're good at. Chris says, think of it this way: If you were called on to deliver a TED Talk tomorrow, what would you be able to talk about? Better yet, what would you want to talk about? Only do that. Niche down and you're naturally able to reduce the number of people you need. Then you will be able to really leverage the people you choose to keep around. Only staff what you have work for. Having a larger team makes you feel like a big agency, but it eats into your profits when they aren't fully utilized. Focus on the essentials and outsource the rest. If I were to do it over, my key leadership, PM, and account managers would be the only full-time employees. When you keep a full staff, you put yourself in a position where you have to focus on payroll. You'll end up taking on a bad client or billing out something your client doesn't actually need. This is not a fun way to work. When you focus on being properly sized, not only will you improve your finances, but you'll also see an improvement in your quality of life. The Only 5 Roles You Should Fill as an Agency CEO Think about why you originally started your agency. If you're like me, it wasn't to see how fast you could grow it was about having the freedom to do what you love. Unfortunately, far too often we manage to get lost somewhere along the way. If you want to get to a point where you love your job and enjoy what you do, there are only 5 roles you should be responsible for as an agency CEO: Set the vision and communicate it to the team. Be the face of the organization. Understand the financials. Coach and mentor the team. Assist with sales. Don't worry, your agency and team still need you! When you focus on these 5 roles and let key leadership take care of the rest, your agency won't need you for what you used to do, they'll need you for what only you can do. It's never a good idea to focus on growth over doing what you love. When you narrow in on what you want to do and surround yourself with people who support you, you'll begin to have the freedom to pick and choose what you love. Looking for a Payroll and HR Solution for your Agency? Payroll and benefits are hard. Especially when you're a small business. Gusto is making payroll, benefits and HR easy for small businesses. You no longer have to be a big company to get great technology, great benefits and great service to take care of your team. For a limited time, Gusto is offering a deal to Smart Agency Master Class listeners. Check out Gusto.com/agency for 3-months FREE once you run your first payroll with them.

Are you looking for a way to connect with potential new agency clients? Do you want to quit selling and have clients come to you? Case studies are a great way to demonstrate value and put the client first. In today's episode, we'll cover: 3 elements of a perfect case study. How to use case studies like a launch. #1 benefit of detailed case studies. Today I had a chat with David Schloss, founder of Convert ROI, a digital marketing agency. About seven years into running his agency, David discovered the value of case studies and gave his agency new life. He's here to discuss what a great case study looks like and how one simple change will have clients reaching out to you. 3 Elements of a Perfect Case Study When was the last time a case study stopped you in your tracks and made you think, "Wow, I need to work with that person"? The sad truth is, a good share of case studies we see on a regular basis are throwaways. They're no more than 300 words and are more of a brag, rather than educational information. David's been doing case studies for over five years and getting major results (like 7 new leads in just one week). So what does he do differently? Go into detail. You can't really talk about what worked and what didn't in 300 words. If you want your case study to provide value, it needs to be more like 3,000 – 4,000 words. Don't be afraid to really dive into what you did to find success. Provide examples. What type of ads did you use? What did the tough conversations include? Potential clients want to hear what actually worked and how it applies to them. Make it client-focused. Do you want to know why the shorter case studies aren't successful? Because they have a tendency to read like an ad. Clients don't want to hear about you and your agency, they want to know what you can do for them. How to Use Case Studies Like a Launch David says he doesn't put out case studies regularly, it's more like once a year. But when he does release his past results, he puts out a lot at a time (like 10). In this way, he treats his client's case studies more like a launch. He says, if you release case studies too often, prospects will become blind to it. If you've tried case studies in the past, try scaling back. Instead of providing one 300-word snippet once a week, try a larger project every six months. This way, your prospects will see your case studies as an educational opportunity rather than another sales gimmick. Why Do Case Studies Matter? The more detail you can add to a case study the better. David says he begins with where the client started and what they did to see results. This includes their target audience, what type of ads they used, and even offers and price points. "But wait, if I give out all this information, what incentive does the prospect have to come to me?" This is a question I get all the time, but it really has no solid basis. Over the years, I've produced hundreds of videos and hundreds of podcasts and I have no problem finding clients. When you put the information out there, you're providing tangible evidence of the value you provide. Sure someone can go and do the same thing themselves, but in most cases, they're going to come to you to have you replicate the results rather than figuring it out for themselves. The number one benefit of putting it all out there is when a lead comes to you, there's very little selling left to do. Case studies are a great way to provide value and attract new clients. But you've got to put in the work. When you focus on the client instead of trying to sell your agency, you'll have an easier time seeing results. Ready to Outsource Your Content Creation? Do you want to try out Verblio's services and learn how you can simplify your agency's content creation? Verblio has a team of over 3,000 writers plus an amazing staff that helps manage your writing projects and make it even easier to provide quality content for you and your clients. Right now, Verblio is offering two free months of account management services to Smart Agency Masterclass listeners. This offer includes content creation, SEO optimization, and your own personal account manager. For more information, head over to Verblio.com/Easy to learn how your agency's content creation can be easier than ever.

Apprehensive to declare a niche? Worried that being a niche agency will limit your growth? Do you own a full-service agency that's in need of restructuring? Declaring a niche is one of the best ways to set your agency apart, but is it possible to find success with multiple niches? In today's episode, we'll cover: How to demonstrate expertise as a full-service agency. 3 steps to help your agency team adjust to change. Is success possible in more than one niche? Today I sat down with Jeff Hahn, owner of Hahn Public, a public communications and marketing agency. After purchasing a full-service agency, Jeff made a creative decision to split the agency into four practice areas. He's here to discuss the steps he took to make this change, how it worked, and how he made sure his team was on board. How to Demonstrate Expertise as a Full-service Agency You've heard me discuss just how important it is to declare a niche. When a client is looking for an agency, 9 times out of 10 they reach out to someone who is an expert in their niche. If you run a full-service agency, it doesn't matter how good you are, the majority of clients will always see you as a generalist. While this might work for a while, eventually, this model will almost certainly limit your growth. When Jeff purchased his agency, he knew it was important to establish expertise right off the bat. But rather than choose just one niche, he chose four. Jeff took the existing agency and split it up into four separate practice areas. As separate mini-agencies, each was able to focus on their vertical and target a specific audience. While the agency shared resources and was organized around one central team, the division allowed each practice area to gain and demonstrate expertise. 3 Steps to Help Your Agency Team Adjust to Change Whether you're splitting up into four different practice areas or bringing in a new CEO, change can be hard. Your team is your most important asset so it's important to approach major transitions with the care they deserve. There are a few things you can do to help your team adjust to change: Ease into it. Changes are the hardest to accept when they are not communicated well. The best thing you can do for your team is to take it slow. Roll in changes gradually and keep your team informed every step of the way. Show them how. Part of the reason people don't like change is the fear of the unknown. After you've told your team what you want to do, show them how you plan to achieve it. Provide an opportunity to opt-in. Look around and see who's excited about the change. Those who aren't can quickly become a cancer to the rest of the team. When someone's not on board or actively opposed to change, Jeff says he likes to hold a "graduation ceremony" to recognize their contribution and allow that person to move on. Is Success Possible in More Than One Niche? Jeff has proven it is possible to break an agency into smaller, more-focused areas and find success. And maybe this approach will work for you. But Jeff says if there is one thing he could do over it would be to commit to one direction or one idea. When you split an agency into separate practice areas, you still have to market, maintain, and build intellectual property for each one. In this way, it's akin to running four separate agencies at the same time. Sure, it may work out, but it's a lot of extra work. That is why I advise agencies to focus on one niche at a time. Should you run a full-service agency? Should you declare a niche? Ultimately, the decision is up to you. But when you choose your passion and run with it, you'll find you're happier and more likely to find success. Looking for a Payroll and HR Solution for your Agency? Payroll and benefits are hard. Especially when you're a small business. Gusto is making payroll, benefits and HR easy for small businesses. You no longer have to be a big company to get great technology, great benefits and great service to take care of your team. For a limited time, Gusto is offering a deal to Smart Agency Master Class listeners. Check out Gusto.com/agency for 3-months FREE once you run your first payroll with them.

Have you made a pivot in the past few months to adjust to changing times? Are you looking for a way to help your clients connect with their customers, even through this global pandemic? As today's guest says, "Content was king and then it got promoted." Strategic content marketing helps you stay connected and remain top of mind. If you don't have an effective content strategy, you need to create one, now. In today's episode, we'll cover: Why is content creation on the rise right now? 2 reasons content is more important than ever. How you can get more out of your podcast. Today I sat down with my good friend and repeat podcast guest, Steve Pockross, CEO of Verblio, an online content creation agency. Over the past few months, Steve and his team have seen some interesting trends when it comes to how agencies are responding to the economic crisis. He's here to share some of his findings and shed some light on what agencies can expect in the future. Why is Content Creation on the Rise Right Now? It's an interesting time to run a marketing agency. The world is experiencing an economic crisis like never before. As agency owners we've been in a similar position, but never to this extreme. When it comes to content, Steve says he's witnessed some noticeable changes over the past few months. Not surprisingly, when the health crisis began, many agencies came to a screeching halt — nearly 20% of Verblio's clients went on pause. But then there was a shift. As agencies began to get their footing and adjust to the market they realized, "Hey, we need to reach out to people," Verblio saw a jump. By the beginning of May, business from larger and mid-size agency clients was up 26%. With many of the agencies I've worked with, there's been a similar trend. People are home more. They're consuming content like never before. And to be honest, we're all getting a little stir-crazy. As businesses begin to reopen, consumers are searching for you or your clients. 2 Reasons Content is More Important than Ever I hear you, "I've tried content before and it just wasn't my thing." Trust me, content is more important than you think, especially now. Why? The competition has dropped, dramatically. Before the economic crisis, content had to battle with other forms of media for attention. Now that conferences and live events are no longer happening, it's content's time to shine. More people are paying attention. Think about it — how much time do you spend online? Chances are, it's a lot more than this time last year. People are home more, working, studying, and browsing the internet. If you have an online presence, you have a better chance of getting noticed. Tone is important, particularly in this climate. You get to choose how you come across to your audience. One of the best things about content is people can view it at their leisure. While this used to be the bane of marketing professionals in the past, you can now use this to your advantage. How You Can Get More Out of Your Podcast You've heard me say it before — podcasts are a great marketing tool for your digital agency. So where does content come in? When you create a blog post or show notes from your podcast, each episode serves a dual purpose. You get traffic from the actual show and the post. I've used Verblio for my blog posts for several years now. I simply send over a recording of each show and one of their writers takes care of the rest (with some helpful input from my team). You'd be surprised how an external writer can take your podcast and turn it into a keyword-rich thought leadership post with very little work on your end. My audience can listen to the podcast, read the post, or, do both. All this equates to better SEO and higher traffic. If you haven't invested in content, there's no better time than now. Whether you create it in-house or outsource to an agency like Verblio (I recommend the latter), it's only a matter of time before you see results. Ready to Outsource Your Content Creation? Do you want to try out Verblio's services and learn how you can simplify your agency's content creation? Verblio has a team of over 3,000 writers plus an amazing staff that helps manage your writing projects and make it even easier to provide quality content for you and your clients. Right now, Verblio is offering two free months of account management services to Smart Agency Masterclass listeners. This offer includes content creation, SEO optimization, and your own personal account manager. For more information, head over to Verblio.com/Easy to learn how your agency's content creation can be easier than ever.

Are your current marketing methods not yielding enough agency prospects? Wonder how other agencies are prospecting? What unique methods of outbound marketing are working right now? If your agency's traditional marketing techniques aren't producing the type of results you desire, it may be time to think outside the box. In today's episode, we'll cover: Can influencers help your agency grow? Should agencies pay attention to client reviews? How a podcast creates added value. Today I sat down with Luke Peters, owner of Retail Band, a digital agency that helps brands gain greater exposure with major retailers like Amazon and Home Depot. Luke recently started his own agency after several years in the retail world. Today, he's here to talk about how you can grow your agency by creating more client engagement opportunities. Can Influencers Help Your Agency Grow? In today's market, influencers are everywhere. Companies use them to help sell everything from shoes to high-end cosmetics. Luke works with retail brands, so it makes sense to use influencers to gain followers and increase exposure. But what about services? Can influencers promote a service their followers can't even see? In most cases, influencers receive a product from a company and talk about it with their followers through a given social media channel. Whether it's YouTube, Instagram, or Tik Tok, these posts create engagement, promote trust, and ultimately help clients improve SEO results. The end goal is to get people talking. When it comes to services, consider reaching out to an influencer and providing your services for free. If they like it, there's a good chance they'll talk about it. If influencers just aren't a fit for your agency, you can always use LinkedIn, podcasts, or networking to get people talking. Should Agencies Pay Attention to Client Reviews? Remember, you want people talking about you. Luke says you want reviews any place where prospects are checking you out. Reviews on places like Google, Glassdoor, and Yelp can help you build trust and expand your reach. If you have a podcast, these reviews matter too. This type of social proof is like currency and the more you have, the better. It's important to understand not everybody is going to love working with you. Sometimes you will get negative reviews. But if you can build a community that generates a lot more positive reviews, a couple of negative reviews won't matter as much. How a Podcast Creates Added Value I'm a huge proponent of podcasts. A large share of my business comes from podcast listeners. As an agency owner, podcasts are a great way to generate new content and help you meet new people. And often, podcasts are just as valuable to the listener as they are to you. When you create a podcast, it's like you are inviting people to listen in on your conversations. When I created my podcast, my goal was to create a resource I wish I had when I was running my agency. Over the years, I've discovered it's almost impossible to consistently generate unique content. But as you bring on new guests and recycle topics, you'll begin to see recurring themes. The ultimate trust factor is when you bring on guests who talk about what they have done and how it has worked for them. When you invite listeners into this conversation, you create loyalty and your listeners learn something new — a win-win! Whether you have an established agency or you're just starting out, it's always important to find new ways to engage and attract potential clients. Don't pigeonhole yourself into your standard marketing approach. Branch out and try new routes and you're bound to see results.

Are you wondering whether your agency really needs to niche down? Do you struggle to get prospects to take you seriously? Whether you have declared a niche or are running a full-service agency, the secret is owning what you do. In this episode, we'll cover: Should your agency niche down? How to handle sales objections from agency prospects. 3 ways to build relationships. Today I sat down with Bronwyn Mondoux, owner and creative director at Cinnamon Toast, a creative agency based out of Canada. As a full-service agency, Cinnamon Toast has faced some challenges, but over time has found a way to truly thrive in their space. Bronwyn's here to discuss why she's chosen not to niche down and how she has learned to get out of her own way. Should Your Agency Niche Down? I've shared my opinion on the benefits of niching down several times in the past. Declaring a niche helps your agency have a focus and makes it easier for potential clients to understand what you do. That said, that doesn't mean you can't find success as a full-service agency. Bronwnyn says, one of the reasons why she has chosen not to declare a niche is she's worried her team will become bored. They enjoy the variety in clients and industries. And that's a valid concern. You have to make sure you enjoy what you do. At the same time, Bronwyn admits, because they are a full-service firm, most of the client base is localized within the Canadian market. Niching down positions your agency as an authority in that field. Prospects are more likely to work with an agency that understands their business and its challenges. Does your agency have to declare a niche to be successful? No. But it will help you focus on the types of clients you attract. It doesn't mean you can't work with clients outside of that niche. It just means you identify a specific audience to focus on. At the end of the day, it's about what kind of agency you want to run and what makes you and your team happy. How to Handle Sales Objections from Agency Prospects We've all faced that challenge where we just can't get certain clients to sign on. They'll tell you that they'd love to work with you, but there's an excuse for why they can't. Bronwyn says being a youthful, small, and mostly female agency has advantages, but sometimes it's a hard sell. The best way to overcome these difficulties is to lean in. Embrace who you are. If you're a female-led agency, this may mean targeting female-owned companies and showing them "we get you." Is your team really young? If potential clients are looking to target a younger demographic, you're going to understand their needs a lot better than an agency that has more experience but is not as youthful. Discover what makes you different and leverage it as a strength instead of a weakness. 3 Ways to Build Relationships Despite what you hear on the podcast and see in my videos, I'm an introvert. I would rather listen than start a conversation. Bronwyn says she's the same way. As an agency, relationships are critical to your success. So what's an introvert to do? Know what you're good at. Clients work with you for a reason. They need you to provide a service and solve a challenge they cannot solve on their own. If you own an agency, chances are, you're good at what you do. When you acknowledge what you're good at and the value you provide, you'll be more confident when selling to prospects. Make it interesting. What got you interested in what you do? What makes your job exciting? When you're proud of the work you provide, your confidence will shine through. Bring in personal stories and things you've learned to make it interesting. Fake it until you make it. Let's be honest, whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, sometimes you're just not feeling it. Remember, it's okay to fake it to push through. Sometimes all you have to do is make that first connection and the rest will come. As much as anyone can say, "You should do this, or you should do that," there is no right way or wrong way to run an agency. Often focusing on what makes you happy is the best way to find success. Do Your Clients Need Help with Location-Based Marketing? Would you like to help your brick-and-mortar clients so you can drive the right foot traffic to their locations? How about gaining insight into visitor trends for stores, chains, or retailers? Our partner, Reveal Mobile is reinventing how agencies use location-based analytics for geotargeting. They help you bring new insights early in the sales cycle, easily build and deliver location-based audiences with their launch of VISIT Local Free. This is a FREE tool agencies can use to understand their clients' audiences, from foot traffic patterns, store visitors that live and work nearby, frequency of visits, competitive information, and much more. Check out VISIT.RevealMobile.com/Swenk to get your free access to this amazing tool.

