The Agency Growth Podcast

We got a little off track right away in this episode and it turned into an episode of its own.Everyone has the same amount of time in a day yet some people always seem to get more work done than us. How do they do it?We talk about the sacrifices we've made in our daily lives to be able to focus on getting work done and scaling the agency. Jake set the Xbox controller down and Cody doesn't own a TV. Sometimes these are the choices we make in order to make ourselves focus on work...Sometimes work is so important and plentiful that we don't even realize we've put our hobbies down.Either way, at some point, we have to figure out what is truly most important to us because we aren't getting more time in our days.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

In this episode, Jake points out some fallacies when it comes to agency owners trying to find work and where they try to find it.There's a common belief that agency owners should be everywhere at all times (Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, etc) in order to get in front of your potential clients, but that just isn't true. It's honestly a waste of your time.When you're first starting out, you might have nothing better to do than to post to every social platform out there and that's okay -- but at some point, you'll see which platforms are most ideal to find work and when you do, you need to double down on that platform.Different agency models in different industries favor different platforms. It's important for you to find out where your top platform is and we talk about how we found ours.Jake talks about which platforms worked best for Evergrow to acquire its first clients and Cody brings up freelance websites like Fiverr and UpWork.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

Cody hates Thanksgiving, and it's only a week away. So I thought it'd be funny if we did a Thanksgiving episode just to annoy him.First, I get that Thanksgiving episodes are boring; That's why we decided to make an appropriately themed episode that actually provides value rather than get all sappy about what we're thankful for.The things we're thankful for range from having a partner to take the burden off of your shoulders to having sought out and found a mentor that you can go to with questions regarding your business or industry.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

DISCLAIMER: #1: If you don't want to hear about Jake's engagement story then skip to the 9:45 mark to get to the meat of the content (you're welcome)!DISCLAIMER #2: Cody is recovering from the flu and Jake is running on 2hrs and 47 minutes of sleep after getting back from Mexico. Both of us sound like we're going to die in this episode.Today we talk about burnout and how it's inevitable for anyone who wants anything bad enough.Google defines burnout as:“...a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed." However, we both disagree with this definition for different reasons.Burnout comes in many forms and oftentimes isn't something that's always in your control. This means, you either have to be the luckiest person alive to avoid it, or you really don't care that much about what you're doing.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

Ever noticed how all of the gurus, competitors, or your peers only seem to brag about their revenue numbers? Does it have you feeling like you're not as successful or that you should be doing more?You might want to pay closer attention to what they're saying -- you might end up feeling better about yourself.Revenue is one of those numbers that are easy to inflate. If someone spends $1m in ads and makes $10k back, their revenue is $1.01m. That seems like a lot of money until you realize the owner of that company only took home $10k... and that's assuming there were no other expenses. On top of that, they incurred a huge liability! $1m in ad spend!In this episode, we discuss how the only thing you should be concerned about at the end of the day is how profitable your company is. Revenue means nothing if it's not generating a healthy profit margin. Profit margins are what keep businesses around for the long haul.Smart people don't buy businesses that have high revenue numbers, they buy businesses that are profitable.If you're an agency or consultant and don't in inventory or ad spend as much, your profitability comes from your labor hours. Pay attention to how much revenue you're bringing in divided by how many labor hours you're attributing. You may not be as profitable as you think.If you like tangents, you'll love this episode!If you don't... well... at least it's a shorter episode...----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

We figured we'd hop on the topical train and today's topic is Halloween!In this episode, we'll share a few of our spooky agency stories. No ghosts or ghouls -- just genuinely scary moments for us while working in an agency setting whether that's at our agency or the ones we used to work at.These stories include:Arriving to work to learn that all of the founders are quittingSending a mailer to print with a client's competitor's phone number on itBeing called into an executive's office after telling an account manager to shut up during a business meetingBeing called into an executive's office after presenting in front of the entire company drunk...A story you've probably heard of online that was a client of ours!When the agency's biggest client left and people were literally cryingThat time we were served settlement papers----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

We discuss how much they actually work as agency owners -- but more importantly, is the work-life balance worth it versus striving to make a 6+ figure income at a 9-5 working 60+ hours per week?When you start your own business, you're going to need to put more time and effort into it than a standard full-time job. However, it is yours and it has more potential. You get to decide when you work, for how long you work, and in what direction the business is headed.Ultimately, you don't have to work long-hour days, you also don't have to make a lot of money.If you want to start a business because of the monetary possibilities, you first need to think about what kind of commitment you're making and assess whether or not it's worth it.I would argue you can make 6-figures in a 9-5 faster than you can starting your own business if you don't have any successful, entrepreneurial experience and even without a degree.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

