Smart Agency Podcast: The #1 Digital Agency Podcast for Social Media, SEO, PPC & Creative Agencies

What sets high-performing agencies apart from their low-performing counterparts? How are you positioning your agency for success? Our guest today is a seasoned business executive with extensive experience in product marketing and sales leadership. In his current role, he collaborates with agencies and gains insights into what separates successful ones from the rest. Tune in to gain valuable perspectives on agency performance and growth strategies.

Tim Condon is the Chief Revenue Officer of Clutch, a one-stop-shop were businesses can identify leading service providers through an innovative research process that melds the best of traditional B2B research and newer consumer review services. He discusses the difference between high-performing and low-performing agencies and shares insights from working with professional services companies and marketing firms, highlighting key factors that contribute to agency success.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

  • Focusing on organic growth.

  • Making 100,000 leads in one day.

  • Shortening the sales cycle.

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Sponsors and Resources

Clutch: This episode is sponsored by Clutch, the #1 marketplace for agencies just like yours. With their innovative process, your agency will be matched with highly motivated buyers looking for the exact services you offer. Leave the lead generation to Clutch and let your team focus on delivery. Get started for FREE at clutch.co/smartagency by creating your agency profile.

Organic Growth and Operational Excellence Build a Scalable Agency

From his many interactions with agencies at Clutch, Tim has gathered some great intel on what is working for the most successful agencies. First, they start doing something they are really good at and focus on organic growth. Many prominent agency CEOs initially honed their skills in website development, later expanding their expertise to encompass SEO and pay-per-click advertising to drive increased traffic.

As these successful agencies matured, they strategically planned their expansion into new areas, leveraging their organic growth to thrive and deliver exceptional outcomes. Also, Tim has observed a crucial aspect of sustained agency growth lies in establishing a robust infrastructure. Agencies that have mastered this have implemented comprehensive systems for lead tracking, incentivizing sales teams, and organizing their operational structure. These systems are essential for ensuring seamless operations and maximizing growth opportunities.

Without a solid foundational framework, agencies may encounter challenges in effectively attracting, converting, and scaling their business. But by implementing streamlined processes, performance tracking, and identifying areas for improvement, they can enhance their lead generation, and client conversion, and ultimately scale their business to new heights.

Leveraging Brand Power and Partnerships to Land 100,000 Leads!

As CRO at Clutch, Tim has seen many different and innovative approaches to generating leads but especially remembers a time when he was working at the Washington Post. At that time, he was tasked with building a platform to showcase the Post’s potential as a local resource with a lot of local merchants.

The Washington Post faced competition from larger companies like Groupon and LivingSocial, so Tim capitalized on the assets at his disposal, particularly the Post's strong brand and local market distribution, to build a robust email list.

Strategically aligning with Papa John's, Tim proposed a mutually beneficial promotion that involved giving away pizzas in exchange for registrations on their site. The campaign's resounding success resulted in 100,000 new leads! And consequently, 100,000 Papa Johns pizzas delivered — which solidified the partnership between the two seemingly unlikely partners.

This was by far the best promotion either brand had done and Tim made it happen by leveraging his assets and knowing competitive dimensions. He needed emails and had something the competition didn't, a well-established brand with a huge market distribution.

How can you create lead gen that results in 100,000 new leads? Tim’s advice is to carefully assess the core requirements, leverage existing assets, and identify the dimensions crucial for a competitive edge.

Too many agency owners focus on immediate sales. However, by prioritizing email address collection, businesses can establish direct communication with potential customers, nurture leads over time, and increase conversion rates. Additionally, by standing out in the market and using creative approaches to engage with prospects, businesses can differentiate themselves and achieve sustainable growth in a competitive business environment.

The Power of Foot-in-the-Door Offers to Shorten the Sales Cycle

At Clutch, they conduct an annual survey on the sales cycle and, according to the results, 50% of agencies say their sales cycle expands to over a month, while 20% say it’s over three months. These findings are consistent across professional services and underscore the importance of implementing effective systems to convert leads into clients.

This is where a "foot in the door offer" comes in as a powerful strategy for agencies to shorten their sales cycle and secure new clients. With this approach, you offer a low-cost or low-commitment initial service to potential clients to establish trust, build rapport, and demonstrate value. It’ll be the first step toward upselling additional services or projects to the client, ultimately leading to higher revenue and long-term relationships.

Jason believes selling a foot-in-the-door offer helped his team establish a relationship and build a high-level plan to solve a huge gap the client hadn’t noticed. This way, they position themselves as an advisor and get a project sold before other agencies can come back with their proposals.

Ultimately, implementing a foot-in-the-door offer can help you drastically reduce your sales cycle from months to just a few days, so ask yourself how do I get my foot in the door? How do I get the attention? How do I get my foot in the door? And then what is that upsell to get your clients to where you need to go?

The CRM Advantage: Enhancing Agency Performance and Client Engagement

One key component of a successful foot-in-the-door offer is investing in a CRM system. Having a CRM system in place is crucial for agencies to effectively manage their client relationships and drive business growth as a tool that allows them to track and organize client information, communicate effectively with clients, and streamline their sales and marketing processes.

According to Tim, when agencies lack a CRM system or fail to utilize it effectively, it can be a red flag that their systems are not in place. This can lead to disorganization, inefficiency, and missed growth opportunities.

Investing in a CRM system can help agencies stay organized, track client interactions, and nurture relationships effectively, which is the sort of investment that will differentiate high-performing agencies from low-performing agencies.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Direct download: Tim_Condon_Audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am MDT

What would you do if you sold your agency tomorrow? Are you clear enough on your purpose that you could keep on creating value? Today’s guest is the founder of a beloved app that changed the way people drive nowadays. He eventually sold that company but hasn’t stopped looking for ways to improve people’s lives through his startups. He’ll share what he’s learned from failure, why he was out of the company as soon as he sold, and why you should always look to understand users to create real value. Tune in to learn valuable insights into building successful startups.