Do your clients struggle to understand what you actually offer? Do you make time to work on your agency instead of just in it? Sometimes, agencies lose business because they fail to cross-sell or upsell. But when you educate clients on how your agency can solve their challenges, growth is a sure thing. In today's episode, we'll cover: Does your agency have a marketing strategy? 2 ways to help clients see the value in your services. How to effectively lead your agency team. Today I sat down with Kornel Kurtz, president and CEO of WebTek, a digital creative agency. Recently, Kornel has seen tremendous growth in his agency, and when you find out why, you'll take a closer look at your own agency procedures. He's here to talk about how to prevent clients from choosing other agencies for add-on services and how doing so can make a big difference to your bottom line. Does Your Agency Have a Marketing Strategy? For most of us, marketing is our bread and butter. We can take on a new client and create a marketing campaign that will completely knock it out of the park. We're great at doing this for clients. But when was the last time you looked at your own agency's marketing strategy? Kornel has been in the agency world for over 20 years. And in that time, he has found a lot of success. But over the last two years, WebTek has seen 50% growth year after year. Why? It all comes down to marketing. WebTek has always marketed itself as a web development and SEO agency. But they found beyond that, clients were going to other agencies for additional services. Why? Because WebTek's clients didn't know the agency offered anything besides web development and SEO. When Kornel figured out what was going on, he created all-in-one marketing bundles that provide everything clients need in one convenient package. 2 Ways to Help Clients See the Value of Your Services We've all been to that one restaurant that has so many choices, you skip right to the special. When it comes to marketing, the same concept applies. Clients don't want to have to figure out what they need and make a bunch of choices. That's what you're for. When it comes to showcasing your agency's value, the answer is simple: Offer solutions, not products. Chances are, your clients don't know what they need, they just want to see results. Help the client understand their problem, then offer the solution. Make it measurable. WebTek has an online portal where clients can log in and see a direct connection between a specific marketing campaign and actual results. When clients can easily view and understand the data, and realize ROI, they're more likely to trust your methods. How to Effectively Lead Your Agency Team A lot of us start out as creatives, with no idea how to manage a team. So how do you know when to push and when to pull back? Kornel believes the key is to pick your battles. Some people will be harder to manage than others. Pay attention to which employees need guidance and which ones can use a little room. The goal is to hire a team that supports your vision and shares your goals. Don't tell them what to do. Tell your team the specific outcomes you are looking for and trust them to handle the rest. Employees love autonomy. At the same time, it's important to create procedures your team can reference and add to when necessary so they have a framework. When it comes down to it, no one can sell your services better than you. Make sure your clients know what you offer and can see the value in your services. The results just may surprise you.

Would you like a bigger piece of pie? Do you want a way to serve more clients without generating leads organically? An agency acquisition growth strategy can help you bring in new clients and new talent while rapidly growing your agency. In today's episode, we'll cover: Should your agency invest in an acquisition? How do you know an agency is right for acquisition and merger? 2 things to consider before you close an acquisition deal. #1 way to integrate agency cultures. Today I sat down with Mike Maynard, managing director of Napier B2B, a technology agency based in the UK. Mike started his journey in the agency world as a client and has since bought an agency of his own and acquired two more. He's here to tell us when you should consider an agency acquisition and key tips to make sure you get it right. Should Your Agency Invest in an Acquisition? Most agency owners I encounter aspire to grow their agency bigger and better. So it comes as no surprise, most owners have considered an acquisition at some point or another. So how do you know an acquisition is the right move for your agency? Mike said there are two main reasons he chose to acquire an agency rather than opt for alternative growth strategies.: Client movement was stagnant. The tech industry is known for clients who choose an agency and then sit. There isn't a lot of movement. If you're in an industry where there is a shortage of clients, an acquisition is a great way to acquire new clients who are reluctant to change. A very small margin for error. We've all had that moment where we knew we were just two phone calls away from shutting down. Mike says his largest client made up 80% of his revenue. In other words, he was just ONE phone call away from losing everything. If you are heavily leveraged in one area, an acquisition can help spread out the risk. In this case, an acquisition helped reduce risk and create greater diversity. An acquisition shouldn't be a move you make out of desperation, but instead, a proactive way to increase growth and expand your client portfolio. How Do You Know if an Agency is Right for Acquisition and Merger? Obviously, you don't want to go out and just acquire any agency. It's important to find a good fit. How do you know you've found the right match? Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. A lot of the process comes down to patience and knowing what you want. Mike has acquired two agencies. The second time around, he knew he was looking for a larger agency. As Mike says, he had to kiss a lot of frogs to find the right fit. Be patient. Know what you want and talk to as many agencies as you can. You'll learn a lot through the process that will ultimately help you be successful. 2 Things to Consider Before You Close an Acquisition Deal You've found the perfect agency. Now what? Before you sign on the dotted line, there are a few things you need to look at: Cash flow. What is the recurring revenue? Do they have long-term contracts? Are those contracts transferable? You need to make sure the agency you acquire can justify the investment. How will you fund the acquisition? You should never pay top line when you acquire an agency. Generally, the terms will be a percentage of the top line and some type of earnout. Napier set aside funds early on to put into agency growth. Do you have the means to successfully turn an acquisition? #1 Way to Integrate Agency Cultures Culture is an important part of any agency's success. The last thing you want to do is bring on an established agency that completely clashes with your values and beliefs. The number one way to integrate agency cultures is to look for an agency that has similar beliefs and values. A small amount of discord is a good thing and helps generate ideas and movement. But if you bring on an agency that has substantially different core values, you'll have a hard time ever getting the two to mesh. An agency acquisition is a great way to grow your client base, bring on new talent, and serve new areas. But it's important to make sure it's the right first. Be patient, do your homework, and know how to tell when the deal is right for you.

Do you struggle to find clients that align with your core values? Are you looking for a way to be able to choose who you work with? When you have a clear understanding of your true north and share your vision with others, the perfect clients will find you. In today's episode, we'll cover: How your true north can help you find your agency's niche. 3 ways to pick and choose your ideal clients. Why your agency needs to put people first. Today I sat down with Eric Kiker agency partner at LRXD, a full-service digital agency in the health and happiness sector. Eric has been with the agency for 8 years and considers himself the chief relationship officer. He's here to talk about how you can get to a point where you can choose your own clients and the importance of knowing who you are as an agency. How Your True North Can Help You Find Your Agency's Niche Your true north is where you see your agency and how you want your business to grow. While we often think of true north as agency values and culture, your vision should be at the core of determining your agency's niche. When we talk about niche, we often think about what type of businesses we want to work with or what services we will provide. But the true question is: "What type of values do you want to align yourself with?" LXRD focuses on the health and happiness sector. They choose to work with companies whose goal is to bring health and happiness to the world. If a prospect is just in it for the money, they're not a good fit. Take some time to figure out the types of clients your agency wants to work with, rather than focusing on specific industries. 3 Ways to Pick and Choose Your Ideal Clients Every agency owner wants to get to a point where they can pick and choose who they work with. But often, this is easier said than done. Sometimes all it takes is a change in perspective: Focus on people, not brands. Too often we get caught up in big-name brands or clients who are the most profitable. But at the end of the day, the goal is to enjoy what you do. When you focus on the people and core values, you'll have an easier time finding a match. Put your vision out there. As agency owners, we're natural salespeople. We have a habit of telling potential clients what we think they want to hear. Don't be afraid to be proud of your vision and put it out there. Not everyone will like you or believe in your mission and that's okay. The ones that do are the ones you want to work with anyway. Be patient You won't get to a place where you can choose who you work with overnight. It took LRXD nearly five years to get to this point. If you focus on people and look for opportunities for growth, the business will take care of itself. Why Your Agency Needs to Put People First People should be at the core of your true north. As an agency CEO, you should be the face of the agency. People have to know what you stand for. It may sound corny, but sometimes you have to lead with your heart before your head. Any agency can pull together numbers, provide analytics, or a stellar sales pitch, what makes you unique is your attitude and values. When people know who you are and what you believe, there is no trickery or convincing. There will be plenty of people who dig what you do and those are the people you want to work with. Finding the right clients won't happen all at once. But once you begin working with the people you should be working with you're going to be way more profitable, have the freedom to pick and choose, and be able to afford to bring on the right people.

Do your clients struggle to find consistency, working with multiple agencies to create an advertising campaign? Are you looking for a way to add more value to your clients? When you build out and provide more services, your clients are more likely to choose you. In today's episode, we'll cover: Why clients want your agency to do more. How branching out can help you find your agency's niche. 3 steps to creating a team that supports your vision. Today, I sat down with Meny Hoffman, CEO of Ptex Group, a full-service digital marketing agency. Meny started his agency over 18 years ago and has learned a lot about culture, customer satisfaction, and creating a business model that works. He's here to discuss how to find your niche while delivering multiple services and creating a culture of excellence. Why Clients Want Your Agency to Do More Over the years, I have talked to a lot of agency owners. And a good deal of them find the one thing they are good at and really knock it out of the park. But imagine what would happen if you were able to provide a team of experts to your client who can address all of their needs? Instead of going to one agency for branding, one for web development, and one for SEO, they can get everything they need under one roof? Ptex Group has multiple departments that each focus on one component of the marketing strategy. There's a division for branding, one for design, and one for web development — they even have a call center! When you provide a comprehensive service your client will see greater consistency and they won't have to go somewhere else for the next step, a win-win! How Branching Out Can Help Your Find Your Agency's Niche I've said it before and I'll say it again, you can't underestimate the value of declaring your niche. The reason Meny's model works is he is not trying to provide all types of services for all types of industries. If you are going to provide a larger range of services, you need to find your niche. A lot of people are reactive to the market — they're afraid to go all in. The best way to find opportunities (and discover what you're good at) is to get down in the trenches. Go wide and let the market tell you where you are successful. Remember, your niche won't always be where you have the most clients. You have to find a path that aligns with your vision, passion, and your team's skill set. When you bring your team into the conversation, you're more likely to find success. 3 Steps to Creating a Team That Supports Your Vision At the end of the day, this model won't work unless you have a solid team to back you up. So how do you find the right people that will support your vision? It all comes down to culture. It goes without saying, culture is more than ping-pong tables and babysitting (Meny calls these perks). To be successful, you have to create a culture of excellence. Where do you start? Walk the walk. You can't just put your values up on the wall. You have to live and breathe your core values. Culture is actionable and is what you do and what you say, not something that's written on a poster. Give room to grow. When you give your team infrastructure and autonomy to make decisions and grow, they're able to shine and add value to the team. Be open and approachable. Talk to your team. "How's it going?" "What can we do better for you?" "How can you provide more?" Often it's the little conversations to engage employees that make the biggest difference. At the end of the day, we're here to provide our clients with a quality service. The more you're able to meet your client's needs, the greater the opportunity you'll have to grow. Do Your Clients Need Help with Location-Based Marketing? Would you like to help your brick-and-mortar clients so you can drive the right foot traffic to their locations? How about gaining insight into visitor trends for stores, chains, or retailers? Our partner, Reveal Mobile is reinventing how agencies use location-based analytics for geotargeting. They help you bring new insights early in the sales cycle, easily build and deliver location-based audiences with their launch of VISIT Local Free. This is a FREE tool agencies can use to understand their clients' audiences, from foot traffic patterns, store visitors that live and work nearby, frequency of visits, competitive information, and much more. Check out VISIT.RevealMobile.com/Swenk to get your free access to this amazing tool.

Do you struggle to find the right way to motivate your agency team? What's the right balance between sharing too much and not sharing enough? Are you looking for an effective way to incentivize your employees? Your team is your agency's biggest asset. When you create a team that shares the same common goals and who all work hard to get there, everyone wins. In today's episode, we'll cover: How transparent should you be with your team? 2 Reasons why your agency's bonus structure matters. 3 Ways to create a culture for employee retention. Today, I had the opportunity to sit down with Chris Slocumb, president and founder of Clarity Quest Marketing, a boutique agency dealing solely with biotech and the healthcare space. Chris jumped to the agency world after she realized there was a serious gap in the market when it came to agencies equipped to handle the biotech market. Right off the bat, Chris made it her mission to create a culture where people are the number one focus. Chris shares how she was able to build a rock-solid team and how that team has helped her agency grow. How Transparent Should You be with Your Team? It's a problem agency owners struggle with every day — "How do I make sure my team has enough information, without sharing too much?" What exactly is too much? Chris says, when it comes to running her agency, her goal is to be as transparent as possible. Obviously, she can't share information about everyone's salaries, but everything else is pretty much fair game. Chris believes, the more information her team has, the better decisions they'll make. She also believes by sharing revenue, profit margins, and timekeeping, everyone on the team has a greater feeling of ownership. 2 Reasons Why Your Agency's Bonus Structure Matters Do you have a bonus structure in place at your agency? There are many ways to incentivize your employees, and each has an impact on how hard your team works and how valued they feel. So what does a good bonus structure look like? At Clarity Quest, Chris uses an annual bonus and quarterly bonuses to motivate her team. The team gets a quarterly bonus when they all come together to meet a specific goal by the end of each quarter. The annual bonuses focus on the roles of each individual. Chris says there are two main reasons why this structure has worked at her agency: Continued motivation. When you spread out bonuses throughout the year, employees have something to look forward to. This, in turn, keeps them engaged and inspired. When your team has to wait an entire year for a bonus, it can feel too far out of reach. Cause and effect. There will be some quarters where your agency doesn't meet its goals. It happens. When you use a quarterly bonus system, your team is more likely to remember exactly what mistakes caused them to lose out on their quarterly bonus. 3 Ways to Create a Culture for Employee Retention No agency owner wants to put in the hard work of finding an employee, training them, and watching them grow, only to watch that same employee walk out the door a few years down the road. So how do you retain employees and in turn, help your agency succeed? At the end of the day, it all comes down to culture. At the core, there are a few main things every employee wants — to feel valued, to be happy, and to enjoy what they do. How do you provide a culture where your team is happy and devoted to your agency's success? Provide opportunities to grow. Nobody wants to feel like they're expected to know too much in a short amount of time. In the same regard, you don't want your team to be bored. Pay attention to what your employees want and create a culture where they can move up and advance on their own terms. Create training opportunities. Be there to support your employees and make sure they have the tools to succeed. Keep stress levels to a minimum. This one sounds easier said than done. But really, if you can find a way to reduce stress and increase job satisfaction, you're all more likely to be happy with your job. If you want a great team you have to build and support it. Successful teams don't just happen on their own. When you treat your employees like a cohesive group and not a bunch of individuals, they're more likely to share your goals, and ultimately help your agency grow.