You might think saying "yes" to more jobs and custom client requests may grow your business, but in reality, it can set you up for failure.One of the hardest things to do is to say "no" to a prospective client who is willing to give you their money for an ask or service that you either don't provide or haven't fleshed out yet.Jake and Cody go through a few examples of how saying "no" is a much better solution than taking on a task you're either not prepared for or don't have the resources to execute effectively.The easiest way to know if you should say "no" is if saying it pushes your business in the direction you want to take it. If saying "yes" to something moves your business in a direction that is counter to what your goals are, then you should have said "no".----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

The whole point most of us even started our agencies was to make money; so how can anything be more important than that?Money doesn't mean anything if it isn't associated with the labor that's put into it. If you made $50,000 in one year, that doesn't seem like a lot -- that seems like a normal full-time salary. However, most people equate that to 40 labor hours per week.$50,000 starts to look a lot different when you say you worked 80 hours that week to earn it. On the other hand, it looks like the opposite when you say you only worked 10 hours in a week to earn that same $50,000.That $50,000 is worth a lot more in the 2nd scenario than it is in the first.That's the whole principle of this episode. Labor Inventory.If your business is making $100,000 per year but you're clocking in 6,000 labor hours between you and your partner, you two have a better shot at making more money working full-time at McDonald's.In this episode, we go over:A healthy labor rate (including what we are doing)How we assess labor hours given a service for a clientHow we allocate available employee labor hours versus leaving space for internal labor hours (60% client, 40% internal)Knowing our labor rates and available labor inventory lets us know:When we're stretching our employees thinWhen we need to hireHow much we can pay our employees or how high we can give raiseshow valuable and how profitable our company is----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

Whether or not you should have a business partner seems to be a hot topic lately both in our industry and in the industry we serve. It seems like the vote is heavily weighted towards not having a business partner.Obviously, we don't necessarily agree with that sentiment. We do, however, think there are situations where you probably should partner with someone -- and that includes:FriendsFamilyPeople with the same skills as youPeople who don't have a good work ethicThe last one is a given, but people typically miss out on the second to last. If you partner with someone who has the same skill set as you, you're not really adding value. You're just adding someone who can do the work you're already doing.Cody handles all of the internal and operational things (invoicing, processes, training, workflows, etc). Jake handles, sales, marketing, client communication, big picture, etc). Both skill sets are completely different and require different mentalities. Both of which complement each other. That's just one reason our partnership works great.It's worth it to mention that Cody and I weren't friends before we started this business. We were work acquaintances from a few years back. It was through business that we found friendship. Not the other way around; and that's important.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

We have a bit more fun during this episode and occasionally go down rabbit holes of rants regarding how there can be a misconception about how easy and laid-back remote work is.Working remotely for yourself and with your team has its perks but it also has its drawbacks as well. On one hand, you can celebrate things like being able to work wherever you want and sometimes (whenever you want). On the other hand, it's difficult to delineate what is and isn't work if you don't have a physical place you do it at. Additionally, you and your team have to be disciplined. It's easy to get distracted when no one is watching over your shoulder and you intentionally put yourself in distracting situations.In this episode, Cody goes deeper into how people you hire may like the idea of working remotely, but once they realize what it entails, they'll find out it's not for them and leave.He also rants about how the term "cultural fit" seems to just be an unintentional war on blue-collar jobs and discusses how awkward the first time answering a business phone call for him was.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

A recession is the hot topic today as we head into the end of Q3 looking at two consecutively "down" quarters. When recessions hit, people and businesses get tighter with their money and non-essential services are cut. As a marketing agency, we're often seen as a "non-essential" service (which is odd to us), but as much as we don't want it to be, it's the truth.However, not all businesses and industries are affected by recessions -- some even boom. Both the industry we market for and our business saw huge growth spurts during COVID. Although not a recession, we still saw the same money tightening and job displacement you typically see in one.Having said that, we felt like this was an important topic to cover for new and experienced agency owners who are wondering what a recession is going to mean for their business.In this episode, we dive into:The pros and cons of a recession (yes, there are pros for some people and businesses)What industries are and aren't affectedHow you can recession-proof your agency such as:Creating low-cost services to draw-in revenue from scrappier clientsCreating and defining services that are needed (administrative) rather than sought after (ROI-focused)Picking a recession-proof agencySegmenting & protecting your moneyContinuing to stay lean, not because you're in a recession, but because it's just smart in general----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