Uri Levine is the co-founder of Waze, a popular app that helps users have a better driving experience, get to their destination faster, and avoid speeding tickets. After his business was acquired by Google a decade ago for over $1 billion dollars, Uri went on to focus on other ventures. He more recently wrote the book Fall In Love With the Problem, Not the Solution.

He shares his entrepreneurial journey, from creating Waze to building Moveit, and discusses the importance of solving real problems to achieve product-market fit and the impact of failing to do so.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

  • Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.

  • Cracking product-market fit.

  • Making hard choices with conviction.

  • What comes after selling an agency for $1 billion.

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Sponsors and Resources

E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.

Find a Problem Worth Solving: Advice for Agencies to Create Lasting Value

Years ago, Uri had the chance to meet one of his technological gurus – Steve Wozniak – at an event. He got to take a picture with him and that exchange inspired a chapter of his book called “Understanding Users”. In it, he explains there’s no right or wrong way to use a product, something he always tried to take into account when it came to Waze users and how they overcame problems.

In his view, every entrepreneur should start by solving a problem. “Think about something worth solving,” he advises. If a lot of people have the same problem, speak with them, understand their perception of the problem, and only then set out to build the solution. For Uri, this is the only way to guarantee that you’re creating value. Instead, starting with the solution may lead to creating a solution that no one was asking for.

Uri encourages entrepreneurs to find a problem worth solving and make it the North Star of their journey. This way, you’ll be much less likely to deviate from the path toward your goal and much more likely to succeed. To agencies, he reminds them that the problem is a significant part of their marketing. The story you’ll tell about the problem is much more compelling than one about the solution. An enticing story will help you make customers care, and if they care, they’ll make you successful.

Biggest Successes and Failures Outside of Waze

Although Waze has over 700 million users, and even more use Moveit, neither is Uri’s most successful product. His most successful venture was a voicemail company called Converse Technology. At the time, it had many more users than either Waze or Moveit and it was a massive success. Years, later, he switched to software development, always looking for innovation and change.

On the other hand, his first startup focused on mobile email and it became his first big failure. Uri knew focusing on a problem worth solving was the starting point for any successful venture. This should always be followed by speaking with potential consumers. This way, you’ll see whether or not they share your vision of the problem. If not, they may still point you to a different approach to the problem.

Unfortunately, Uri found a problem worth solving that later disappeared. Someone, in this case, Blackberry, had solved it better. It was time to pivot to a new problem.

Define Your Agency’s DNA Early in the Creation Process

Finding a problem and identifying a proper approach to a solution are the surest ways to create a venture with a better opportunity to succeed. However, a major part of your happiness in an organization will revolve around the people you surround yourself with, rather than you and what you’re doing. Because of this, Uri believes the agency’s DNA and the culture you build around it will be just as important as the mission you have.

This is something you can start to create from day one, as Uri did with Waze. From its creation, he decided the company would be the best place to work at and built the culture around that idea. Since then, he’s built more companies and always makes sure to define their DNA early in its creation process. The result will be nearly no attrition because you’ve created a favorable work environment where people want to stay.

Beyond the Myth of Overnight Success: Cracking Product-Market Fit

Half of all startups will fail as a result of not figuring out their product-market fit, which simply put entails figuring out how you create value for customers. If you can’t figure that out, then your business doesn’t have a future.

There’s only one metric when it comes to product-market fit: retention. If you create value, customers will come back. If they don’t, then you’re either too complex and they can’t figure out the value or you’re not creating enough value.

Think of the apps you use every day like, Netflix or Facebook, and ask yourself what’s the difference between how you use it today and how you used it on day one. There is no major difference. Once companies figure out product market fit they don’t change it because that’s the value they bring to customers. What users don’t know is how long it takes a company to get that product market fit just right.

New companies compare themselves to these giants and assume they’re failing if they haven’t made it big by the two or three-year mark. In reality, none of these big brands was an overnight success and we’re just not aware of how long it took them to succeed. For Waze, it was four years and it took Netflix ten years.

Creating value for customers is a continuous process that requires time and effort. It’s not an overnight process.

Why CEOs Should Make Hard Choices with Conviction

Ever since he sold Waze ten years ago people have asked Uri whether he still thinks it was the right decision. For him, there are no right or wrong decisions. There’s just deciding on making no decision.

Some people prefer to remove all emotion to make decisions based purely on the logic of what would be better for the business. For Uri, the most important thing is making hard decisions with conviction, which is a crucial skill for a successful CEO.

For instance, there’s a chapter in Uri’s book called Firing and Hiring, inspired by conversations with CEOs regarding their underperforming teams. In most cases, they knew exactly which employees were just not cutting it and had known for some time. For Uri, the big problem in these cases was that CEOs were being too slow to make hard decisions because they’d have to assume responsibility for the consequences.

If you struggle with an underperforming team, Uri recommends you take a look at any team member and ask yourself would you hire them today knowing what you know about their work? If the answer is no, then fire them immediately. It’s advice he believes can be applied to anything in life, your professional path, your relationships. If you’re not happy with where you are, then start making changes in order to change that today.

Selling for $1 Billion & How Embracing Failure Can Take You Closer to Success

People may be surprised to hear that Uri was out the door the day after selling his company for $1 billion. However, by that time, he was already thinking of new startups he wanted to build, so this was the right move to close that chapter.

Furthermore, he says that, contrary to what people may believe, the sale did not mean he was walking away with $1 billion in his pocket. By that time he owned just 3% of the company and after taxes and a divorce, he was left with far less, which he mostly invested in his new startups.