How can you give your brick-and-more clients a bigger ROI? Are you looking for a way to drive more traffic to your retail clients? Location-based marketing, or geotargeting is an effective way to learn about customer behaviors so you can analyze habits and trends to drive new business for your clients. Better results for them means more new business for you. In this episode, we'll cover: 2 reasons geotargeting is better than traditional marketing. Should your agency offer location-based marketing? Is location-based marketing right for your agency clients? Today I talked to Dan Dillon, VP of Marketing at Reveal Mobile, a location-based marketing and analytics agency. Reveal Mobile helps clients analyze customer behavior and use that information to create effective marketing campaigns. Dan's here to discuss how location-based marketing works and what your agency needs to do to be successful. 2 Reasons Geotargeting Is Better Than Traditional Marketing In a constantly changing space, it can feel like a never-ending battle to keep up with technology and trends. So what separates geotargeting from all those other trends and makes it stand out as one your agency should invest in? Greater insight into customer behavior: Imagine what it would be like if you could tell your client not only how many visitors they had, but where those visitors went before and after their visit? Geotargeting allows you to take a deep dive into customer behavior to analyze habits, preferences, and why some customers never return. Targeted marketing to potential customers. Just because a customer doesn't stop by your client's business, that doesn't mean you can't still get a sale. With geotargeting, you can see customers' buying habits and trends and specifically target to that market. Should Your Agency Offer Location-Based Marketing? To put it simply, geotargeting allows you to be more efficient with your marketing dollars. When you can offer potential clients greater insight, they are more likely to see the value of your services. Often, clients don't realize specific characteristics about their customers, and presenting this information can be a real eye-opener. The benefit of geotargeting means driving more of the right visitors to your client. You can use location-based marketing data to build custom audiences for Google and Facebook ads while really zeroing in on results for your clients. It's a win-win! Is Location-Based Marketing Right for Your Agency Clients? If you're like me, the whole concept of geotargeting sounds a little too much like "Minority Report." So how can you make sure location-based marketing is right for you before you dive in? Dan says it's simple — do your homework. Many services like Google Ads and Facebook Ad Manager already allow customers to use geotargeting on a smaller level to analyze customer behavior. Try this first. While you won't have the level of customization or flexibility that you would with a full-service provider, you can experiment and see what kind of return you get. After you give it a try, the numbers will tell you what to do next. Location-based marketing provides your clients with valuable information they would not otherwise have access to. Your job is to help your clients figure out what to do with that information. When you're willing to think outside of the box and offer unique services, you're more likely to see big results. Ready to see what location-based marketing can do for your agency? Reveal Mobile has a special offer just for Smart Agency Masterclass listeners. Head over to Visit.RevealMobile.com/Swenk to learn more and sign up today.

Is your agency struggling due to the current economy? Are your clients pulling back? Now is not the time to panic! Learn how your agency can thrive during this economic crisis and how to be prepared for the future. In today's episode, we'll cover: 2 Things agencies can learn from the current economic crisis. How to start acting like an agency CEO. 3 Steps to preparing for the agency's future. Today I had a timely and informative chat with Michael White, CEO of Lively Worldwide, a creative agency. Michael got his start in the agency world nearly 20 years ago, but recently made a major pivot when it comes to how he does business. Michael is here to discuss how these changes set him up for the economic crisis, and how you can prepare your agency for any circumstance. 2 Things Agencies Can Learn from the Current Economic Crisis We don't like to say it, but the current economic crisis has taught us all a few useful lessons. I always look at situations like this as an opportunity for agencies to prove who's got what it takes and weed out the ones who don't. If you're paying attention, there are a few things you can learn from the current economic climate: Digital is more important than ever. At a time when people can't go to work, go to school, or even go outside, businesses are turning to digital agencies to help them develop strategies to continue to reach people and do business as usual. As a digital agency, this is not a time when you should be struggling and shutting down. If you are doing business right, this is the perfect climate to thrive. Those who do best are the ones who don't panic. The economic climate is changing. You may have to develop new strategies or double down on current investments. Now is not the time that panic. People are struggling to survive quite simply because they are freaking out. You need to choose not to participate in the recession. How to Start Acting Like an Agency CEO CEO is not just a title, it's a position. You can't just call yourself the CEO, you have to act like one. In most cases, this means letting go of some of the control and thinking about the bigger picture. Michael said he finally had time to start planning for the future and developing strategies when he started delegating and empowering his team to be more accountable. As agency owners, we have a tendency to throw ourselves all in and try to do everything. Not only is this the quickest way to burn out, but it forces you to be reactive instead of proactive. Listen to me — let go. 3 Steps to Preparing for the Agency's Future So how do you learn from the current economic crisis and not just survive, but thrive? How do you make it through this challenging time and make sure you're prepared for the next economic downturn? (Because it will happen.) Do your research. Michael tries to take in as much information as he can. The more you can learn, the more you can prepare. Talk to your colleagues, listen to podcasts, read, read, read. Take it all in and learn. Have a plan for any and all circumstances. I read a story about how Wimbledon bought pandemic insurance a few years ago. Nobody else saw what was going on. But now that the tournament has been canceled, their foresight and preparedness are paying off. Reevaluate your business strategy (often). Michael says you shouldn't ever create a business strategy without making changes every couple of years. The world is changing so fast if you don't do a thorough check-up every two or so years, you almost certainly won't be prepared for changes in the economy. The economic climate is changing and you can count on it changing again. The key is to be prepared so when the next economic downfall happens, you'll be ready to capitalize on the opportunities instead of fighting to survive.

Are you struggling to retain agency clients? Having trouble helping them appreciate the value of your service? Do your clients even know all of what do? Communication is the key to retaining agency clients. And you might not be communicating as well as you think. If you don't communicate it, it didn't happen. In today's episode, we'll cover How to help your clients see the value of your agency. 3 Ways to increase client communication and retain more clients. Why you should always err on the side of over-communication. Today I sat down with Jordan West, founder, co-owner, and COO at Mindful Marketing, a digital marketing agency focusing primarily on e-commerce. Jordan started his career as a small business owner and quickly found, the more he communicated, the more his company grew. With that, he became an accidental agency owner. Jordan's here to discuss what he has learned about effective communication and how it can make all the difference when it comes to your agency's success. How to Help Your Clients See the Value of Your Agency Have you ever put your blood, sweat, and tears into a project, only to have your client jump ship and find someone new? If so, you're not alone. I've been there. Jordan's been there. Most agency owners have been there. And 99% of the time, it comes down to one thing — communication. It doesn't matter how hard you work if your client doesn't know what you are doing. Jordan says his agency has a mantra, "If we didn't communicate it, it never got done." In other words, if you don't tell your client about all the work you put in behind the scenes, how are they supposed to know? The number one way to help your clients see the value in your work is to communicate. Check-in with your clients. Schedule weekly phone calls. Tell them what you are doing. It's great when the work speaks for itself, but that's not enough. 3 Ways to Increase Client Communication Communication is important. So how do you make sure there is productive communication going back and forth on a regular basis? Get your client involved. Sure, your client counts on you to make a lot of the major decisions, but that doesn't mean you can't have them weigh in. Do you have a successful ad campaign that might benefit from a little extra spending? Make sure your team is talking to the client and let them make the choice. Create availability and accessibility. Not all clients want to talk on the phone. That's fine. Your project managers need to understand this means they need to go the extra mile to communicate their availability. This means leaving the calendar open for active clients to request a check-in and scaling up communication in other forms like emails and text messages. Benchmark your client's progress. When you do communicate with your client, make sure you can show them the value of your service. Provide benchmarks that show where they started, where they are now, and future projections. Why You Should Always Err on the Side of Over-communication "But Jason, I'm all over communication. This is one area I don't have to worry about." Really? Do you have a 100% client retention rate? Do your clients understand what you do so well that they literally never ask you any questions? No? There is always room for more communication. Take a look at your messages. When was the last time you sent an email to your biggest client? Your smallest client? If it has been more than a week, it's been too long. Communication is vital in everything you do. If you don't communicate enough, you're going to fail. Plus, as an added bonus, the more you communicate and help your clients understand what you do, the more likely they are to send you referrals. If you don't communicate with your clients, you leave them questioning and guessing what you do and how you help. Don't assume your clients know the value of your work. When you take the time to communicate and actually be there for your clients, they're more likely to be loyal to you. Want to help your e-commerce clients convert increase CRO? Our partner, Justuno, offers an AI solution that captures leads, personalizes messaging, and gathers audience analytics. Justuno is SaaS that features pop-ups and messaging that can be tailored to your client's target audience from paid ads, mobile, desktop, and even former customers who haven't purchased in a while. This helps your agency control ad costs and increase engagement for improved SEO. With more than 20 years in e-commerce, Justuno is trusted by hundreds of agencies and thousands of businesses around the world. And for a limited time, Justuno is offering FREE unlimited agency accounts to Smart Agency Masterclass listeners. Head over to Justuno.com/Jason to get started.

Are you looking for a way to attract your ideal client? Have you considered hosting a live event as a prospecting tactic? An event is a great way to gather like-minded individuals and maybe even meet a few potential clients along the way. And yes, we all will be meeting in large groups again one day! In today's episode, we'll cover: #1 Key to hosting a successful event. How to get prospects excited about your event. How to use adversity to build connections. Today I had an inspiring chat with Jordan Kallman, co-owner of The Social Concierge, an event marketing agency. Jordan has spent many years in the event industry and has created events for some of the world's biggest companies. Today, he's here to talk about a few things you should and shouldn't do in order to host a successful event. #1 Key to Hosting a Successful Event One of the biggest mistakes people make when planning an event is diving right in. Regardless of what type of event you have in mind or what type of guests you want to attract, Jordan says there are two things people don't realize about planning an event. Hosting an event is a lot more expensive than you think it is. It's harder than you realize to get people to show up. Because of this, it's extremely important to start with your why or your purpose. Why do you want to host an event? People don't want to go to an event where they feel like you are constantly trying to sell something. They're too busy and don't want to waste their time. When most people go to an event they are looking to learn something new and build connections. The number one way to be successful and attract the right people is to dial in on your messaging and intention. How to Get Prospects Excited About Your Event Let's face it — we're all busy and we all have other commitments. If you're like me, the prospect of going to another event is anything but exciting. Jordan says you should always count on a good number of people backing out or simply not showing up. If you want 100 people to attend your event, you need to invite 300. So how do you get people excited about your event and motivate people to show up? Give attendees an expectation of value. Be clear about what people will get out of attending your event. Will there be a special speaker? Will they learn something new? And if so, what? You have to give your guests a reason to want to be there. Time is valuable. Promote your event. Now is the time to pick up the phone and talk to your invitees. Tell them how they will benefit from attending your event. Don't stick to just one channel. Promote your event through social, email, and behind the scenes videos. Over-communicate to align with expectations. When you get people excited before the event, they're more likely to share the opportunity with other people. Build connections before the event. Get personal and connect people before the big day. No one likes to go to an event where they know they won't know anyone there. Introduce a few people before an event and get them talking. People are more likely to show up if they feel like they already connected to other attendees. How to Use Adversity to Build Connections The goal of most events is to bring people together. Don't let your guests sit through a boring lecture, counting down the minutes until they can leave. Plan events that allow people to open up and share a common connection. It all starts with being a good host. Greet your guests and let them know why they are there. But beyond that, there are a few basic things you can do to get your guests to open up. Try a unique approach to introductions. Chances are, if you're holding an event, most of the people will be from the same industry. So instead of asking people who they are and what they do, be creative with your introductions. Ask attendees to talk about their passion or an area they struggle in. This can help people build deeper connections and find common ground. Don't shy away from adversity. You'd be surprised how much a common struggle brings people together. During my mastermind retreat, we hiked 800 feet up a mountain on the first day. This experience provided a shared sense of accomplishment and a common challenge we all had to overcome. You don't have to climb a mountain at your event; adversity can be as simple as talking about challenges in your field, or common struggles. Events are a great way to get your ideal clients all in one place. But they take time and planning. When you take the time to carefully craft an event and make sure people show up, you'll be on your way to being able to pick and choose who you work with. Are you looking for a simple solution to document your agency's SOP's? If you want to keep your team working smarter and not harder, you need to check out what our partners at Trainual have to offer. Trainual is the top-rated software for keeping teams aligned and accountable from anywhere. Their software makes growing your agency easier than ever by keeping all your "how-t

Are you looking for more predictability in your business model? Do you find your agency is barely treading water and are looking for a way to thrive? No matter what sector you're in or how much experience you have, most people have a competitive advantage — the one trait that sets them apart. The sooner you can recognize yours, the sooner you'll be able to find success. In today's episode, we'll cover: How to find your agency's perfect niche. Do you capitalize on your agency's competitive advantage? 3 Ways to win over committees and boards. Today I sat down with Yareli Esteban, CEO and president of Strategar, a full-service advertising agency. Yareli started her career working with a lot of big-name companies. But after 14 years, she knew she wanted a change. Yareli is here to discuss why she chose the niche she is in and how she discovered what sets her agency apart. How to Find Your Agency's Perfect Niche When you start an agency, you have to make a lot of decisions. What do I stand for? Who's going to join me? Where do I want to end up? But one of the most important questions is, "Who do you help?" In other words, what is your niche? I talk about niche all the time. Declaring a niche sets you apart and makes all the difference in the type of clients you attract. So how do you find the right niche for your agency? One of the most important things you can do is figure out what type of client you want to work with. For Yareli, she liked the idea of long-term contracts and predictability. She also wanted to break away from the blue-chip industries and focus more on non-profits and smaller corporations. Now she works largely with government agencies. The more you work with new clients and talk to your network, the more you'll discover how different industries work. Focus on what your priorities and goals are and pay attention to what type of companies and what type of industries will help you get there. Do You Capitalize on Your Agency's Competitive Advantage? Everyone has a competitive advantage, whether they recognize it or not. The sooner you capitalize on your competitive advantage, the sooner you will be able to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Anyone who has ever worked with the government knows they deal solely with RFPs. If you're like me, the simple utterance of RFPs makes you run in the opposite direction. But for Straegar, they've figured out their own system and can hammer out an RFP in no time. The fact that they easily do something many agency owners run away from is their competitive advantage. It not only helps them when they deal with government agencies but similar agencies as well. Find out what you are good at and run with it. 3 Ways to Win Over Committees and Boards One of the reasons so many of us avoid working with the government is they have a strict and rigid structure. Generally, in order to get something approved, it has to pass through waves of red tape and various departments. The same goes for committees. When you have a board of 5, 10 people, it is a lot harder to get them all on the same page. Whether you are working with the government, a committee, or a team of executives, there are going to be many times when you have to convince a group of people your agency is the right choice. The key is finding the common denominator. Active listening. Bring your whole self to every meeting. Pay attention to what prospects are saying and what they are asking. Context cues. You can tell a lot about what someone is thinking simply by watching their body language. If they are staring at their phone instead of looking at you, you're losing them. Time to switch gears. Provide 3 simple goals. Humans can process about three things at a time. Come in with an action plan of 3 things you want to do for the client right off the bat. When you have a plan in place and can show your clients the path moving forward, they'll have an easier time getting on the same page. As an agency owner, you'll quickly find that everyone is fighting for the same thing. Often, it's not about who's the best, it's about who stands out. When you can find your competitive advantage and capitalize on it, you're less likely to get lost in the crowd. Want to help your e-commerce clients convert increase CRO? Our partner, Justuno, offers an AI solution that captures leads, personalizes messaging, and gathers audience analytics. Justuno is SaaS that features pop-ups and messaging that can be tailored to your client's target audience from paid ads, mobile, desktop, and even former customers who haven't purchased in a while. This helps your agency control ad costs and increase engagement for improved SEO. With more than 20 years in e-commerce, Justuno is trusted by hundreds of agencies and thousands of businesses around the world. And for a limited time, Justuno is offering FREE unlimited agency accounts to Smart Agency Masterclass listeners. Head over to Justuno.com/Jason to get started.