You're going to face competition no matter the niche or the industry you're in. It's inevitable. But competition isn't something you should be afraid of for a few reasons:There are plenty of fish out thereCompetition can be friendly and even rewardingPeople don't like your competitionPeople have also never heard of your competition (no matter how big they seem to be)What Cody and Jake have found is that they really just simply don't believe in competition. Worrying about "competitors" only raises your anxiety and causes you to copy them. You'll never be better than them if you just copy them.Also, Cody gives tips on wrist exercises and used to drive a crappy Buick named Linda.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

There's a belief out there that in order to be successful in your entrepreneurial endeavors, you have to quit your full-time job and dedicate your life to your business. This just isn't true.Often times people equate the first level of success in an entrepreneur's lifecycle to when the income from the side hustle replaces the income of their day job. Although that is a great milestone, it isn't what defines your first level of entrepreneurial success.With the right systems and processes in place, your side hustle can equal the income from your day job without you having to leave your day job and have it only increase from there while putting in only a fraction of the time. All the benefits of scaling your own thing with the security and stability of a full-time job. This is especially helpful and more appealing to those of us who have families to take care of. Sometimes leaps are stupid. Sometimes they're lucky. But in our opinion, leaps are rarely smart -- it just pays to have luck on your side if you do need to make a leap rather than a calculated step.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

Every new agency owner we run into likes to show off their fancy, expensive software whether it's a reporting tool, CRM, or bid manager. It seems like everyone thinks the next piece of software they buy is going to push their agency to the next level when in reality, it's most likely going to keep you from going to that next level.We grew our agency to the efficient machine it is without using one paid SEO or ads tool and as of the recording and posting of this episode, we still don't.If you're considering purchasing new software, ask yourself if it's something you really need. Is your business struggling because you don't have something like it? Or is it struggling for another reason?We dive into the tools we used when we first started, the ones agencies we used to work at used and how wasteful they were, as well as some of the software and tools we use now in our agency.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

The #1 problem with the marketing and consulting industry is fake gurus and "Master Classes". Nearly all of the people who host these or have some kind of agency blueprint course are fake and can't actually perform the marketing they're preaching for clients -- so they turn to teach you instead. For the most part, this is an episode where we take a dump on people who sell agency and marketing courses for over $500 and call a few of them out by name.It's worth it to note, Jake has actually taken one of these courses (and regrets it) while Cody has never. We don't only speak from an outsider's perspective looking in but also from firsthand experience.If you don't like what we have to say in this episode... you're probably not going to like owning a business. Real success takes real work and there are no shortcuts and that's what people are trying to get with these online Master Classes and blueprints.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

If you chase relationships in your agency or consultancy, the money will follow. But if you chase money first, you risk destroying current and future relationships which becomes self-defeating in the pursuit of money.We give specific examples of when we cared more about preserving a relationship than adding a new client or taking a business' money that has had positive effects on our business. That includes nurturing and maintaining relationships over money in the following areas:ClientsProspectsIndustry PartnersEmployeesBusiness PartnersVendors & Publications----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u**Disclaimer**As we become more comfortable with our podcast layout, we make more jokes. Some jokes may be offensive to some, but we do want to iterate that these are simply jokes (specifically regarding the joke around 34m 30s mark).

When you first start out, you'll likely try to acquire and maintain as many clients as possible regardless of how demanding or awful they are. We uncover what it's really like when you sacrifice more money for clients that are out of scope, not a good fit, and are downright rude as well as how to tell when you should consider letting a client go or not take that client on in the first place.Taking on clients that could mean trouble in the future can cost your business money, valuable employees, and other clients. When you have demanding clients, they suck your time away from other clients and other aspects of your business start hurting.Know the signs of when a client may not be a good fit early on and learn how and when to say no to an existing client.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

As you start and grow your agency, you'll deal with client criticism. You can either let it annoy you or let it make you better. Criticism can be rooted in miscommunication, poor delivery, or even your client simply having a bad day.We've dealt with our fair share of client criticism in the past and felt like it would be good for us to share how we deal with different types of criticism as well as how to spot the differences.All of the criticism we've received for our agency services has made us better. It's caused us to:Redefined our servicesSet better expectations with the clientProvide simple value that wasn't there before----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

Your services oftentimes include values that aren't measurable. Reporting, assurance, maintenance, etc. But sometimes clients don't understand that. If they're equating the price they're paying to only one aspect of the services you're offering, you can have an issue on your hands with your client's happiness.In this episode, we'll go over a few ways we got our clients to understand the value they got by using our agency's services in more than just our marketing efforts. It can start with simply setting the right expectations and end with communicating your values in a way that they understand.This is one of the key things you can focus on when figuring out how to reduce client churn and keep people and businesses as clients longer.Clearly stating and communicating your value can also prevent your competitors from swooping in and stealing your existing clients.As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