Nowadays, he spends his days coaching different startups Some of these could become even more successful than Waze at some point, while others will probably end up being big failures. The prospect of failing is not one that plagues him too much since, in his view, failure is an inevitable part of the entrepreneurial journey, but it is through these failures that one can learn and grow.

At the end of the day, if you want to create new things you’re set to fail. Over the years and by accumulating new failures, he has managed to become statistically more successful thanks to the experience he has gained.

Selling Your Agency: Key Considerations and Uri's Advice on Timing and Motivations

If you’re trying to figure out the right time to sell your agency, Uri believes you should consider whether the offer you’ve received is life-changing or not. If it is, then it merits serious consideration. Additionally, if you have aspirations to pursue new ventures and innovate to benefit others and revolutionize the industry, selling may be the right move.

On the other hand, if you believe you’re company is a once-in-a-lifetime thing then you should keep it. Don’t sell unless you know what you’re going to do next.

Above all, avoid selling solely due to exhaustion and the desire to rest, as this may lead to restlessness sooner than expected. Entrepreneurs are inherently driven to create and take action and often find it challenging to embrace prolonged periods of rest.

Finding Purpose in Value Creation

Nowadays, Uri feels happier and more fulfilled than ever and it’s because in the last decade, he was finally able to figure out who he is and who he wants to become. He now states confidently that his purpose lies in value creation and he finds equal enjoyment in both creating something himself and guiding someone else to do it.

Finding a purpose will center you, the sense of purpose and impact on the world can lead to greater happiness and satisfaction in one's work. Finding something you’re good at and that people will pay for will be the cornerstone of your happiness. Identifying one's strengths and finding a market for them is pivotal for personal contentment. When coupled with a meaningful mission to make a positive impact, it becomes the key to enduring happiness.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Direct download: Uri_Levine_Audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am MDT

Does your onboarding process set new hires up for success from day one? Do you believe the hardest part of adding new team members is the hiring process? Today’s guest believes most business owners disregard the importance of the onboarding process, which can affect a new hire’s chances of success in the agency. He goes over the many aspects you should improve for properly onboarding a new team member and why you don’t want to waste the time, money, and effort put into the hiring process by doing a bad job with onboarding. Learn valuable insights and strategies in setting up new team members for success and avoid pitfalls in hiring remote staff.

Noel Andrews is the CEO of JobRack, a hiring service that helps agencies find great remote talent from Eastern Europe and South Africa. As someone who focuses on finding the best talent and matching them with agencies looking to hire remotely, Noel knows the significance of prioritizing onboarding to ensure successful hires and discusses common mistakes agency owners make during the hiring process.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

  • Common onboarding mistakes you should avoid.

  • How to kickstart a new hire for success.

  • Effective remote team onboarding strategies.

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Sponsors and Resources

Copper: This episode of Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by Copper, a CRM solution built specifically for agencies that use Google Workspace. Its CRM integration works seamlessly with Gmail, Google Calendar, and Drive, so you never have to switch tabs to add leads, track email conversations, find files, or manage tasks in your marketing or sales process. Head over to Copper.com/agencies and get a free trial exclusively for Jason’s listeners!

The Biggest Onboarding Mistakes Agency Owners Make When Hiring

Whether you’re hiring remotely or locally, hiring is hard so once agency owners get to the last stage of hiring and they’ve got a start date confirmed they breathe a sigh of relief thinking their job is done. However, this is not true. The next step now is onboarding and it is a critical stage in the hiring process that is often overlooked, with the most common mistakes being.

  1. Not preparing for it.

  2. Not prioritizing it.

Failing to adequately prepare for new hires leads to inefficiency. This looks like: no email access, Slack use, or client accounts ready on someone’s first day in the office. Even at big companies, it may take three days to get a new hire a laptop. It’s both a waste of their time and a terrible first impression.

For Noel, proper onboarding is a twelve-week process, where you’ll gradually provide them with the context they need to work in your agency. During this process, you should be preparing people with the background of who your clients are, what your services are, and why you do things the way you do. It’s the sort of detail that will help workers go above and beyond for the company.

Neglecting or rushing through the onboarding process can result in wasted time, money, and effort invested in the hiring process. Just like onboarding a new client, the first few weeks should be about how excited you are about them joining the team and offering everything they’ll need to set them up for success, foster a positive work environment, and ultimately improve retention and productivity in the long run. Especially if it’s a remote position, where you’ll have to be very intentional about making sure you’re giving them all the tools for success.

Emphasizing Values in the Onboarding Process

What Simon looks for in each team member will, of course, depend on the role. However, all his account managers, recruiters, operations managers, and customer success managers roles involve dealing with people, whether clients or customers.

In this sense, their energy and attitude play a big role in how they’ll do working in his agency. Of course, attitude is something that cannot be easily trained which is why hiring individuals who align with the company's values is the only way to ensure new hires will be a good fit for the organization and contribute positively to its culture. Not everyone has the ability to make people feel comfortable in a call or interview and that will play a big role for Noel.

Overall, he’s always looking for people who will be good at communicating and being part of the team.

4 Essential Elements to Kickstart Success for a New Hire

Ideally, any onboarding process will have a few elements that make it a great starting point to cement the relationship that the new employee and agency will form in the coming weeks and months. To build a successful onboarding process, Noel believes in the first week employees should at least:

  1. Get to a place where they understand the agency and its values.

  2. Know what’s expected of them in this new role.

  3. Understand the KPIs and metrics they’ll be measured against.

  4. Have a clear idea of what the onboarding process will be like.

Get Onboarding Right From Day One: Effective Remote Onboarding Strategies

Managing a remote team can be tricky, especially when it comes to training a new member and making sure they understand how everything works. Noel adopts a hands-on approach by closely supporting the new hire, dedicating daily meetings to guide them through the onboarding process and address any queries that may arise.