Do you know your agency's purpose? Have you established a solid framework? When you know what you do and have a process to follow, both your agency and your client are more likely to find success. In today's episode, we'll cover: 2 Reasons your agency should put purpose before profit. How to set up your agency's framework. How your agency can cut through the clutter. Today I sat down with Robin Whalen, president of Church and State, an independent marketing agency. Robin has been in the agency world for over two decades, and during that time, she has seen a lot of changes. She's here to discuss how developing a solid framework can make everything else so much easier. 2 Reasons Why Your Agency Should Put Purpose Before Profit We all got in the agency world to make lots and lots of money, right? No. Just me? Kidding aside, as agency owners, we have a tendency to look at the bottom line and set goals based on those numbers. I hear it all the time — agency owners tell me they want to have 5X margins within a certain number of years, or they'll say, "I want a team of 50 people by the end of next year." It's great to set goals, but if you want to be successful, you need to put purpose before profits. Why? Your time is important. We all remember staying up until 4 am burning the midnight oil. But as the agency realm shifts, bags under your eyes are no longer a badge of honor. Work/life balance is important for you and your team. You're able to set clear goals. When you prioritize profits, you lose your focus on what type of agency you want to become. What you really need to be thinking about is what type of services you want to provide, what type of clients you want to work with, and what type of culture you want your agency to have. How to Set Up Your Agency's Framework When you have a solid framework, everything else has a way of falling into place. Plus, you'll gain your clients' trust when you have proven processes in place. But how do you develop a successful framework? It goes back to knowing your purpose. What type of agency do you want to be? What is your guiding force or true north? Robin says brands are known by three things: what they think, what they do, and what they say. Focus on these areas because when what you think, do, and say don't line up, you have a serious integrity problem. At Church and State, the three leaders all have their own goals and their own distinct specialties. However, they all come together for one solid goal, to create the bridge between content and advertising. Find your goal and what guides you and implement a process that supports it. How Your Agency Can Cut Through the Clutter Think about what you are saying to your clients and prospects. How great is your reach? Sure, you spend countless hours creating and developing campaigns for your clients, but what about your agency? You need to cut through the clutter and let everyone know you are here. This may come in a few different forms. Robin says her agency has written a book, delivers marketing presentations, and recently started a podcast. You don't have to do all these, but you do need to put yourself out there. If you're just starting out, this can be as simple as consistent social media posts. If you have some experience under your belt, I highly suggest a podcast to gain authority and generate leads. Focusing on profit will only get you so far. At the end of the day, you have to remember why you started your agency. Start with your purpose, develop a framework, and create a culture that supports your vision. Are you looking for a simple solution to document your agency's SOP's? If you want to keep your team working smarter and not harder, you need to check out what our partners at Trainual have to offer. Trainual is the top-rated software for keeping teams aligned and accountable from anywhere. Their software makes growing your agency easier than ever by keeping all your "how-to's" and "need-to-know's" in one place. With dozens of customizable templates, Trainual is an affordable way to increase consistency in the way your team works on repeatable processes. For a limited time, Trainual is offering our podcast listeners a free the Smart Agency Masterclass Agency Onboarding Template pre-loaded into your account when you signup.

Do you have what it takes to be a successful agency owner? Are you afraid you've hit the ceiling of your own success? What are the traits and disciplines of successful agency owners? Why your agency might need a fresh perspective. How can agencies survive the economic downturn? 2 disciplines every agency owner needs. Are you built for successful agency ownership? Where are you on the entrepreneurial range? Today I had the great privilege of talking with Gino Wickman, founder of EOS Worldwide and author of Traction. With 30+ years of entrepreneurial experience, Gino has helped 100,000 entrepreneurs build amazing companies with is systems and training. Today, he's talking about vision, partners, and knowing whether you have what it takes to be the kind of entrepreneur you want to be. Why Your Agency Might Need a Fresh Perspective Almost thirty years ago, at the age of 25, Gino ended up replacing a partner and president at his father's business and turned it around in what he outlines as a 4 steps process. Simplify the business. There were 5 subdivisions under the umbrella of the larger company which, over time, Gino spun off so they could get back to the core business. This is why we often talk about being the jack of all trades and the master of none. I preach it all the time, right? Do one thing and do it better than anyone. Win back every client. Gino says that as the family business took off, they got cocky and lost key clients. Listening to those former clients, learning from mistakes, and growing because of it was a huge step in the rebirth of the business. Restructure the organization. At the time, there were 50 people at the company. Gino reorganized them all and got the right people int the right seats. Of course, there were firings and layoffs as he stripped the business down its core, too. But simplifying the org chart made a huge difference in accountability. Sell, sell, sell. The final step Gino took was to pay off the company's mound of debt. What's the best way to do that? He says they sold their asses off and just focused on their core service to not over complicate things. How Can Agencies Survive the Economic Downturn? A business coach once told Gino that every business runs in 10-year cycles. You have two great years, six good years, and two terrible years that could put you out of business. The economy has been good for a long time and we shouldn't be surprised that there's a downturn right now. (Of course "why" is a different story!) But, don't be surprised in 10 years when this happens again. Like me, Gino has run businesses during the dot-bomb, 9/11, and 2008 crash. Economic downturns are cyclical. And while it does suck, it is also an opportunity to get clear and do some 'weeding.' It gives you time to reevaluate your business, get back to your core values, figure out what you're best at, and develop your next 10-year plan. The best advice right now? Get as close to your clients as possible. Give, help, teach. It's in these times when market share is gained. It's been two months. We've had time to settle it. It's time to get back at it. Sure, the pie has got smaller, but you can still get the larger piece while others are being lazy right now. And don't be short-sighted. Don't react to the market with fear of losing everything. Gino encourages every entrepreneur to think in 10-year targets or 10-year goals. There is light at the end of the tunnel but you have to think long term in addition to short term actions. 2 Disciplines Every Agency Owner Needs In Gino's new book, The Entrepreneurial Leap, Gino walks the reader through three parts of what it takes to be a great entrepreneur: Confirm you are an entrepreneur. Glimpse, show the light. Path to greatly increase the odds of success. As well as 8 disciplines we all need in order to be successful. He covered two of those in detail for our listeners: 1. Determine whether you're a partner person. Are you a partner person? Not everyone is cut out to have or be a partner. On the other hand, some people need a partner to help with decision making or that has a complementary skill set. Learning whether you're a partner person will help you succeed. 2. Get feedback from clients early and often. You should know your clients better than they know themselves. The only way your business is going to flourish is if you evolve and change with your niche's needs. You need to be in a position to see what they need before they see what they need. Like Henry Ford said, "If I listened to everything my customers wanted, I would have given them a faster horse." When you know them better than they know themselves you're going to be indispensable. Are You Built for Successful Agency Ownership? Gino says 10-year thinking means knowing where you want to land ten years from now. What's the end goal? Then every decision you make today be thinking out 10 years. Time slows down and you make better decisions and get there faster. As an entrepreneur, you need to know

How is your agency surviving the economic crisis? How can a great agency culture help during a downturn in the economy? As an agency owner, there's nothing more important than knowing your values and surrounding yourself with people who are working toward the same common goal, especially at times like these. In today's episode, we'll cover: Is your agency prepared for the economic crisis? 2 Reasons you should always start with why. 3 Ways to find the right people for your agency team. Today, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mark Emond, founder and president of Demand Spring, a revenue marketing agency. Over the past several years, Demand Spring has grown to nearly 20 employees who work in different parts of the world. Mark is here to discuss why it's important to know your agency's vision and how to create a team that supports your vision. Is Your Agency Prepared for the Economic Crisis? I always like to look at recessions and economic changes as a cleansing. Those that are prepared and are good at what they do will succeed. The rest of the agencies who are just winging it and reacting to the economic changes are the ones who really struggle. There are a few things you can do to make sure you are in a good position. Prepare in advance. It's harder to make the right decisions when you're doing so under pressure or in a panic. Identify which costs you can cut. Try to avoid cutting manpower. Instead, look at your billing and eliminate any recurring spending that is eating away at your margins. Work with your vendors to see what kind of allowances can be made for pausing or extensions. Know your why. When you can tell your clients why your service matters and what you provide, they will have a hard time letting you go. 2 Reason Why You Should Always Start with Why Most of you have heard me talk about knowing your why. Your why is your purpose or reason for doing what you do. It's your driving force that inspires and motivates you. Knowing and understanding your why is key to growing your agency because: It will make the hiring process easier. Think about the last employee you hired. Were they a good fit? If you don't know what your agency stands for, how are you supposed to hire employees that will help you achieve your goals? You'll be able to provide more to your clients. How can your clients understand the value of your services if you don't even understand why you are providing them? When you know your values and the culture you want to create, you will have an easier time providing exceptional customer service at every touchpoint. 3 Ways to Find the Right People for Your Agency Team Let's be honest, building a team you love is hard. It takes a lot of work to find people that support your values, support your team, and are actually good at what they do. But the good news is, there's a large pool of candidates out there right now. Your team can quite literally be the difference between success and failure. So how do you find people right for your agency? Bring in your team to help conduct the interviews. Obviously, the final decision about who you bring on board is yours, but culture-fit is important. When you get the opinions of current employees, you're more likely to find a good fit. Dig deep. Don't ask for references. Just don't. Candidates aren't going to hand over a bad reference. Instead, do a little digging. Mark says he usually jumps onto LinkedIn to reach out to second connections. These people are the ones who will truly know a candidate's strengths and weaknesses and will be able to provide greater insight into whether they will fit into your culture. Hire for attitude and culture (and be creative with your questions). If part of your culture is being resourceful and scrappy, don't ask a candidate if they are "resourceful and scrappy." Of course, they are going to say yes. Instead, ask them questions that will help you determine their likelihood of fitting in. Values and culture can help you stand out from a crowd of "me too" agencies. During an economic downturn, this is more important than ever. Start with why and you'll find you'll have an easier time getting the rest to fall into place. Want to help your e-commerce clients convert increase CRO? Our partner, Justuno, offers an AI solution that captures leads, personalizes messaging, and gathers audience analytics. Justuno is SaaS that features pop-ups and messaging that can be tailored to your client's target audience from paid ads, mobile, desktop, and even former customers who haven't purchased in a while. This helps your agency control ad costs and increase engagement for improved SEO. With more than 20 years in e-commerce, Justuno is trusted by hundreds of agencies and thousands of businesses around the world. And for a limited time, Justuno is offering FREE unlimited agency accounts to Smart Agency Masterclass listeners. Head over to Justuno.com/Jason to get started.

Do you struggle with pricing? Is your agency getting paid what it's really worth? Are you a victim of scope creep but not sure how to put an end to it? The sooner you can recognize the value of your service and begin charging appropriately, the sooner clients will begin paying you what you deserve. In today's episode, we'll cover: How relationships play a role in agency pricing. 3 ways to determine what you are worth. #1 way to eliminate scope creep. Today I sat down with Brian DeMarco, CEO of Draftr Media. If you're a longtime football fan, you might recognize Brian from his time as an NFL offensive lineman. But today, Brian's here to talk business. He's here to talk about a topic many agency owners struggle with — how to start charging what you are worth. How Relationships Play a Role in Agency Pricing We've all been there — that internal battle about how much to charge for your services. Brian says one of the things that helps him feel comfortable charging a specific price is the relationships his agency has built with their clients. Brian says he always likes to ask his clients about their family and their lives and actually get to know them as people. It's not just good manners; it's good business. It seems counterintuitive — you'd think the more you get to know someone, the harder it would be to ask for more money. But the opposite is true. The more you get to know your clients, the more they get to know you. When you build a rapport and gain trust, your clients are more likely to recognize your value instead of questioning your price. 3 Ways to Determine What You Are Worth Great. You've built the relationships and feel comfortable charging for your services. But how much exactly is that? This is a question many agency owners struggle with and nine times out of ten they err on the side of undercharging instead of overcharging. So how do you determine what you are worth? Ask other agencies what they are charging. Yes, it's that simple. Talk to your mentors, your partners, and industry leaders. You can get a good idea about what type of pricing is appropriate just by asking. Know how good you are. Brian says the world will pay you exactly what you think you are worth. So it's extremely important that you know what you are worth. You created an agency because you are good at what you do. Own it. Be confident. Sometimes you just have to throw out a number and see if the client will bite. You'd be surprised how often they do. If you choose this route, you have to do so with confidence. If you question what you are charging, the client most definitely will. #1 Way to Eliminate Scope Creep Ah, scope creep — an agency's worst nightmare. We've all experienced it. The important thing is to recognize scope creep before it happens. The fact of the matter is, most clients don't realize what they are asking for is out of scope. It's up to you to stop it from going too far. How do you do this? Start at the beginning. Be very clear and specific with clients on what you do and what is included for the price. Explain to them when something they are asking for is out of scope even when you decide not to charge for it. The sooner you recognize scope creep and put a stop to it, the less likely it is to get away from you. Scope creep is a slow killer. The more you let it continue to happen, the more it eats into your profit margin. You have to know what you are worth and ask for it. When you start doing that, you'll find yourself in the driver's seat instead of your clients. Are you looking for a simple solution to document your agency's SOP's? If you want to keep your team working smarter and not harder, you need to check out what our partners at Trainual have to offer. Trainual is the top-rated software for keeping teams aligned and accountable from anywhere. Their software makes growing your agency easier than ever by keeping all your "how-to's" and "need-to-know's" in one place. With dozens of customizable templates, Trainual is an affordable way to increase consistency in the way your team works on repeatable processes. For a limited time, Trainual is offering our podcast listeners a free the Smart Agency Masterclass Agency Onboarding Template pre-loaded into your account when you signup.

Are you an e-commerce agency? Would you like to help your e-commerce clients achieve better results including more upsells and cross-sells? Would you like to help your clients leverage the current health and economic situation? It's all about having the right tools that help you work smarter, not harder. In today's episode, we'll cover: How your agency can adapt in today's changing market. Is AI taking over for digital agencies? How agencies use AI for e-commerce clients. On today's podcast, I'm talking with Mat Bingham, Director of Agency Partners at Justuno, a SaaS tool that is helping e-commerce agencies get better and faster results for their clients using artificial intelligence (AI). He's sharing some strategies agencies are using right now to make quick changes for their clients who might be shut down, plus ways you can use AI to increase sales for your clients. How Your Agency Can Adapt in Today's Changing Market In the B2C space, there is a need to communicate differently and update more frequently due to delays or changes in the way they're doing business. With this in mind, a lot of agencies have adapted well to onsite marketing, email marketing, text messaging, and trying different channels to help clients. There's huge potential for digital agencies right now to help clients pivot their business to meet today's needs. What got you to where you are today is not what will get you to the next level. The old set it and forget it tactic will no longer work for growing your agency. Is AI Taking Over for Digital Agencies? In short, no. Mat says there is a common misconception that artificial intelligence (AI) will take over for us humans. Mat says this is just not true. Instead, AI brings personalization at scale. When you want to personalize any of your automated client interactions - email, content, ads, site displays - AI is the way to do it. As an agency, it's not efficient to spend hours building a unique campaign to a unique visitor profile. AI can help you segment your audience to strategically offer a certain cross-sell or upsell. Mat says humans have to set the strategy and messaging, but the machine uses data to help your strategy come to life as well as executes on your strategy. How Agencies Use AI for E-Commerce Clients As a marketer, making decisions based on data is the best way to get results. With AI like Justuno you can create strategies based on data and get results for your clients easier and faster. Their system injects the client's product inventory and SKU's into its AI engine and matches it with customers' purchase history. It basically builds a profile for every visitor that goes to an e-commerce site. It has predetermined algorithm rules, such as: upsell, cross-sell, most viewed, most purchased, previously viewed. Then you, the marketer, tweak those algorithms to determine what is displayed when and where. You do the strategies on what works best on for a specific upsell or cross-sell but use the tool to set up the campaign, then test and tweak it as needed. If you want to add or improve your CRO then on-site experience is the focus. And now there is a technology that allows you to apply CRO tactics to many different channels: paid-ads, email marketing list building, as well as on-site. If you're interested in learning more about Justuno, check out their FREE Conversion Rate Analyzer tool which provides data on email list building, how to lower cart abandonment rates, and how to increase average order value for any specific URL you provide. And as a special offer for Smart Agency Masterclass listeners, when you signup for Justuno you'll receive a free unlimited agency account. Head to Justuno.com/Jason for more information.