Closing sales for a new coach or agency owner is hard, especially if you don't quite have a solid portfolio or a few references you can send prospects to.Every agency owner has to deal with this when they start their business. We were able to overcome that hurdle and now sales and closing clients come naturally to us.When we first started, we had to overcome a lot of objections -- now, it's easy... we just don't. But we had to build our portfolio in creative ways in order to get to that point.We'll go over a few tricks with tips we used when we first booked appointments and sales calls in our first year of business that got us the sale, including things like:Doing initial work cheaper or for free to build your portfolioBuilding consultative relationships that turn into paying customersOffering value that no one else with other clients canAnd more----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

One of the hardest things to do while starting your agency is finding your first client. As one of our most requested topics to shed light on, Cody and Jake expose how they acquired their first clients without cold-emailing, cold-calling, or running any ads.We'll talk about where we went to find clients along with the best and worst places to try to acquire new customers.We also go into some of our own internal rules for gaining new clients and becoming your niche's go-to for marketing or coaching information as the trusted source.In this episode on growing your agency, learn about how we acquired new clients from the following free sources and the dos and don'ts of prospect engagement:Facebook and social media groupsOnline forumsWriting for industry publicationsBeing interviewed on industry podcastsWorking on your own SEOPracticing what you preachBEING PATIENT----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

Sometimes the services you offer are enough to acquire clients but are oftentimes not enough to retain clients, especially if the results you produce aren't immediate.Adding value to your services or working with you in general during your partnership with your client can be enough to keep them with you while your services work to produce results over time.We'll talk about a few of the things that we added to our productized services that added value to our clients without:Costing us additional dollarsRequiring more laborRequiring much effort----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

Figuring out how to price the services for your marketing agency or consultancy can be tricky to do, especially when first starting out. Most people tend to undersell themselves when first starting out due to a lack of confidence in their own sales pitch and their product. We talk about how we:Priced our services in the beginning when we didn't have any clientsRealized we were underchargingRaised our pricesContinue to monitor whether we're charging too much or not enough----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

Jake and Cody analyze the types of marketing or consulting services that not only work but are profitable. You want to offer high-value services that drive actual results with your clients. Clients aren't stupid; they'll eat you alive if what you offer doesn't drive results. You also don't need to offer everything and the kitchen sink.Focus on what works, even if it's just one service; your clients will see you as the specialist in that particular field. Cody and Jake only focused on SEO and Google Ads and that alone got their business to over 50 clients on retainer in just over 2 years. Listen to what they have to say on whittling down your services to the few (or one) that drive great results!----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

There is a multitude of things to consider when starting your agency; one of those things is whether you should focus on a niche or stay broad. Additionally, what niche should you focus on?We tackle the common questions, "should I focus on a niche?" and "what niche should I specialize in?". There is no right answer, but we have some food for thought when considering both of these questions.On one hand, niching down makes you more appealing to a subset of businesses and can increase your close rates and client retention. You can become the go-to agency for that niche, however, it can limit your potential for business growth in other sectors.On the other hand, going too broad increases competition and you're not as much of an authoritative source for a particular industry. You may see lower close rates and client retention.----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u

Jake and Cody tackle everything you need to start your own marketing, consulting, or coaching agency. We're giving you a complete list of everything you should be thinking about and considering when starting your agency from having an actual plan to invoicing software and obtaining your LLC.What Jake & Cody say you need and how to get it:ComputerInvoicing SoftwareWebsite (domain, host, CMS)LLC and / or DBAA Jake or a CodyOne thing we forgot to add to the list was making sure to get your own business bank account separate from your personal one. Keep your money separate! Google the best banks for small businesses in your area and see what you find. You usually don't need an LLC or anything, just some sort of proof you operate as a business under a DBA (website, social media, etc).----------------------------------Our recommended agency tools:everbrospodcast.com/recommended-tools/----------------------------------⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐As always, if you enjoyed this episode or this podcast in general and want to leave us a review or rating, head over to Apple and let us know what you like! It helps us get found and motivates us to keep producing this free content.----------------------------------Want to connect with us? Reach out to us on the everbrospodcast.com website, subscribe to us on YouTube, or connect with us on socials:YouTube: @agencyuTwitter/X: @theagency_uLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agencyuFacebook: facebook.com/theagencyuInstagram: @theagencyuReddit: r/agency & u/JakeHundleyTikTok: @agency.u