Additionally, he adheres to what Dan Martell calls the 10-80-10 principle in his book Buy Back Your Time. Basically, when delegating a task, 10% of the total time dedicated to delegating should be explaining the task, 80% should be dedicated to the actual execution, and then 10% should be checking, reviewing, and providing feedback by the manager. This is a critical part of the process since no new hire is going to instinctively know how to do things, even with the available SOPs.

A good way to help employees get comfortable with communicating their plan for the day and ask questions is to have them answer these three items at the start of each day:

  • What did you do yesterday that was impactful?

  • What’s your plan for today?

  • Do you have any questions?

It’s a quick way to assess who will adapt to the agency because people who actually share their plan for the day and aren’t afraid to ask questions are usually more proactive and make for a more successful hire overall.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Direct download: Noel_Andrews_Audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am MDT

Is the fear of failure holding you back from taking the first steps to establish your brand? Are you hesitating to start a podcast because you believe it would only be worthwhile if it garners millions of downloads? Our guest today is a true trailblazer in the podcast industry, having successfully built a thriving agency around his initial decision to create a show dedicated to entrepreneurs. Tune in for an insightful conversation on the power of pushing boundaries and the value of trying new things in the ever-evolving world of podcasting and entrepreneurship.

Pat Flynn is the serial entrepreneur and podcasting pioneer behind Smart Passive Income, a massive podcast with a long history of teaching entrepreneurs proven strategies to run and optimize their businesses. He’s also the founder SPI Media, an agency that helps people launch and grow their brands. Pat’s podcast was actually the inspiration for the Smart Agency Masterclass podcast and now he joins Jason to discuss the importance of taking risks and embracing failure as part of the learning process.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

  • What’s holding people back from starting a podcast?

  • Mastering the podcasting game.

  • 3 key principles for brand success.

  • Letting go to grow: lessons on delegating.

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Sponsors and Resources

E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.

Navigating the Evolution of Your Brand and Business

Just like Pat has inspired so many entrepreneurs, he was inspired by the Internet Business Mastery to start his own podcast in 2007. The result was so terrible he never released that episode and it took over a year for him to gather the courage to try again. After finally releasing his first episode in 2010, he’s started several other podcasts and has amassed around 80 million downloads and a massive following.

Much has changed since he chose Smart Passive Income as the name for his brand and “passive income” has recently gained some negative connotations due to influencers promoting the idea of making money without putting in even 1% of the work. As a result, some big brands are hesitant to partner with a business associated with the term.

Of course, this is not what Pat teaches in his content, and, although he is now referring to it as just SPI, a rebrand is probably in the future to welcome as many opportunities as possible.

Currently, Pat is running a business with 11 employees, which is something he never would’ve thought he’d do. Back when he started his business, he dreamt of running a very lean operation working exclusively with contractors.

As the years went by, however, Pat felt a calling to help as many people as possible and he needed to bring the very best talent to the business to help him realize that. Once he had a team, especially his partner and CEO who took over project management and finances, Pat was able to focus on his zone of genius, doing interviews, building relationships, and going to events.

Focusing Too Much on the Numbers: The Misconception Holding People Back from Podcasting

For Pat, the number one reason people refrain from starting a podcast is the fear of wasting time. Things have changed a lot since he started and now it has become such a saturated space that he can’t blame people for thinking theirs may just get lost in the multitude of new releases each day.

Pat challenges agency owners to ask themselves, how many more clients do you need to make a positive impact in your business? Could a podcast help you close more business by attracting potential clients who wouldn’t otherwise find your agency? If the answer is yes, he suggests tailoring podcast episodes to appeal to potential clients and help them feel at ease about engaging with the agency.

In this sense, a podcast would provide the opportunity to define a much deeper relationship with your prospects than you would with a simple YouTube video. It’s quite a powerful connection you can create with a podcast with the way you as the host can become someone’s companion as they travel, walk their dog, or just go about their lives.

Mastering the Podcasting Game: Strategies for Building a Successful Podcast

When it comes to creating a successful podcast that resonates with a wide audience, having a clear vision and set goals is crucial. Merely hoping for a stroke of luck after posting your podcast episodes will likely lead to disappointment and frustration. Therefore, Pat suggests starting with a well-defined purpose and message.

Additionally, he recommends seeking assistance with the editing process early on. Podcasting is a lot of work, from planning to recording and editing and you may end up feeling exhausted, potentially discouraging you from creating content consistently. Lean into the parts of the process you enjoy the most, which will probably be the planning and creating connections, and you’ll start to see those connections lead to relationships and introductions to people who can open more doors.

Don’t lose sight of the benefits a podcast can truly bring to your business. This can happen when you focus exclusively on the numbers and get easily discouraged by low viewership numbers. Instead, focus on how an interview can lead to other opportunities; for instance, interviewing an industry leader can lead to being invited as a speaker to their event. Furthermore, it’ll allow you to pick their brain and position yourself as an industry expert just by having that connection with them.

Pro tip: Before he had his current numbers, Pat was able to get big interviews with figures like Gary Vaynerchuck by timing them just as they were releasing a new book. If you’re looking to get big names, this is when they are far more likely to take every interview opportunity they can to promote their work.

Humanizing Your Brand in the AI Era

A lot of people hesitate on whether or not they should create a personal brand. Pat believes that with the surge of AI, having a brand now becomes even more important. With everyone using AI and automating processes, a personal brand means creating a way for people to connect with you, to create a connection that is just not possible with faceless corporations and automated response systems.