Do you find yourself repeatedly teaching the same tasks to your team? Is it a challenge to get everyone on the same page? Processes are an important part of employee onboarding, but they also make sure your team is working smarter, not harder. In today's episode, we'll cover: 2 Reasons to have solid agency processes. How to streamline your agency's processes. When should you focus on agency SOPs? Today I sat down with Chris and Jonathan Ronzio, CEO and CMO of Trainual, a training app that helps business owners establish processes that make their team more effective and productive. Today, they're here to discuss why it's so important to streamline your agency's processes and the best way to make it happen. 2 Reasons to Have Solid Agency Processes Take a minute to think about your team. If you gave each member of your team one simple task, would they all know how to get it done? Now, look a little closer. Would they all do it the same way? Creativity is great, but when it comes to basic, repeatable tasks, it's usually a good idea to have a process in place. Why? Consistency. Your clients expect a certain standard of work. If you have five different team members doing the same task five different ways, your clients are likely to get confused or overwhelmed — not good. Time. Think about how much time you and the rest of your team spend trying to figure out how to do something, how to train someone to do something, and how to respond to a client when there's a question. When you have documented processes in place, it's as simple as rinse, wash, repeat. How to Streamline Your Agency's Processes Processes are important, but you don't want to create a process that is so convoluted your team needs a process to understand the process. When you streamline your processes, not only will your team be more successful (and less frustrated), but you'll also find it easier to be more profitable. Why? Because when you have a process in place, it's easier (and quicker) to chose and onboard your ideal clients. So how do you streamline your agency's processes? Recognize what tasks are a time suck. What tasks is your team spending way too much time on? Is there a way to eliminate these tasks? If not, how can you simplify them so they are easily repeatable? Make sure everyone can do the same tasks the same way. As an owner, you want to know your team is actually providing what you expect of your agency. Shadowing your team and watching how they do things takes time. When you have a solid process in place and train everyone to do things right the first time, both you and your clients will be happier. Hold your team accountable. Your team won't be successful if they don't know what you expect of them. Be clear about your processes, but don't forget to follow up. When Should You Focus on Agency SOPs? You've heard the old saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." The best time to focus on your agency's processes is during employee onboarding. Once your employee develops their own routine, it's much harder to get them to change the way they do things. If you don't have a solid onboarding process in place, there's no better time to create one than now. But don't worry, you don't have to whip up one from scratch. Trainual is currently offering a special deal to help you document and organize your agency's processes and procedures. Ready to get started? Head over to Trainual.com/smartagency for a free preloaded offer just for Masterclass listeners. Your agency's processes are a big factor in determining whether your agency fails or succeeds. When you take the time to streamline your processes and make sure everyone is on the same page, your agency will run much more smoothly.

Is your agency tone deaf? I am seeing agencies handle this pandemic and economy crash in one of two ways. They have either stopped selling because they feel it's insensitive or futile. Or, they are tone deaf and not listening to the actual needs of the market. In this episode, I am putting the spotlight on Scott Bell, CEO of Bell Media. Right away, Scott changed his agency's messaging to be empathetic and get the attention of his market. This gives your prospects reassurance that you understand what's going on and hear how their needs, challenges, and concerns are changing right now. In times like these, your agency needs to be flexible and have the ability to move swiftly to make changes in how you're gaining clients. What are your current challenges and struggles in surviving and thriving right now? Music by epidemicsound.com

Are you losing too many leads at the top of your funnel? Do you spend too much time qualifying prospects? Do you not qualify clients? While agency owners often focus on servicing the clients they land, it's important to invest in how you bring these clients in. In today's episode, we discuss: How to wow potential clients, starting with the first call. #1 Way to qualify leads faster. How to nail the follow-up and land more clients. In this episode, I interviewed Terry Jessup, President of Box CMO, a subsidiary of Black Bear Design. Prior to his role as president, Terry was the lead in business development. Over his 15 years in biz dev, he created processes that reduce variation, implemented processes to be more effective, and closed the communication gap between the agency side and the client side to ensure a positive experience. He's on the show to share how he hooks prospects from the very beginning and make sure those clients don't lose interest along the way. How to Wow Potential Clients, Starting with the First Call The first call between your agency and a potential client is extremely important. It sets the first impression and helps you get a better understanding of what the client needs and where you fit in. So how do you wow a lead and make them excited to learn more? Understand the client's needs. It sounds obvious, but understanding a client's needs is one thing many agencies take for granted. Terry says, often, what the client says they need and what they actually need are two different things. Take some time to digest what the prospect is saying and what they really want so you can properly set up the call. Educate the client. Once you know more about a client you can begin telling them what you can provide and how much it will cost. Get them invested. Don't give away all the secrets, but make them feel like they are learning something. This will help establish trust which can help promote a relationship. Build a strategy. Now that you know what the potential client needs and they know what you can provide, take a little time to discuss strategy. What direction do the two of you want to move in? How do you plan to get there? This will help create a solid basis to develop a proposal. #1 Way to Qualify Leads Faster You don't want to spend too much time qualifying a lead. You need to have a process in place to help determine whether your agency and your prospect will be a good fit. A good process will prevent you from wasting your time and the client's time. Terry says he is able to qualify a prospect within the first 3-4 minutes. But how? It comes back to understanding your clients. When you know the basic logistics right off the bat you'll have an easier time figuring out how you may be able to help. Knowing the client's industry, size, and what they are looking for should be your first priority. Pay attention to any clues the client drops about the budget. This alone can tell you right away if there's even a possibility of working together in the future. And most importantly, remember, N.B.A.T. — need, budget, timing, authority. How to Nail Follow-Ups and Land More Clients Nobody likes to put in a bunch of work only to have it all amount to nothing. To make sure your prospect doesn't go silent, it comes down to the follow-up. You have to keep the client engaged. Before you get off your initial call, set a plan moving forward. If your client understands everything in the initial call and you're both on the same page, it's generally a good idea to follow-up within a day or so. I always say you should set the next meeting while in the meeting. The longer you wait, the more distracted they become. Don't be afraid to plant a little seed on the initial call. Tell them how you can help them out or what you can do to make the proposal better. At the end of the follow-up, set a timeline moving forward. You can be the best agency in the world, but if you can't convert leads, there is no work for you to do. Evaluate your onboarding process. Talk to your team and find out what's working and what's not. When you have a process and reduce variation, you're more likely to see those leads turn into actual clients.

How can agencies help clients who are shut down right now during coronavirus? How can agencies pivot to thrive during this downturn economy? This episode is a spotlight on Alyssa Ege, Sail Away Marketing - helping dental practices during the current shutdown. Takeaways on what Alyssa and other thriving agencies are doing right: 1. Use digital to help prospects and clients make a quick pivot. 2. Help prospects and clients find creative ways to stay in business even when their physical doors are closed. How can digital agencies help clients who are shit down eight now during the coronavirus epidemic? 3. Educate prospects and clients on the possibilities. Many of them aren't tech-savvy or understand digital marketing enough to even know what's possible. Help them get educated. Follow the lead by Alyssa at Sail Away Media who'd been doing an amazing job!

Does your agency business model lack predictability? Are you questioning what the future has in store for your agency 10, 15 years down the road? When you set a path for your agency and plan for more consistency, you're more likely to see your agency grow. In today's episode, we'll cover: 3 Tips to allow your vision to grow with your agency. #1 Way to build predictable and stable growth at your agency. When should an agency owner consider their exit plan? Today I sat down with Greg Henry, president and CEO of Push10, a branding and web design agency. Like many of us, Greg fell into the agency world and has worked his way to success. But believe it or not, Greg is already thinking about his exit plan. Find out how Greg has been able to build an agency that works with a predictable business model and how that strategy has allowed him the comfort to look ahead. 3Tips to Allow Your Vision to Grow With Your Agency Take a minute to think about when you first started your agency. Did you think you would be where you are today? Now think about the next 5 years. How about 10? Where do you see yourself? For many agency owners, there's a certain benchmark they have in mind when they create their agency. This number often revolves around revenue or number of employees. Like so many other agencies, Greg always envisioned himself with 10 employees. This nice round number was "manageable." For Greg, anything more just felt like too much. Now, with 17 employees, 25 is the number that gives Greg apprehension. But rather than panic, he knows growth just means another opportunity to learn. There are three key ways you can get to the point where you embrace growth and feel comfortable where you are: Consider bringing on a partner or key leadership team member. For Greg, he says he finally felt comfortable when he brought on a partner. His partner focuses on the client-side and building relationships, while he works on the fun stuff like P&L's, revenue forecast, and HR. Now, the stress of managing such a big agency is not all on him. Make the transition from owner to CEO. In order to see the most growth, you're going to have to let go of some of the control. Build a team of employees who share the same values you do. When you find them, delegate goals (not tasks), and teach them to support your vision. Hire Slow, fire fast: One lesson Greg wishes he'd learned much earlier on was the benefit of letting go of toxic employees before they damage the morale of the rest of the team. As soon as you know an employee is a culture clash and is not teachable or coachable, go with your gut. #1 Way to Build Predictable and Stable Growth to Your Agency Uncertainty can be toxic to an agency. If you don't know how much revenue you are bringing in or how many clients you will have month to month, you're going to have a hard time managing your cash flow. In fact, this is a quick way to end up in the red. The number one way to build predictable and stable growth is to provide a great product. No, it's not about selling. It's not about pricing. It's about showing your prospects and clients what you have to offer is worth it. If your client doesn't have a big budget, you have to do the best with what you have. While you don't want to rely on selling, you do want your clients to know you are there. Send regular emails letting your prospects and clients know what you are doing. Focus on your SEO so people know how to find you. When you rely on the quality of your goods rather than the quality of your selling, you're more likely to retain clients, and consequently, have a more predictable cash flow. When Should an Agency Owner Consider Their Exit Plan? As agency owners, we don't usually start an agency knowing where we will end up. That's something that goes along with falling into this business. But it can help you create a strategy and understand your vision if you take some time to look a few years (or a few decades) ahead. What do you want to happen to your agency? Do you want to sell and make a huge profit? Do you want to merge with another agency and stay on the board? How important is maintaining your vision? Greg says the time to create your exit plan is not 15 years from now when you're ready to retire, it's now. This will allow you enough time to make sure your agency is set up in a way that will support your plan. It all comes back to predictability. If you're scrambling to make your plan happen at the 11th hour, you're probably not going to be happy. Your agency doesn't have to be unpredictable. While there are things you may not be able to control, there is plenty you can do to create structure and control. Consider what your goals are for your agency and surround yourself with a team who wants the same thing. Want to Help Your Team Be More Efficient and Scale Agency Faster? If you want to help your team work smarter and scale your agency faster you need to check out the artificial intelligence software created by our friends at Morphio.

Does your agency serve an industry that has been shut down? Are your clients directly impacted by the economic downturn? Of course, many, many industries are feeling it but none more than travel and hospitality. Should you choose a new niche? Make a quick pivot? Weather the storm? In this episode, we'll cover: Should agencies choose a new niche due to the economic recession? How can you still serve clients impacted by shutdowns? How to manage your agency team during challenging times. On today's special episode, I'm chatting with Ryan Clarke, Partner and VP Business Development at Wallop, a digital agency in Canada serving luxury hotel and travel brands since 2004. Ryan started his career as a management consultant but didn't like what he was selling so moved onto something more creative at Wallop. Here's here to share ways agencies and clients can move forward during the challenging times we're in. Should Agencies Choose a New Niche Due to Economic Recession? Ryan says while many industries are feeling the strain, the travel industry has been the bleeding edge of the recession as a result of this pandemic. Since Wallop has been focused on this space for 13 years, they're in it for the long haul. Fortunately, Wallop has a tangent niche in the real estate space for high-end residential developers. They're finding the real estate space isn't getting hit quite as hard as travel. The biggest thing is to remember that everything is coming back. The hardest-hit industries, like travel and restaurants, are just on pause right now. That's why it's important for agencies to continue to help them during this time by producing content and helping clients make a pivot so they can come back strong. So, should you pick a new niche? Actually, no. If you can hang on and stick with your positioning you'll be better off in the long run. It's key to pivot real quick without abandoning what you've been doing that works. It's perfectly fine to go into new industries even if you have no experience. You can find a tangent industry where your experience lends well. But don't abandon what you've been doing because it will take a really long time to become an expert in a new industry. Stick it out and be patient. How Can Agencies Still Serve Clients Impacted by Shutdowns? The team at Wallop is leading with empathy. Ryan says they're constantly reminding themselves that clients are having a lot of bad days with some bright spots sprinkled in here or there. Their job as the agency is to look for ways to help. For example, the digital strategy team is putting together data and research. They'll aggregate this information of all the hotels and resorts to look for opportunities and track recovery of the industry. On the development side, they're turning around messaging quickly for clients and staying on top of requests as information changes quickly and without warning. What can your agency do to find opportunities and assist these types of clients right now? How to Manage Your Agency Team During Challenging Times It's hard to know just what to tell your agency team during uncertain times like these. Too much information can worry them, too little information can cause anxiety about their jobs and their future. First and foremost, Ryan says Steve Saugestad Principal at Wallop is very zen and has remained calm and steady. This sets the tone for the team and goes a long way in crisis mode. Wallop has also communicated that the agency is in a good financial position to weather the storm; helping the team feel secure. It's also important to be realistic, though, and make sure it's clear the agency will look different on the other side of this. But first and foremost keeping calm and giving a sense of security is key. Is There a Silver Lining to These Challenging Times? One benefit that Wallop, and many other agencies are seeing, is they were able to quickly and easily transition to a remote team. We are digital agencies -- if anyone can do this, it's us! :) In most cases, this has been smooth as the team very easily made the move. There seems to increased camaraderie as people adjust to working from home. Also, due to stay-at-home orders, people get excited to interact with others even if over a web conference. A lot of good work gets done when people are left alone to work in their own space. On the flip side, there are definitely benefits to sharing office space which breeds collaboration and some spontaneity when collective minds work together in the same place. As a result of these current working conditions, Ryan and I agree agencies are learning that finding good talent is not limited to geographic location. I know it's getting redundant but we are all in this together. No matter your location, no matter your industry - everything, everyone, everywhere is impacted. It's not isolated to one city or one state -- it's global and everyone is going through different degrees of the same challenges. Hang on and you'll come out the other side

Have you considered making a move to a fully remote agency? Do you think your agency team could benefit from more creative freedom? As agency owners, we're always looking for ways to grow a successful team and build a successful brand. What if you found out you can do both, just by providing a rockstar culture? In today's episode, we'll cover: How freedom and flexibility increase team productivity. Why agency culture is so important. How your agency can survive the battle of the bands. Today I had the opportunity to sit down with Angel Gonzales, CMO, and co-founder of Snappy Kraken, an automated marketing platform exclusively for financial advisors. Angel's agency consists solely of remote team members and they've created a business model where they don't just survive, they thrive. Angel is on the show to share how and why his agency's virtual office is the key to their success. How Freedom and Flexibility Increases Team Productivity Who doesn't want the option to work from home in their pajamas? Okay, maybe not some of you crazy extroverts. But for many of us in the agency space, one of the main reasons we do what we do is to have a level of freedom and flexibility. At Snappy Kraken, every single person who works for the agency does so remotely. There is no office or main hub. Team members are literally scattered throughout the U.S. So how did Angel know a virtual agency was the right choice for his agency? He says it all comes down to their key values, freedom, and flexibility. Angel says freedom is defined by the number of choices you have. It's simple, the number one way to give your agency more freedom is to provide more choices, such as where they work. Why Agency Culture is So Important If you have a traditional office, you may be wondering how you keep everyone connected. Angel says it's quite simple, and it's a component I stress so much in any agency setting. When you build an agency, you have to focus on culture. Even in a virtual environment, a toxic person is like cancer. Culture is the glue that keeps you all together and allows you to stay focused on the same goals. Angel looks at culture as what you as an agency celebrate, and what you stigmatize. This goes beyond your team. Creating the right culture includes choosing the right clients that support your vision. When you all have a common goal, you'll have no problem staying connected. Bonus tip: If you find yourself doing a lot of communication through emails or other written applications, consider throwing in a few emojis to make sure your tone comes off the way you intended it. How Your Agency Can Beat the Competition Did I forget to mention before starting his agency, Angel was in a band? Because of this, he says you need to approach projects like you're writing a pop song. What does this mean? Basically — leave your ego at the door. Think of it as a "Battle of the Bands": One band is a group of musicians, all trying to get their 15 minutes of fame. They don't work together but instead lead with ego and try to stand out on their own. Another band, however, balances each other out and works to make sure they're making good music together. In the "Battle of the Bands," band number two wins. The lesson: when you stop worrying about being the star and come together as a team, you'll win against your ego-focused competition. Your success as an agency relies on a variety of factors. When you provide choices, create a rockstar culture, and focus on the team, you're bound to find a winning combination. Would You Like to Win More Clients Faster? Our friends at My Web Audit offer a software tool that helps agencies generate leads, save time, and convert more prospects into clients by creating beautiful, actionable, and easy to understand website audits. Get your foot in the door with your ideal clients by starting with an audit first. For a limited time, My Web Audit is offering our listeners a FREE 7-day trial and 50% off any plan for 3 months. Head to MyWebAudit.com/SmartAgency to get started.

Have you found your agency in a place where all you do is execute? Are you looking to change the way you do things and provide more value to your clients? With so many agencies out there, almost anyone can execute. When you put your agency in a position where clients come to you to create a strategy, you're more likely to see more stable growth. In today's episode, we'll cover: How to go from just execution to paid strategy. 2 Ways to choose the right clients to work with. Why you don't always have to declare a niche. Today, I sat down with Kevin Kelly, president and founder of Big Buzz Marketing Group, a full-service, integrative digital agency based out of New York City. Kevin comes to us with a ton of marketing experience (his agency started before Google). Today he talks about how you can position your agency so clients come to you to create their strategy and when it's okay to be a full-service agency. How to Go From Just Execution to Paid Strategy When it comes to digital agencies, there are a million and one agencies perfectly good at doing what their clients ask. Work on my SEO — sure, no problem. Create a website — done. But when you simply execute, clients view you as a commodity. When it comes to separating yourself from the pack and putting your agency in a position to grow, it's a good idea to be able to offer clients a service that makes your agency different. What does this mean? It means looking at why your clients want something, rather than just doing. The ultimate goal is to have clients come to you with a problem you can solve, rather than a project you can do. So how do you make this transition? Don't be afraid to fail. In the beginning, it might be hard to make the leap to focusing more on strategy. The best thing you can do is just try and keep learning. Consider expanding your services. One of the easiest ways for clients to see you as a strategist is if you look ahead to see what they need and offer to do it for them. For example, if your client wants you to build a webpage, consider discussing how you can market that website, even if that's a service you don't usually offer. Look for opportunities to grow. There's always some new technology or tool that can transform what you can provide to your clients. Be on the lookout for ways you can evolve and grow to expand your offerings. 2 Ways to Choose the Right Client to Work With Some clients aren't looking for a strategist. And some clients don't know they are looking for a strategist. So how do you find the clients that will help you grow in this new role? Change the way you approach things. While we'd all like to be the agency of record, the truth is many agencies are jockeying for the exact same position. Many clients work with multiple agencies that handle various aspects of the business. Take a look at what you offer and consider what you can do so your client doesn't need all these agencies. How can you position it so you're the lead agency? Foster your relationships. Kevin says many of his agency clients actually came out of failed pitches. While it may be instinct to lick your wounds and forget about the prospect who turned down your pitch, it's never a bad idea to build on that relationship. Chances are, you put a lot of time into developing that pitch. There is value in reaching back out to see if they're happy with the results or to pitch new ideas. Why You Don't Always Have to Declare a Niche This one may come as a bit of a surprise. You've heard me say so many times, you must declare a niche. But Kevin has found tremendous success as a full-service agency. So what's the secret to his success? It's all about choosing the right clients. If you're a smaller agency, you're not going to be able to compete with the larger agencies who do everything for anyone. So it doesn't make sense to copy their strategies. Know who your target is and what you can provide to them. Big Buzz works with national and regional companies that have between $2 million and $10 million in revenue. They don't take on just any client. They only work with clients they can guarantee success. While it's usually a good idea to pick your niche, if you know your target and implement steps to choose the right clients, you just might be able to pull it off. If you're running an agency, you should always be looking for opportunities to provide value that is unique to your agency. At the end of the day, it's going to be your point of view that sets you apart. When you can get to a point where clients come to you with problems, rather than a checklist, then you're in a position where your clients are more likely to see the value in your services. Want to Help Your Team Be More Efficient and Scale Agency Faster? If you want to help your team work smarter and scale your agency faster you need to check out the artificial intelligence software created by our friends at Morphio. It instantly alerts your team about digital marketing errors before they become problems, s

Are you ready to scale up your agency, but don't know where to start? Are you face-to-face with that metaphorical brick wall, trying to figure out where you will get the funds to allow your agency to continue to grow? As owners, often, our goal is to grow our agency as big as we can. But how do you make sure you scale your agency in a way where you don't fall flat on your face? In today's episode, we'll cover: Why you should always embrace your strengths. #1 Reason agencies need to ask more questions. Are you standing in your agency's way? Today I had the opportunity to sit down with Nathan McKelvey, founder of Army8, a digital growth consulting firm. Nathan is a former pilot and self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur. After growing and selling a few agencies, Nathan now helps other agencies discover the tools they need to effectively scale their agency. Nathan is here to talk about what he has learned along the way. Why You Should Always Embrace Your Strengths Nathan's story is different than many of ours. In the early 2000s, Nathan was the owner of jets.com, a private jet service. After he grew his company to $40 million in annual revenue, he was forced to sell it after the economic collapse in 2009. A year later, Nathan started another company, and again, found immediate success. So what did he do and how can you replicate his success? Reach out to your network. When Nathan started his company, he reached out to his professional and private network, you know, people he flew in his private planes. While we don't all have access to a bunch of people with deep pockets, chances are you have a network you can leverage. Talk to your friends, talk to your co-workers, reach out on LinkedIn. Use existing relationships as a foundation for building your agency. Work to your strengths. Nathan didn't just bring in his background as a pilot, he also brought in a strong knowledge of SEO and SEM. He was able to use these skills to market his company and scale it at a rapid rate. Think of the unique skills you bring to the table and use them to scale up your agency. #1 Reason Agencies Need to Ask More Questions Do you ever stop to ask your clients why they are asking you to do a certain task? Most of the time, when a client is asking you to do something, there's a bigger reason behind the request. Does your client want to have a bigger presence on Facebook? Why? Do they want you to set up a new campaign? What are they hoping to get out of this strategy? When you take the time to ask questions and understand what your client is hoping to get out of the process, rather than simply completing the task, you'll have a better understanding of the approach you should take to help your client meet their goals. Are You Standing in Your Agency's Way? Agencies today have a big advantage that Nathan and I didn't when we started our agencies — technology. Tasks or projects that used to take months to put together, now come together in no time at all. One of the biggest problems more established agencies have when it comes to scaling is getting in their own way. I can't tell you how many times I have heard, "But, that's how I've always done it." The hard truth is, if the competition is coming in and taking advantage of these newer and better tools, you're going to be left behind. There is so much opportunity waiting to be had. Don't be that person who refuses to embrace changing technology. Anyone can scale their agency if they take the time to do it right. And if you hit the brick wall, that doesn't mean you have to turn around, it just means you have to push harder. When you have the clarity of who you are going to serve, how you are going to serve them, and why they should care, then you have the right foundation to be able to scale your agency. Would You Like to Win More Clients Faster? Our friends at My Web Audit have created a software tool that helps agencies generate leads, save time, and convert more prospects into clients by creating beautiful, actionable, and easy to understand website audits. Get your foot in the door with your ideal clients by starting with an audit first. For a limited time, My Web Audit is offering our listeners a FREE 7-day trial and 50% off any plan for 3 months. Head to MyWebAudit.com/SmartAgency to get started."

Have current events left you in a panic, uncertain where your agency will end up? Are you looking for a way to make sure your agency stands out from the crowd? It's hard to plan for the next economic recession. At times where things seem like they're all up in the air, it's important to know what to do to make sure you survive. In today's episode, we'll cover: 2 Tips to help your agency survive during uncertain times. How can your agency grow despite an economic downturn? 2 Ways to position your agency as an authority. Today I had an awesome chat with Mike Gadsby, co-founder and chief innovation officer at O3 World, a digital product agency. With over 15 years of experience at O3 World, Mike and his teammates have survived a few economic recessions. Now, with the state of affairs as it is, Mike talks about how you can make sure your agency survives a turbulent economy, and perhaps, even thrives. 2 Tips To Help Your Agency Survive Uncertain Times. As an agency owner, Mike has been through several changes in the economy. Having survived 9/11 and 2008, Mike's confident his agency can weather practically any storm. But he didn't get to this mindset overnight. It's been a process that has brought Mike to a point where he's comfortable with where he's at. In fact, during the early years, there were a lot of times where Mike will tell you, his agency fell flat on their face. So what has Mike learned along the way? Evolve, evolve, evolve. The market may be changing, but that doesn't have to mean you are out of a job. Figure out what challenges people are having and what your agency can do to fix those problems. How can your agency change or pivot to meet the changing market? Take a look at how you approach accounts. When the market is down, some clients may have a hard time signing up with a new agency. And those who do probably won't have a lot of capital to invest. Instead of trying to chase down a bunch of new accounts, look at the ones you already have. Think of creative ways to grow these accounts. If you're successful, you'll create partnerships, not projects. How Can Your Agency Grow Despite an Economic Downturn? I like to say when people are freaking out, that's your opportunity. The market has been strong for a long time now. Those agencies who were struggling during a good economy are going to have a really hard time in a bad economy. Now is a good time to focus on influence and authority. There's a good chance there will be fewer clients willing to invest in new services, so it's more important than ever that you establish your agency as the go-to source. There are a couple of ways to do this: Work from a strategic point of view. Have the changing events increased demand in an area where there wasn't so much before? Anticipate what clients need and be ready to provide it. Play the long game. Choose clients who have the right mentality and are going to want to work with you, not against you. These are the ones who are going to see the value in your services and stick around. 2 Ways to Position Your Agency as an Authority This one's important. When the competition is fierce and everyone is fighting for attention, clients want an agency that is an authority in the field. So how do you make sure your agency is that authority? Figure out how you're reinvesting in your agency. Those who are simply executing are the agencies that are most at risk. You have to constantly reinvest in your agency and make sure you have the resources that make you stand out. This means spending a little extra money on things that give you the competitive advantage. Embrace change and keep adapting. Change isn't always a bad thing. In fact, often it can make you take a closer look at how you are doing things and force you to implement more effective strategies. Be patient. Be optimistic. And don't obsess over the news. An economic downturn can be a stressful situation. But it can also be an opportunity. Now's the time to be creative, be efficient, and focus on how you can provide value to your clients. Want to Help Your Team Be More Efficient and Scale Agency Faster? If you want to help your team work smarter and scale your agency faster you need to check out the artificial intelligence software created by our friends at Morphio. It instantly alerts your team about digital marketing errors before they become problems, saving a huge amount of time. Their AI manages and analyzes data, so you can focus on growing your agency. For a limited time, Morphio is offering Smart Agency podcast listeners a special deal to get you started. Sign up at Morphio.ai/Swenk and get 50 accounts for only $39 per month. That's a savings of over $500/month."

How can your agency stop charging for hours and switch to value-based pricing? Have you ever thought about naming your services or productizing? Branding is important and it can be what sets you apart in a world full of "me too" agencies. In today's episode, we'll cover: Why naming is so important to your agency's brand. How to match your agency's name with your agency's brand. How to get agency clients more involved. Today I sat down with Jeremy Miller, founder of Sticky Branding. Jeremy describes himself as an author, a speaker, and of course, an agency owner. While he never intended to enter the agency space, after completing a few branding projects for the family business, he quickly discovered he had found his niche. Jeremy talks about why names are so important to branding and how you can make your agency stand apart from the rest. Why Naming is So Important to Your Agency's Brand If you're like most agency owners, this one probably seems like a no-brainer. I can hear the chorus now, "Of course I know how important naming is. Do you know how much blood, sweat, and tears went into choosing my agency's name?" But when we talk about names, we're not just talking about what you name your agency, we're talking about the names of each individual service you provide. Wait— what? Yes, the products you offer, the services you sell, they all need a name. Take my training program, for example. It's not just, "Here, come join my program. It's the best." What I offer is the agency playbook. The name of the program gives my clients an idea of what to expect as well as its value to them. The word "playbook" indicates a step-by-step guide to achieve your goals. See the difference? If you simply charge by the hour, rather than naming your service, what incentive do clients have to choose you over another cookie-cutter agency? When you create a brand you can begin to provide value-based services. How to Match Your Agency's Name with Your Agency's Brand It doesn't matter how great your name is or how many click-throughs you get if you have a subpar product. As Jeremy puts it, you can't just put lipstick on a pig. You want your name to align with what you are actually offering. This means you have to think about two things: Strategy: What you want to provide, how you are going to do it, and what sets you apart. Execution: Once you choose a niche and create a strategy, actually follow through and provide services that align with your brand. Odds are, you won't be able to name your services from the outset. You have to have a solid understanding of what your product is and why your clients need it before you can create a brand people will trust. But don't wait too long. Jeremy says, one of the biggest mistakes agencies make when it comes to branding is failing to name their services, or just as bad, failing to name their clients' services. How to Get Agency Clients More Involved Jeremy believes many agencies need to get their clients to do more work. What does this mean? Your agency should not resemble an episode of Mad Men. In other words, while you are providing a service for your client, you shouldn't be doing all the work. Think about where you can get your clients more involved. Does your client provide a service in need of serious branding? Challenge your client to tackle the problem. Create a process where they strategize branding and be there as an advisor. Instead of putting 100 hours of work into a project, you'll get away with far less. When you utilize your clients' team, you're able to take advantage of all your resources instead of increasing your headcount. Great brands are built on substance. But when you have solid branding, that's when you'll stand out from the rest. Remember, when you can get to a place where you are choosing who you want to work with because clients request you by name, that's when you're going to thrive. Would You Like to Win More Clients Faster? Our friends at My Web Audit offer a software tool that helps agencies generate leads, save time, and convert more prospects into clients by creating beautiful, actionable, and easy to understand website audits. Get your foot in the door with your ideal clients by starting with an audit first. For a limited time, My Web Audit is offering our listeners a FREE 7-day trial and 50% off any plan for 3 months. Head to MyWebAudit.com/SmartAgency to get started.

Is your agency wasting time and money on making mistakes? Are you trying to make sense of why your profit margins are so low? If so, it's time to take a hard look at how much money actually goes to covering the cost of internal errors. Because for many agencies, this number is just too high. In today's episode, we'll cover: Is your agency losing money on these common errors? What are tiny mistakes actually costing your agency? 3 reasons why it might be time to embrace AI. Today, I sat down with Eric Vardon, CEO of Morphio. This is Eric's second time on the podcast, and this time he's talking about how artificial intelligence (AI) can reduce the number of costly mistakes your agency makes. Recently, Eric's agency conducted a survey to find out just how much agencies are, quite frankly, throwing away. Eric is here to discuss the results and talk about how Morphio can help. Is Your Agency Losing Money on These Common Errors? We've all been there — that bulk email with a glaring typo we notice moments after we hit send. Or, maybe you completely forgot to shut off a campaign and let it run for days (or weeks) longer than it should have. Mistakes happen. Unfortunately, as an agency, these mistakes can be costly. Eric and his team recently conducted a survey of a variety of agencies. The premise was simple — what type of mistakes has your agency made and how much have these mistakes cost you? Do any of these sound familiar? 60% of agencies said they make at least six digital marketing mistakes per week; One-third of these agencies say just one mistake can cost them between $1,000 and $5,000; 31% of agencies have inadvertently offended a client; and 30% of agencies have published a dead, broken, or incorrect link. What Are Tiny Mistakes Actually Costing Your Agency? Ask any agency owner, and they're sure to tell you, "these mistakes don't happen at our agency." But if they were to take a closer look, they'd probably be shocked to see just how much profit is lost on revising and fixing mistakes. These same agency owners are also likely trying to figure out why their margins are so low. As Eric points out, these mistakes don't just cost you money upfront. They can cost your reputation, major accounts, and even your business. As humans, we make mistakes. So the more you can automate and have an AI take care of certain issues, the less you have to worry about mistakes like these happening. 3 Reasons Why it Might Be Time to Embrace AI If you're still hesitant to use AI, it's time to be okay with being uncomfortable. AI is here, and it likely won't be going anywhere for a very long time. Machine learning has the capability to take data, crunch it, and make decisions faster. So what does this mean for your agency? Better client relationships. Typos, broken links, these mistakes can be costly. Instead, you can use AI to run a quality check for you. Increased employee morale. Why do mistakes happen at such a high frequency? Often, employees are juggling too many things or moving too swiftly to catch errors. If you can get a machine to ease your team's load a little bit, they'll likely be thankful for the breathing room. It can save your business. You can only make so many mistakes before they completely destroy your agency. Do a careful audit of your expenses and analyze just how much you are spending in this area. Occasional mistakes are bound to happen. Humans are not infallible. But when these mistakes happen on a regular basis, your clients will lose faith in your capabilities. When you take the time to identify mistakes and implement tools to streamline your processes, you're more likely to find success. For a limited time, Morphio is offering Smart Agency podcast listeners a special deal to get you started. Sign up at Morphio.ai/Swenk and get 50 accounts for only $39 per month. That's a savings of over $500/month.