In this sense, he also emphasizes the need to understand what a personal brand is and what it can offer. Basically, you’ll need to have a clear idea of what you stand for, what are your values, and how the work you do reflects that. People want to connect with others who share the same values, which means that not putting yourself out there will make you a human AI no one can relate to.

3 Key Principles for Brand Success

Back in 08, when he recorded that first podcast that never saw the light of day, Pat could’ve never imagined the evolution of his brand and the level of success he’s seen over the years. Like most people, he was afraid of failure and thought he was unprepared to venture into the entrepreneurial world.

With time, he’s discovered experience would be the best teacher and the importance of solving a problem, which is why his guiding principles formed over years in the industry are:

  1. Worry about failing as fast as you can: Pat cautions agency owners against letting perfectionism lead to getting stuck. “The riskiest thing you can do now is play it safe. Bold actions lead to bold results.” Playing it safe can actually prevent you from adapting to changes and trying new things because what worked in the past may not work in the present. To progress and grow, one must be willing to take risks and try new approaches.

  2. Serving first: Focusing on solving a problem for others and providing value will help you build trust, loyalty, and ultimately, financial success. For Pat, this emphasizes the idea your earnings are a byproduct of how well you’re serving your audience. Consider this rather than solely focusing on making money.

  3. Building community: Pat believes in the power of connection and belonging, which he fosters at his agency by creating safe spaces for his clients to come together. It’s not only about finding an audience or how well you serve your audience. It’s also about getting your people to find each other. Strengthening the bond between agency and clients will help future-proof your brand by creating a loyal and engaged community.

Partnerships, Delegation, and Prioritization in Agency Leadership

Pat’s partnership with his now friend and CEO was the leverage he needed to start to transition away from the parts of the business he least enjoyed. Looking back, he realizes he was holding himself and the business back by not letting go sooner. It was not easy for him, as he sometimes regressed to try to get too involved and micromanage the team.

To him, it’s like holding on to a ladder that takes you to a certain height while trying to climb a new one that will take you higher. In the end, as long as there’s open communication and a shared vision between partners, it’s okay to let go and not fear that the agency will get off track. Additionally, Pat underlines there’s no immediate need to train someone as CEO to have that kind of support. You may just need a business manager, which is a common struggle for agency owners.

For those grappling with where to direct their attention and energy, Pat recommends delineating personal and business priorities. "If you haven’t sat down with yourself, your partner, or your team to define your priorities, you’ll feel busy while getting nowhere. Once you do, things will start to align," he advises.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Direct download: Pat_Flynn_Audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

Do you want to sell your agency at some point? Do you know where you want to take your business before you’re ready to search for a partnership? Today’s guest started his agency at just twenty-three years old and was ready to sell ten years later, when his business was thriving and had a solid position in a coveted niche. However, the selling process was not as smooth as he hoped and he soon found himself looking for expert advice to understand a complex process that was sure to take a lot of his time for months on end. Tune in to learn how he navigated the M&A process while prioritizing clients and employees, and creating the ideal work environment for his team.

Simon Cristal is the founder of SWC Partnership, an international full-service marketing agency that helps clients increase lead generation and brand awareness by developing strategies and creative ideas. Last year, his agency was acquired by a global independent agency, which he says was a natural process and a great experience overall. Learn his insights on building a client-centric agency, the importance of taking care of clients, and the type of help you’ll need for a smooth acquisition process.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

  • Positioning and prioritizing profitability.

  • From Zero employees to selling an agency.

  • The agency owner’s roadmap to M&A.

Subscribe

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Sponsors and Resources

Copper: This episode of Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by Copper, a CRM solution built specifically for agencies that use Google Workspace. Its CRM integration works seamlessly with Gmail, Google Calendar, and Drive, so you never have to switch tabs to add leads, track email conversations, find files, or manage tasks in your marketing or sales process. Head over to Copper.com/agencies and get a free trial exclusively for Jason’s listeners!

Lessons in Pricing, Positioning, and Prioritizing Profitability

Simon was born into the advertising world, with his father owning an agency that exposed him to the creative realms of design and copywriting from a young age. As he grew up, Simon navigated his way through several London agencies, honing his skills and gaining valuable experience. Surprisingly, the opportunity to set up his own agency came up earlier than expected. He knew he’d wanted to do it at some point in his career, although he didn’t expect to do it at twenty-three.

Simon started his agency with zero clients, which looking back was a risky move. He did, however, have a clearer vision of pricing. His first client was a big German dairy company and he knew the most effective approach to earn their respect was to refrain from underbidding.

It took around five years for him and his team to start really focusing on B2B and position themselves as specialists in helping brands connect to international audiences. This proved to be a savvy move, as the pandemic forced blue-chip businesses to seek out more affordable, niche agencies like Simon's, with their unique expertise in global brand-building.

In the ten years since starting the business, Simon has seen the importance of surrounding yourself with a good team to get through all sorts of situations. They operate under a very lean model since, in his view, it should never be about how many employees you have but about the type of business you build and whether or not it’s profitable.

This approach to building a passionate team and providing the best possible work environment helped him grow his business, and create great client relationships. It was even a deciding factor when it came to selling the agency.

Inspiring Creativity, Delivering Impact: Secrets of a Thriving Agency Mindset

Simon used to believe the agency should be focused on making sales. This has changed with time, as he realized they needed to focus on taking care of clients and looking for ways to help them succeed. It’s a friendly approach that sets the tone for a good agency-client relationship. For him, if you have great clients, great people, and great processes, the financials will take care of themselves.