We are in uncertain times right now and so many agencies are facing challenges as a result of the global coronavirus crisis. Agencies are struggling with everything from cash flow and clients canceling to laying off employees. The silver lining is that no matter where your geographic location, we're all in this together. We are all up against the same issues. That's why I brought on a panel agency owners just like you to ask their questions and get real-time answers. In this episode, we'll cover: How can you serve agency clients whose businesses are on temporary shut down due to the stay-at-home order? How can you find short term opportunities while also focusing on longterm growth for your agency? What to do if clients ask to cancel or pause their contract. Is it OK to go after outbound sales during this time? What are ways to provide goodwill right now without devaluing your agency's services when things turnaround? How to find opportunities while so many businesses are cutting back and experiencing hardship. Is it wrong to prepare clients for a return to normalcy when we have no idea how long that will take? Should you pivot your agency's marketing if you're targeting people who are now forced to be at home? Should you layoff your team or dip into a line of credit in order to make payroll awhile longer? What should agencies not be doing right now? Should you be running Google ad campaigns right now for your agency's services? How do you respond to clients who want to pull back their marketing during the crisis? Related: https://jasonswenk.com/thrive-economic-recession/ ‎

Are you struggling to get your foot in the door with the right clients? Do you have plenty of leads, but just can't convert? Web audits can help you close more new business deals faster and convert prospects easier than ever. In today's episode, we'll cover: Why you should always lead with value. How web audits can help your agency increase conversion rates. What your agency can do to improve on converting leads. Today I sat down with Clifford Almeida, owner of Hire a Wiz, the digital agency he started 8 years ago. After years of perfecting web audits as their foot-in-the-door strategy, Cliff soon developed a Saas tool for agencies called My Web Audit. Clifford has found a wait to optimize this process to help agency owners grow their agency and convert more leads. In this episode, Clifford shares how audits helped his agency increase its closing rate nearly 40%. Why You Should Always Lead with Value If you have listened to the podcast, you've heard me say it before — the number one way to close more deals is to lead with value. When you lead with value, clients are more likely to trust what you have to say and see you as an authority. So how do you do this? Clifford says you need to show prospects how you can fix their problem. Anyone can talk all day long about how they will increase sales or convert more leads. But when you show a potential client how specific actions will affect their metrics, they'll have a better time visualizing the value of your services. How Audits Can Help Your Agency Increase Conversion Rates Early on, Cliff discovered a way to convert more prospects into clients. Instead of selling his core service right away, he presented a web audit with indicators showing the prospect areas of improvement on their site. By pointing out what can be done better and the potential results of making improvements, their prospects became more inclined to work with Cliff's agency. When you provide upfront value at a low cost, you can establish authority, gain trust, and convert more prospects into clients. The key to a good audit is to make sure you focus on the client. Most audits are built for the agency, with little regard for the client experience. When you do an audit, you want to make sure you keep it short and sweet and address the client's specific pain points. You should be able to present your findings in about 30 minutes. There are a few ways to make sure the audit will be effective: Start with generosity. Don't worry, you're not going to be giving away agency secrets. Provide information, but make sure that information is valuable. Show the client how your agency can solve their problem. What Your Agency Can Do To Improve on Converting Leads. Clifford says in the year 2020, there is no shortage of leads. Where the big problem comes is converting those leads into clients. So where do most agencies fail? They pitch to anyone and everyone. You can attract prospects all day long, but unless you can present yourself as an expert or authority, there's nothing to stop a prospect from going somewhere else. They lead with selling. Remember, the number one way to convert more leads is to lead with value. Provide examples, discuss specifics, and educate the client. It's important to talk to prospects in a way they will understand. Most of the time you will be talking to marketing directors who are trying to show CEO's, Presidents, or Owners the value in their services. Make sure you present your audit in a way that matters to them and makes them look good. Are you using audits to evaluate leads for your agency? If not, now's a good time to start. Clifford is offering a special deal just for Smart Agency Masterclass listeners. Check out My Web Audit for a FREE 7-day trial and 50% off any plan for 3 months.

Do you have the right systems but still struggle to grow? Do you look at the big agencies and wonder how they got to 7- or 8-figures? It's all about having the ability to work with the right clients who can afford to pay what you're worth. In today's episode, we'll cover: How to turn more prospects into clients. 2 Key factors to establish effective pricing. How to get to the point where your agency can pick and choose. Today I sat down with Eric Vardon, co-founder, and president of Arcane, a Canadian-based digital marketing agency. Eric started his agency in 2011 with a keen focus on analytics and a clear understanding of his business. He's on the show today to talk about how you can get your agency to a point where you're able to pick and choose which clients you want to work with. How to Turn More Prospects Into Clients As a digital marketing agency, it's your job to get clients to see the value of your services. Clients aren't eager to hand over money for a strategy that might work. This is why so many agencies have difficulty finding success — they don't know how to convince clients to take the risk. So how do you get a client to see the value in what your agency offers? Make the pitch less subjective. Show potential clients actual figures to show you've run the numbers and care about their bottom line. Arcane does their homework and researches the client. Within the first couple of meetings with a potential client, Eric's team is able to understand the business' revenue goals and profitability. Using this information, they build a spreadsheet and proposal outlining the specific metrics needed to achieve results. When your client can actually see the numbers and ROI, they are more likely to take the leap. 2 Key Factors to Establish Effective Pricing Pricing is a big part of your agency's growth and success. Set the price too high and you'll have difficulty finding clients. Set it too low and the good clients won't take you seriously. At the end of the day, your goal is to be profitable. How much do you need to charge in order to achieve this goal? Track and monitor everything. Remember those spreadsheets? Eric says there isn't a process or analytic where they don't have some sort of spreadsheet. Take a close look at your transactions. What are your hourly rates? What are your account costs? And what are your expenses? Look at the big picture. Sometimes you have to look at what you are going to get out of a client in the long run and determine the lifetime value of this client. You may need to do additional work upfront because you know you'll make the margin back over time. How Your Agency Can Pick and Choose Clients In the beginning, most agencies are stuck working with any and every client. However, eventually, we all want to get to the point where we can be more selective about which clients we do and don't want to work with. One of the best ways to do this is to bring on solid leadership and surround them with a good team. While Eric is the co-founder and president of Arcane, he brought on a CEO and a COO to focus on the day-to-day tasks. His COO comes from the public accounting industry and has been a critical part of developing the agency's financial strategy. The agency's CEO is a former HR professional. She knows the human side and is able to use her experience to work with clients and foster a successful team. Together, they create the perfect balance. Arcane's rapid success comes down to partnership, clarity, and accountability. Eric and his team frequently come together to discuss what they want, what makes them happy, and where they want to go. It's about understanding your agency's vision and communicating it to the team. Sometimes it's the simple things that bring the most success. When you understand what it takes to make your agency profitable and create a plan to get there, the rest is yours to pick and choose.

Are you struggling with spending too much time working in your agency, instead of on your agency? Do you spend a whole lot of time dealing with the stuff you hate and not enough time on the things you love? Agency owners have a tendency to dive right in and engross themselves completely in their work. But when you create a more autonomous agency you will find more freedom in your role. In today's episode, we discuss: How to move past the desperation stage. #1 Way to separate your agency from everyone else. How your agency can benefit from leading with strategy. What happens when you dominate your niche. Today I sat down for a fun episode with Max Borges, owner of Max Borges Agency. Over 18 years, Max found the more he worked, the busier he got. He quickly realized his current agency model wasn't sustainable and he had to make a change. He's on the show to share the four phases of creating an autonomous agency. How to Move Past the Desperation Stage Phase 1 - Anything for Money We've all experienced what Max calls stage one of his path to create an autonomous agency — AFM "anything for money." This is the stage where most agency owners start out and accept any and all projects... because they don't know what they like, what they don't like, what they're best at, and what they suck at. At this point, your agency hasn't yet discovered its niche and may or may not have a few employees. The work in this stage is hard but it is something you have to go through to get to phase two. In phase one, you need to spend time exploring what you are good at. Don't spend all your time trying to be good at things you don't like or you're just naturally bad at. You don't need to be good at everything, but you do need to find something you are better at than anyone else. #1 Way to Separate Your Agency from Everyone Else Phase 2 - Revelation Next up is the revelation phase. This is where agencies begin to discover and develop their path. During phase two, you've finally realized what you are good at and can start spending more time on things you love while leaving things you don't love to someone else. (Related: How to Stop Doings Things You Suck At) I've said it before, and I'll say it again; the best way to separate yourself from everyone else is to find your niche. When you get to phase two, you know what you like, what you're good at, and what your team is good at. Remember, you're running an agency. This means your vision is important, but you're not the one doing the heavy lifting day in and day out. Your team should be good at what they do and be able to do it without you. Surround yourself with people who share your values and ideas and focus on what they're good at. How Your Agency Can Benefit By Leading with Strategy Phase 3 - Strategic Drivers Once you know what you are good at and have your niche, you still need to develop a strategy to make you the go-to agency in your niche. Unless you have some really obscure, specific niche, you're going to have competition and need to set your agency apart. You have to provide a unique service or have a process that differentiates you from other agencies. This may just mean realigning or narrowing your niche's focus. For Max, his agency focuses on media relations for consumer technology companies. While other agencies focus on consumer tech, most of them don't spend enough time on media relations. This is Max's strategic advantage. What Happens When You Dominate Your Niche Phase 4 - Niche Dominance At this stage in the game, you are the accepted leader in your niche. You may find your competition dwindles as other agencies discover you're the best. Getting to stage four is a lot of work, but once you do, you'll find your agency is a lot more autonomous than when you first began. It's not impossible to focus on what you love and actually enjoy your work. When you create your agency with intention and work diligently through the phases, you'll find success comes easier. Looking for a Payroll and HR Solution for your Agency? Payroll and benefits are hard. Especially when you're a small business. Gusto is making payroll, benefits and HR easy for small businesses. You no longer have to be a big company to get great technology, great benefits and great service to take care of your team. For a limited time, Gusto is offering a deal to Smart Agency Masterclass listeners. Check out Gusto.com/agency for 3-months FREE once you run your first payroll with them.

Are you struggling to get your team more engaged with their work? Do you find yourself doing work your employees should feel empowered to do? Employee engagement is an often misunderstood and undervalued part of running an agency. But it can make all the difference in your agency's success. In today's episode, we'll cover: Why agency employee engagement is so important. 3 Things to do to raise agency employee engagement. Why and how you can implement servant leadership. Today I had the chance to chat with Christopher Creel, author of the new book, Adaptive. The book looks at the traditional workplace hierarchy, and questions, "What would happen if we flipped it all on its head?" Christopher uses chatbots for much of his processes, but many of the strategies we discuss can be implemented into everything you do. Read on to find out what Christopher says is the key to increasing employee engagement. Why Agency Employee Engagement Is So Important Employee engagement is something many leaders take for granted. But it's something agency owners should pay more attention to. Christopher reviewed employee engagement across the board. The results showed that four out of ten employees are disengaged from the organization they work in. Why is this important? It's because there is a direct correlation between employee engagement and strategy. When an employee is engaged and feels individually invested in the success of the company, they are more likely to be on board with your strategy and not only share the same goals as you do but also work to help you create strategies to meet those goals. When you have an engaged team, you automatically have a step up on the competition. 3 Things to do to Raise Agency Employee Engagement So how do you increase employee engagement? We all talk about creating a "team," but the numbers show, a manager's actions don't always represent what they say they want. You have to make an active effort to make your employees feel engaged: Have a clearly defined strategy. Most employees disengage when they don't see themselves as a part of the agency's story. Create a clear strategy and share that strategy with your team. If they don't know what the action plan is, they can't be engaged. Focus on culture. Most companies say they prioritize culture, but as Christopher points out, often this is nothing more than putting the company's mission statement on a mouse pad. Culture is what you believe and how you act; and what you put into practice as your agency's values. Create a culture of empowerment. So many managers have the mindset "this is my turf and I'm not going to let go of it." That's not going to empower anyone. You don't want your employees coming to you with every little task to get your insight. Empowerment is "Hey, here's our strategy. I know you have the tools to help us get there. Do what it takes." It's not delegating, it's trusting your employees. Why and How You Can Implement Servant Leadership What is the servant leadership model? Most companies work on the power leadership model, where there is one boss who tells the rest of the team what to do. The model is flipped upside down with servant leadership. The leadership puts the employees first and is there to support them and do what it takes to find success as a team. How do you get there? 360 Feedback. Your team is not only capable of contributing to your success as an agency, but they can also provide valuable feedback. As a manager, it can be easy to disconnect and not see the whole picture. When you ask your team to provide confidential, anonymous feedback, you're likely to get a better insight regarding your team's strengths and weaknesses. Actually do something. Christopher says you actually have to "give a damn." If you take in the feedback and then ignore what your team has to say, you're less likely to empower your team and more likely to push them one step closer to the door. As much as we'd all like to believe we are superheroes that can do it all, the truth is, most of us would be nothing without our team. When your employees are engaged in their work, not only will they be happier, but your agency as a whole will likely find it easier to achieve success. Want Help Pitching and Winning More New Business? Imagine a partner who helps you streamline Google Ads, Facebook, and Bing workflows, recommends genius optimizations across platforms, and then brags about the results to your clients for you. What if that partner could also help you grow your agency by making it easier to pitch and take on more clients? In a nutshell, that's what Wordstream will do for your agency. And in support of the podcast, Wordstream is offering Smart Agency Masterclass listeners a FREE 14-day trial and complimentary sales-tool add-on. Just check out Wordstream.com/smartagency for more information.

Are you struggling to let go of some of the control and bring on new team members? Or, when you bring in new talent do you discover they have no idea what to do? A lot of your agency and team's success comes down to process. If you don't have an established process or documented SOPs, your team doesn't have a map to follow. In today's episode, we'll cover: Does your agency have long-term sustainability? Why and how to document processes for agency team success. 2 secrets to finding great agency talent. Today I sat down with Damon Burton, founder of SEO National. Damon started his agency 12 years ago when SEO was just becoming a thing. Now, Damon says he has retained many of his original clients and has learned how to build a team he trusts. Damon is on the show to share tips on how you can do the same. Does Your Agency Have Long-Term Sustainability? We're in the midst of the, "I want it now" era. People are easily distracted, quickly moving from one thing to another. With social media, it's swipe left, swipe right, like this, and move on. In this fast-paced world, a lot of people are clambering to get attention. And a few do. But often, those that grab ahold of today's current shiny thing find themselves wondering why they are not seeing any long-term success. Damon says he has a lot of the same clients he had when he first started his agency, and he attributes a lot of this stability to consistency. While SEO sees some changes here and there, overall, it's the same basic principle. As an agency owner, you have to be careful about jumping onto trends or buying into the "next big thing." Stick to your values and principles, and you're more likely to find long-term success. Why and How to Document Agency Processes One of the most important things you can to do help your agency grow is to develop a process for everything and stick to it. Processes help reduce variation and are a huge asset when you bring on new employees. Look, without SOPs you're SOL. :) Damon says many agencies fear bringing on new employees because they feel new people will mess everything up. But if you have bad employees, it all comes back to you. If you have hired competent team members and they are failing, it's because you don't have processes, or you haven't found an appropriate way to document your processes. There are many ways to document your process. The most important thing is to get it done. Damon spent two hours every other day for a year, writing down his processes. My system for documenting processes was recording videos and screencasts of tasks I wanted to delegate. To avoid spending hours documenting your processes or spending a bunch of money to have someone write up two years worth of work, document as you go. 2 Secrets to Finding New Talent Delegating is a great way to free up time to allow you to focus on more important tasks. But it's all about having processes in place and hiring competent team members. So how do you find the right people for your team? Find people who are really good at one thing. We all dream of finding the perfect employee who is good at everything. But ultimately, this isn't the best thing for you or your employee. Find people who are not only good at what they do but like what they do. Be creative. Damon says he likes to hide Easter eggs in his job posting to have applicants prove they actually read the whole job description. This helps him narrow the field down to people who pay attention and can follow directions. You don't have to put Easter eggs in your job descriptions, but try a non-conventional approach to finding, qualifying, and interviewing new talent. Developing a process and learning how to delegate are two of the most important things you can do as an agency owner. Remember, you don't have to do it all, you just need to be able to hire the right people. Looking for a Payroll and HR Solution for your Agency? Payroll and benefits are hard. Especially when you're a small business. Gusto is making payroll, benefits and HR easy for small businesses. You no longer have to be a big company to get great technology, great benefits and great service to take care of your team.