Furthermore, Simon recommends using the NBAT framework (Need, Budget, Authority, Timing) as a practical way to ensure you’re picking the clients you can really help and offer the best results to. At his agency, they also use WIDI (I Wish I Did It) as a way to spark employees’ creativity. They organize a monthly meeting where people will take examples of great marketing they wish they had come up with. It’s a great way to stay inspired by innovative marketing strategies and continually strive for improvement. Taking a step back from the daily projects and allowing yourself to be inspired by others’ work will help you evolve and get better.

Working in the creative industry is fun and Simon believes it’s important to enjoy that. By being inspired, thinking outside the box, and prioritizing client satisfaction, businesses can differentiate themselves from competitors and create impactful and memorable campaigns. In the end, it’s the truly creative ideas that make for ads that people will remember for years to come. Here are Jason’s and Simon’s picks for some of the most memorable and impactful ads they’ve seen. What are yours?

From Zero Employees to Selling the Agency

Simon had always envisioned selling his agency at some point, and as the 10-year milestone approached, he realized that the timing was perfect. The agency had a strong track record of business success, impressive client retention, and a stellar team.

A point of pride for the agency was its commitment to creating a work environment where employees felt valued and motivated to stay long-term. Hence, when it came to finding the right agency to be acquired by, Simon prioritized the benefits for his clients and his team. Cultural alignment, opportunities for growth, and a shared vision were all essential considerations in the decision-making process.

Taking the advice from past podcast episode guests who spoke on this topic, Simon appointed an M&A advisor and conducted thorough research; This way, he was able to navigate the complexities of selling an agency and find a suitable partner. Even so, he was surprised by how much he underestimated the time the process took. It was a lengthy eight-month journey from the initial conversation to closing the deal.

Agency Owner's Roadmap to Mergers & Acquisitions

Overall, the selling process was a great experience and an undeniably time-consuming process. Sometimes, M&As may seem purposely dragged on for too long to make the seller feel they’re already too compromised and can’t back out or they would have lost all their time and effort. The right guidance and support will help you avoid that, although it is ultimately a process that can’t be rushed.

Simon’s best advice for other agency owners is to get the right help if you know you lack the proper knowledge and to leave all M&A activities outside the normal work hours. This way, it won’t take over your work day and you can make sure to keep the focus on the agency, as well as not feel you lost valuable time in case it doesn’t work out in the end.

Another key point was testing out the partnership before fully committing to it. Just like dating before getting married, doing trial projects or meetings can help both parties assess if their cultures and values align. As an agency owner selling your business, Jason recommends making sure you understand the buyer’s integration plan. It’ll say a lot about their motivations for the purchase. This step can help prevent any potential conflicts or misunderstandings down the line.

Other than that, he suggests investing time and resources into post-merger integration activities. Face-to-face meetings, team-building exercises, and collaboration opportunities are essential for fostering a cohesive and united team. These efforts not only enhance communication and trust but also contribute to the long-term success of the merger or acquisition.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Direct download: Simon_Cristal_Audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am MDT

Have you ever doubted your ability to steer your agency toward greatness? Does your team follow your lead on the decisions you make to get there? Many agency owners face this internal battle, questioning if they truly have what it takes to lead their business to new heights. Today’s guest has conquered those self-doubts and forged an unwavering confidence in his leadership abilities. He has grown his successful business over the years, gaining confidence as he accumulated more experience. Although he doesn’t regret past decisions, he realizes he could have retained a majority stake in his company and made it on his own had he trusted himself as he does now. Listen to the full episode to learn about his experience growing his agency and how he built the confidence to succeed.

Torey Azure is the CEO of Brandcraft Agency, a full-service agency that deals in videography, creative, digital marketing, and branding. Tori shares insights into his journey and the importance of having the right message for the right audience to improve digital channel performance.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

  • Uncovering what clients need.

  • Building up leaders.

  • The confidence to not hesitate when making decisions.

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Sponsors and Resources

E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service.

3 Key Strategies for Authentic Client Interactions

Back in high school, Torey was able to blend in with different crowds, being the jock who was also voted as ‘most artistic’ in his class. Thinking back on that time, he realizes that the ability to relate to people from different backgrounds and industries has helped him succeed as an agency owner. It’s not about liking to be the center of attention but about having emotional intelligence and connecting with clients and colleagues on a personal level.

If you’re someone who finds it hard to network and especially starting a conversation with a stranger, Torey believes the most successful interactions will come from these 3 key strategies:

  1. Don’t have an agenda. Speak confidently without thinking about what the other party may want to hear, and learn to quickly identify when someone should or shouldn’t be a client. This will come from practice and being in many different situations with different types of people.

  2. Learn to really listen to people. Instead of pitching yourself, take a true interest in the other person. It will make for a much more enjoyable and memorable experience for them.

  3. Genuinely curiosity about people. Find out why they started their business. With the pandemic and so much time spent on digital environments, it’s as if people have lost the ability to riff off in a conversation and be invested in what the other person is saying. However, it’s a very important skill to help prospective clients feel comfortable.

Make a Lasting Impact and Avoid the Order-Taker Trap

Torey believes his job as a marketer is to uncover what the client needs, which is not necessarily what they think they need. This approach is crucial for providing effective solutions and adding value to clients' businesses.

Too many agencies fall into the trap of being order takers, simply doing what the client asks without questioning or understanding the underlying problem. This mindset can lead to short-term gains but ultimately results in a race to the bottom competing to offer the lowest price. Instead, Torey advocates for taking the time to truly understand the client's needs and challenges, even if it means challenging their initial requests.

It’s a lesson Torey has learned through experience when in the past his agency created a good strategy to find the client’s audience but it turned out to be the wrong message and the wrong time.

Instead of looking at surface-level problems like lead generation issues and attracting clients through low prices, try asking probing questions and analyzing the client's past experiences with other agencies. You could identify patterns and the potential root causes of their struggles.

Empowering Leaders by Cultivating Independence

He felt proud the first time Torey realized the agency had signed a new client and delivered the results without his intervention. He is currently focused on elevating his team to foster the leadership necessary for this to continue. There is no definitive formula for achieving this goal, but he emphasizes the importance of creating enough momentum to allow team members the freedom to fail. They may struggle to gain essential experience and knowledge without the opportunity to make mistakes.

While it may not be ideal for the agency to endure losses that could have been prevented, granting team members the freedom to learn from their mistakes is crucial for developing resilience and problem-solving skills, which are vital for long-term success. This approach may be nerve-wracking at times, but it is essential for personal and professional growth.

In Torey's experience, there were fewer failures than expected. Instead, there were mainly different approaches to tasks, but no catastrophic failures that resulted in losing a client. This is fine as long as everyone agrees on what the deliverables are and what the client expects.

Furthermore, to start letting them solve issues on their own, you can use the 1-3-1 framework. If an employee comes to you with a problem, turn it into a learning opportunity by asking them to come up with three possible solutions for that problem and then you’ll ask them to choose one. Eventually, they’ll stop coming to you and just come up with the solution on their own. Ultimately, if you’re trusting them to handle the task it’s because you believe they’re ready.

Strategic Sacrifices and Lessons Learned

Staring the agency around the time of the collapse of the housing market meant a lot of struggles and no clients at first. Back then, Torey felt he needed people around him to help him scale so he decided to sell a majority stake in his business. In hindsight, he sees this as a move born out of desperation since he had a clear enough vision and he would have eventually gotten there on his own.

It also wasn’t about the money, as not a lot of money was exchanged. In the end, his biggest regret is giving up too much and not keeping a majority stake himself. However, he recognizes he just didn’t know back then, which is a must to have a clearer picture when it comes to negotiations.

Get Unstuck in Your Agency: Build the Confidence to Succeed

When it comes to decision-making, Torey believes leaders should have the ability to make prompt decisions, take decisive action, and not become mired in overanalyzing every detail. This may lead to making some decisions without fully calculating the risks, but for Torey, the growth you gain is worth it.

Being able to make quick decisions when needed says a lot about a leader’s confidence in themselves and their team. Torey trusts his instincts and prefers to move and implement instead of thinking too much about it and losing momentum. Whenever he feels the need to consult on a decision, he reaches out to other entrepreneurs he respects and who have been through similar situations. Most of the time they only reinforce what he was already thinking, but sometimes that’s what you need.

Learning from both successful and unsuccessful decisions is crucial for personal and professional development. Ultimately, the greatest regret would be failing to make a decision. Having the confidence to take action and live with the consequences not only yields valuable insights but also contributes to making more informed decisions in the future.

Cultivating Self-Trust by Embracing Uncertainty

For many, trusting yourself and your decisions will take practice, and the more you do it the more comfortable you’ll feel. Torey rarely second-guesses himself and once he makes up his mind to do something, he gets to work. For him, this is a crucial skill for any agency owner who wants to test things and move to the next level. In this sense, it helps him to think there’ll never be a point in his agency’s growth where he feels 100% sure of the next step. Each step of your growth will come with its challenges and, even though he’s learned a lot as an entrepreneur and continues to implement those lessons into how he operates the agency, more revenue doesn’t guarantee having everything figured out.

Looking back, challenges have taught Torey that all problems are solvable, and by planning, and knowing how to identify the real problem, he and his team will surely come up with a solution.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Direct download: Torey_Azure_Audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am MDT

Do you fear missed opportunities if you define a niche or turn away less-than-ideal prospects? Today’s guest started his agency as a college student and pivoted to digital services as the internet barely became a thing. One of the biggest shifts and struggles in his journey has been overcoming the fear of tuning down revenue and letting go of the notion that his way was the only approach clients would respond to. Tune in to learn valuable insights on navigating the agency landscape, committing to a niche, and maintaining a thriving business while prioritizing well-being.

Brendan Chard is the owner and founder of The Modern Firm, a digital marketing agency for solo and small law firms. His team helps attorneys build an online presence tailored to their needs and creates client partnerships at a pace that feels right for them.

Brendan shares his journey of starting initially as an IT business and evolving it into a successful agency serving clients nationwide. He discusses the importance of avoiding burnout in the agency world and the elements you need to find the right balance between fulfilling work and owning your time.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

  • Overcoming the fear of turning down profit.

  • Managing workload with forecasting and hiring ahead.

  • Lessons from a workaholic anonymous.

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Sponsors and Resources

Copper: This episode of Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by Copper, a CRM solution built specifically for agencies that use Google Workspace. Its CRM integration works seamlessly with Gmail, Google Calendar, and Drive, so you never have to switch tabs to add leads, track email conversations, find files, or manage tasks in your marketing or sales process. Head over to Copper.com/agencies and get a free trial exclusively for Jason’s listeners!

How the Right Mentorship Turned a Side Hustle into a Digital Agency

Starting out in his dorm room at college, Brendan initially focused on providing IT services for small businesses. He had a knack for repairing computers and his results gradually led to being connected with several law firms that kept recommending him to others in the legal space. This was during the early days of the internet when clients began requesting website development in addition to IT services. Despite initial skepticism about the internet's longevity, Brendan transitioned to website development and digital marketing.

It was a unique time for him to start the agency since being in business school gave him access to a lot of tools and mentors available to guide him through the process. He learned a specific business strategy one day, tried it the next day at his agency, and then reported back to professors.

Overcoming the Fear of Turning Down Revenue for Focused Growth

It took about eight years for Brendan to get his agency to the 7-figure mark. He recalls several bad decisions in terms of clients/projects taken to get there, which he now actively avoids.