Have you considered creating a podcast, but don't know where to start? Are you looking for a new way to get clients engaged without coming off "salesy"? Podcasts are a great way to connect with more prospective clients. As an added bonus, they are one of the easiest ways you can generate leads for your agency. In today's episode, we discuss: 3 Reasons why podcasts work to connect you with more clients. Why your agency should consider a podcast. 3 Ways to make your voice shine through. Today, I sat down with Mark Lipsky, founder of The Radio Agency. The Radio Agency is a radio-only digital marketing agency. They focus on radio — nothing more, nothing less. Over the past 26 years, Mark has discovered what makes radio great and what makes it stand out from the rest. Mark shares with us what he learned and why you should consider incorporating podcasts into your marketing approach. 3 Reasons Why Podcasts Work You may think, "I don't need to start a podcast, my blog is doing just fine." And that may be the case. But podcasts open up new possibilities that may not currently exist for your agency. Podcasts are portable. Consumers can listen to your podcast whenever, wherever. But more importantly: There's something for everyone: Unlike traditional radio, even those with weird obscure tastes will find something they like. Have a super niche agency? There's a good chance your client is looking for your podcast. The ability to multitask: As humans, we rarely like to sit still anymore. With podcasts, you can listen to a show in the car, while you run, or while you're sitting at your desk at work. You don't have to schedule your time: Listeners aren't required to tune-in at a specific time. All they have to do is download past shows and binge them during free time. Why Your Agency Should Consider a Podcast But isn't a podcast a lot of work? Not at all. There are so many apps where you can create one in just a few minutes on your own. Of course, there are options to make them more technical and expand your reach, but there's nothing complicated about creating a podcast. But why should you invest your time in a podcast? They're easy. Seriously, it's so much easier than you think. If I can do it, anyone can :) They're personable. Even the best writers have difficulty getting their true voice and intent to come through. With a podcast, listeners can hear tone, laughs, and inflections, increasing connection with the audience. Audiences are paying attention. Look at your metrics. How often does someone read the entire blog post? Watch the entire video? Most often, listeners finish most, if not all of the podcast. Because they are so portable and so engaging. 3 Ways to Make Your Voice Shine Through Just like anything else, the goal is to stand out. With thousands of podcasts covering a variety of subjects, it's just as easy to be a "me too," podcast as it is a "me too," agency. Voice is what will make you stand out. How do you do this? Be genuine. Don't try to create a character. Even if your listeners don't catch onto your act, you'll have a hard time sustaining the character long-term. Let your personality shine through. Be you. Don't hide your personality. Listeners love authenticity and want to hear what drives you. Create content designed to help. Never create a podcast with the intent to sell something. Customers can see through this. Give your listeners something of value. If they like your message and enjoy listening to you, you won't have to try to sell — they'll want to work with you. In marketing, it's important to embrace all forms of media. Podcasts are a great way to share your message, show your voice, and connect with your audience. Want Help Pitching and Winning More New Business? Imagine a partner who helps you streamline Google Ads, Facebook, and Bing workflows, recommends genius optimizations across platforms, and then brags about the results to your clients for you. What if that partner could also help you grow your agency by making it easier to pitch and take on more clients? In a nutshell, that's what Wordstream will do for your agency. And in support of the podcast, Wordstream is offering Smart Agency Masterclass listeners a FREE 14-day trial and complimentary sales-tool add-on. Just check out Wordstream.com/smartagency for more information.

Can you grow your agency during a recession? What should you do to make sure your agency survives a downturn in the economy? How can you flip current conditions to benefit your business? In this video, I'll talk about how you can grow your agency during a threatening economic market. I'm already hearing from agencies saying clients are backing down their spending, some are losing deals in the pipeline... it's partially a result of global panic over the coronavirus outbreak. Now, when I owned my agency for 12 years, we went through many economic threats during the Dot-Bomb Era, September 11, and the 2008 market crash... and we were able to survive, even grow at those times. So here we are again at the threshold of a downturn in the economy. How can your agency not only survive but grow in a recession? In my mastermind group, we did a lot of talking about this exact topic and what these 7-figure agency owners are doing about it. These successful agencies are finding opportunity in the face of challenge... For example, do your clients do a lot of trade shows or conferences? Those events are getting canceled, so show them how to spend more on digital marketing. Think outside the box! What you need to do is get more creative and opportunistic. Spend more when people pull back on spending because your cost per acquisition is going to go down. Don't be afraid to spend when everyone else is afraid because that's when you're going to get the biggest bang for your buck. Bottom line -- don't participate in the recession unless it's to take advantage of it! Where are your opportunities during this health threat and economic recession? Comment below and tell me how you can get creative. Also, if you want accurate and reliable information (without the hype of the new media :) check out: World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/ US Center for Disease Control: https://www.cdc.gov/ SUBSCRIBE NOW to follow my entrepreneurial journey. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDvZHFVeqEMq58q6tMoyMK-ufpp0ysoVP ======================================================= Thanks for watching. I hope you keep up with the daily videos I post on my channel. Make sure you subscribe and share your learnings with others. Your comments are why I do this, so please take a second and say hello. JASON SWENK IS AN AGENCY ADVISOR THAT GUIDES MARKETING AGENCIES THROUGH A PROVEN FRAMEWORK FOR GROWING THEIR AGENCY FASTER & EASIER. Fresh out of college Jason was off to work for Arthur Anderson, one of the big 5 consulting firms. He quickly realized that he could never work for anyone other than himself. He decided to change direction, launch a digital agency that quickly grew to a multi-million dollar operation working with brands such as AT&T, Hitachi, and Lotus Cars. After 12 years of steady growth, the agency caught the attention of bigger agencies and Jason sold it in 2012. Now, Jason leads http://JasonSwenk.com, a unique media company & consultancy helping marketing agencies grow & scale their agencies faster by applying the framework that he used to grow, scale and eventually sell his agency. Jason has helped over 10,000 agencies in 23 countries meet or exceed their business goals. Jason currently hosts two shows that are available for download… The Smart Agency Master Class Podcast, dedicated to providing tactics and strategies to agency owners and decision-makers that cut through the BS, focus on exactly what works and what doesn't; and SwenkToday a daily VLOG that documents the entrepreneur journey of building another multimillion-dollar business, where he shares the latest strategies and answers the most burning questions entrepreneurs have. SCHEDULE #SwenkToday Q&A from my digital agency audience Ask me A Question http://jasonswenk.com/askswenk Podcast Monday & Wednesday: (Digital Agency Interviews) https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/smart-agency-masterclass-marketing/id870206013?mt=2&ls=1 or http://smartagencymasterclass.com Follow me here: Website: http://jasonswenk.com Podcast: http://smartagencymasterclass.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jasonswenk Twitter: https://twitter.com/jswenk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jswenk Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonswenk Medium: https://medium.com/@jswenk/ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jasonswenk Music by epidemicsound.com

Do you struggle to get agency clients to see the value of your agency's work? Does your pricing structure feel like it's completely out of whack? Not sure if your agency is competitively priced? Pricing and process are two areas where clients and agencies often have trouble finding common ground, but it can make all the difference when it comes to your agency's success. In today's episode we'll cover: Do you know your agency's value? How including the client in the process builds trust. #1 Reason you need to lead with strategy. Today I had the opportunity to chat with Tammy Dahlin, owner of digital marketing agency Element 212, based out of Indiana. Though she has a degree in marketing, like so many of us, Tammy somewhat fell into starting her own agency. As such, she found herself undervaluing her agency's services and struggling to find a balance between the amount of work she puts in and client expectations. When she figured out she needed to implement a process and invite clients into the process, she discovered her place as a strategic agency. Find out what Tammy learned along the way. Do You Know Your Agency's Value? Anyone who has been in the agency realm (or any business, for that matter), understands the complexities of pricing. You don't want to price yourself too high where you're not attracting any clients, but you don't want to go so low they don't take you seriously. When Tammy first started her agency, she quickly realized just how much she was undervaluing her work. She says she charged about $600 for her first project where other firms were charging upwards of $15,000. Between working too much and charging too little, Tammy and her team slowly became resentful of the process. In the beginning, it's hard to accurately balance the client's perception of what they are getting with what they are willing to pay. So Tammy made a change. She upped her prices to be more in line with the work she was actually putting in. But she was still getting pushback. Now the clients thought her rates were too expensive. How Bringing a Client into the Process Can Build Trust Naturally, Tammy knew the value of the work her team was providing. Unfortunately, her clients weren't able to see all the research that was going into each project. But then it clicked. Tammy's team was already doing market research with the client and their customers, a process she calls "brand insight." She decided to bring the client into it that process and most importantly, charge for it. This had a dramatic effect on Element 212's growth. Clients were now able to see what was going on behind the scenes and appreciate the process. By giving the clients an "inside look," Tammy and her team could establish trust and get their clients more involved. #1 Reason You Need to Lead With Strategy Everyone can execute, it's the strategy that sets you apart. When you lead with strategy, your client will view you as the authority. When you don't lead with strategy, they will view you as a commodity. Early on, Tammy decided to market her agency as a strategic agency. Now she has developed a system where she has biannual meetings with her team and her clients to talk strategy. If they want to implement the strategy — great. If not, she gives them tips to make sure they all stay on the same page. Element 212 is an agency that focuses on strategy at its core. By being transparent about the process with her clients and bringing them into this process, Tammy has finally found a balance between customer expectations and the value of her agency's work. Pricing and strategy are two of the most complex and difficult parts of running an agency. But it's so important to get a handle on these areas from the start. When you do, you'll find everything else comes so much easier. Looking for a Payroll and HR Solution for your Agency? Payroll and benefits are hard. Especially when you're a small business. Gusto is making payroll, benefits and HR easy for small businesses. You no longer have to be a big company to get great technology, great benefits and great service to take care of your team. For a limited time, Gusto is offering a deal to Smart Agency Masterclass listeners. Check out Gusto.com/agency for 3-months FREE once you run your first payroll with them.

Do you feel like no matter how smart you are about money, you just can't get a good handle on agency cash flow? Are you looking for a way to make sure your agency is prepared for times when there's a downturn in the economy? Cash flow can be a big problem, and it's one that few have a real grasp of. But when you understand the principles of a smart cash flow plan, you'll be ahead of the game. In today's episode, we cover: 3 Ways to find success as an agency. What does good agency cash flow really look like? How to control your agency's cash flow. Today I had the pleasure of talking with Steve Buck, co-founder, and president of Black Tie Digital Marketing. Steve's one of the rare ones who actually sought out a role in the agency space. After working for a big company in Rhode Island, Steve and his partner had a crazy idea — "Wouldn't it be fun to do this on our own?" In 2011, Steve and his partner started Black Tie and have learned a lot of lessons along the way. He's on the show to share insight on agency cash flow management. 3 Ways to Find Success as an Agency There are so many things to learn when you first start an agency. How do you get clients? What do you charge? And most importantly, how do you make a mark? Steve says he's learned a lot along the way, but much of his success comes down to a few basic principles: Balance. Balance can be hard to find, but it's one of the most important things as a business owner. Steve says he was lucky that he and his partner had personalities that balanced each other out. This helped them make smart decisions along the way. Luck. Let's be honest — much of business comes down to pure luck. But… Perseverance can make the difference. You're more likely to be in those lucky situations the more you persevere. If you put yourself in enough places, enough times, eventually you'll find yourself in the right place at the right time. What Does Good Cash Flow Really Look Like? Ask anyone in the industry how much money you should have in reserves and you'll get a WIDE range of answers. Steve says he's always been told 12 months is a good mark to strive for. Personally, I feel the number is closer to three months. Anything more than that and you're not investing enough back into your agency. Reserves are important and one of the basics in finding success as an agency. These reserves will make all the difference when the financial market undoubtedly goes south. Those that have reserves will survive (and thrive), while those that don't have cash reserves will make great employees when you're looking to hire. How to Control Your Agency's Cash Flow Cash flow is so important. But why is it so hard? A lot of it comes down to basic management styles and human psychology. How can you avoid cash flow pitfalls? Be aware of the "people pleaser" tendency. We all want to impress new clients and make them stick around long term. But this mentality often causes financial hardship. Why? Because when we try too hard to please new clients, we often give away too much for free. Over delivery is a common problem - remember balance. It's important. Understand the scope of the project. Just because you think you understand what your client is asking for, it doesn't mean you actually do. Get a clear understanding of what the client wants and how much work it will take. Don't undersell yourself and don't over-deliver. Reduce or eliminate scope creep. Track what you spend. Freebies and gimmes are okay, every once in a while. But it's important to track everything, even things you are giving away. Down the road when the client asks for another freebie, you'll have a record of how much you have already given them. Pay yourself. You'll never have an accurate valuation of your agency if you are paying yourself less than what you would pay someone to do the work that you are doing. Cash flow is one of the most important, if not THE most important part of running a successful agency. It doesn't matter how good you are at everything else if you can't manage your money. Be smart, think ahead, and make sure you have a plan for when things get hard. Want Help Pitching and Winning More New Business? Imagine a partner who helps you streamline Google Ads, Facebook, and Bing workflows, recommends genius optimizations across platforms, and then brags about the results to your clients for you. What if that partner could also help you grow your agency by making it easier to pitch and take on more clients? In a nutshell, that's what Wordstream will do for your agency. And in support of the podcast, Wordstream is offering Smart Agency Masterclass listeners a FREE 14-day trial and complimentary sales-tool add-on. Just check out Wordstream.com/smartagency for more information.

Ever feel like you're not connecting with the right clients? Afraid your agency doesn't stand apart from the others? Times are changing in the agency space, and those who adapt will be the ones who succeed. But how do you develop a growth strategy to do it the right way? Look at things through the lens of your ideal clients. In today's episode, we cover: How to set yourself apart from other agencies. 2 Things you can achieve when you lead with strategy. Why you always need to keep your ear to the ground. Today I had the chance to talk to Damien Cabral, co-founder of Tribal Vision. Damien started his agency about 9 years ago when he became frustrated with the current agency model and thought he could find a new approach. Damien and his partner flipped the switch and looked at an agency's job through the client's eyes. Find out what they learned and how this strategy has helped them find success. How to Set Yourself Apart From Other Agencies It's a great time to be in marketing! The market is hot, clients are hungry, and the value of agency services cannot be understated. The industry is flooded with "me too," agencies who want to be full-service and do everything for everyone. Those agencies are looking to get a piece of the pie, with nothing that really makes them stand out from the crowd. If you're a new agency owner or even one who has been around for a while, the battle to stand out from the crowd is stronger than ever. So what's the secret? For Damien, it was all about looking at things from the client's point of view. Damien's agency focuses solely on marketing. Everything else, they outsource to freelancers. What this means is there is no incentive to try to upsell a bigger website or get them to sign a deal that is not in the client's best interest — it's all about the client. Damien says by recognizing potential clients' pain points, Tribal Vision is able to be flexible with what the client needs. 2 Things You Can Achieve When You Lead With Strategy When it comes down to running an agency, those who find success have a solid strategy. Anyone can execute any day of the week, it's how you get there that makes you valuable. Damien says there are two reasons he leads with strategy: Clear communication with the client: You want to be upfront with your client. Strategy allows you to tell your client what you're going to do, what they need to do, and what it's going to cost. Better understanding of the client's business: How much do you really know about your client's business? How much do you know about their customers? When you develop a strategy before you get started, it allows you to analyze the competition, understand the most effective channels, and set appropriate goals. Why You Always Need to Keep Your Ear to the Ground As an agency owner, you should always be listening — keep your ear to the ground. Talk to your clients, talk to their customers, talk to your employees. And always pay attention to the market. You need to adapt. Take feedback. Be proactive. Listen to what the market is telling you. Sure, your idea may be great, but if the market doesn't support it, you're destined to fail. Don't fall too in love with your own ideas. Check-in with your employees. Talk to the people who are actually working with the clients. Do performance reviews, have regular check-ins and provide or be a mentor. Despite what you're led to believe — your team is not simply here to make money, they want to contribute. When you take the time to show people they matter, you value their opinions, and you care, you automatically stand out from the rest. In the words of Gary Vaynerchuck, "As we go more Jetsons, the people that act like the Flintstones are going to win."