In light of this, he focuses more on finding the perfect client fit, although he admits it’s something he still struggles with. While his agency operates in the legal vertical, they eventually discovered that their optimal niche was working specifically with solo and small law firms. They found that collaborating with larger firms resulted in increased stress and less enjoyable projects, as committees rather than individual owners made decisions.

Nonetheless, finding their perfect niche and learning to say no to the wrong clients didn’t happen at the same time. Brendan was very clear on the agency’s focus and knew it was better equipped to work with small forms. When it came to rejecting someone who was just not the right fit, however, it meant turning down potential revenue. It’s taken several misses to learn that, ultimately, not working with the wrong clients leads to a more streamlined and successful business model.

Why Forecasting and Hiring Ahead Is The Best Practice For Manageable Workload

One key moment for the agency came when they figured out systems to filter out unsuitable prospects and hone in on their ideal customer avatar. This shift coincided with Google's rise as the dominant search engine, resulting in a surge of organic leads and referrals. It marked a significant leap forward. However, the influx of work soon outpaced their capacity, prompting a reassessment of their hiring needs.

Until that point, Brendan was focused on growing the business conservatively, with a team intentionally built to manage the workload and balance the work without getting overwhelmed. Brendan knows it is important for businesses to find a balance between taking on new clients and ensuring they can deliver high-quality work to existing clients. At some point, however, it became common to constantly play catch up with hiring new team members as the business grew, which quickly became exhausting.

More recently, they’ve developed systems to hire ahead to avoid burnout and ensure sustainable growth. Hiring ahead of the curve allows them to bring on new team members before they were desperately needed, giving space for a smoother onboarding process and a more manageable workload for everyone involved. This way, new hires can be trained properly and have a smaller workload instead of being thrown into the fire.

Avoiding Burnout: Lessons from Workaholics Anonymous

For agency owners, burnout is mostly the result of comparison with other entrepreneurs and convincing yourself you’re lagging. As someone keenly aware of the risk of burnout, Brendan has made a conscious effort to avoid the pitfall. Nonetheless, early in his days of owning the agency, he did end up attending Workaholics Anonymous meetings, where he learned two valuable lessons:

1.   Letting go: The meetings were spaces where he got to turn off all devices and be present. As a result, he was able to focus on something else and the agency didn’t burn to the ground while he did it, proving he had done a good job training his team.

2.   Putting things into perspective: At the meetings, Brendan was surprised to see many of the other attendees were pastors. He learned that as spiritual leaders, they support their communities through the hardest times in their lives, including the death of loved ones. This helped Brendan put things into perspective. Agency work may feel like life and death matters sometimes but the sense of being tied to the agency is more the result of poor management.

The Wake-Up Call That Shifted an Agency's Course Towards Better Living

Although it’s not the most popular concept, Brendan believes that lifestyle should be a central focus when building a business. For him, his values around time and autonomy are baked into the core of how his agency operates.

It’s a philosophy that was forced on him after his son was born with a potentially serious medical condition. As it dawned on him that this was something he needed to focus on and that meant delegating, he trusted his director to take over sales, which ultimately led to a positive outcome. Entrusting his director with sales responsibilities resulted in a positive outcome, highlighting the significance of empowering and collaborating with his team. It was a game changer that changed the course of his agency.

As the business grows, agency owners shift their focus from day-to-day operations to strategic vision, team development, relationship building, and understanding key performance indicators. It can be a challenging transition, but it can lead to greater success and fulfillment in the long run.

Letting Go of Control to Find Balance in Agency Operations and Life

Brendan's reluctance to give up control of agency operations stemmed from his firm belief that there is only one correct way to do things or that clients will only accept one specific approach. In reality, granting his team the freedom to find their methods often leads to better results. Moreover, there is far more room to explore and experiment with new approaches than he may have realized. In the end, clients are primarily interested in the outcomes.

This is the first step to giving yourself the space to create balance in your life. For Brendan, that means making a good income, interesting work, with flexibility and autonomy over his time. The balance is crucial for overall satisfaction and fulfillment in both personal and professional life and is something he always keeps in mind when he thinks about the agency and the life he wants to build.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Direct download: Brendan_Chard_Audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am MDT

Are you struggling to keep your clients happy and retain their business? How do you prepare your team to create the best client experience? In today's competitive market, delivering an exceptional client experience is paramount. Our guest today is a true master of client service, leading a team laser-focused on understanding each client's unique needs and proactively crafting tailored solutions that address their pain points head-on. Tune in to learn strategies for client retention and growth in your agency business.

Khushbu Doshi is a customer service specialist passionate about strategizing, making realistic action plans, and following up on their implementation to get real results for agencies. She leads the customer service and sales division at E2M Solutions, managing a portfolio of 200+ agency clients, and works closely with a team of 20 to ensure client satisfaction.

She’s been on the show before discussing ways to improve customer success and reduce churn. Int his episode, she’ll share insights into the importance of building trust and providing value to clients to foster long-term relationships.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

  • Strategies to building trust and efficiency.

  • Understanding client needs.

  • Reviving client engagement.

  • The always & never exercise.

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2 Reasons Agencies Lose Clients

Client satisfaction and retention are crucial for any business and building trust through efficient service is a key way to grow your client base. In essence, there are two main reasons an agency may be losing clients:

1. Clients don’t understand the value your agency is providing, or

2. You’re bringing on the wrong agency clients.

To illustrate the impact of client satisfaction, Khushbu talks about the Delta 4 Framework, a way to rate client experiences that can be applied to products and services. Results of this framework will show your service’s efficiency, with a rating of four or above indicating that clients are unlikely to switch to a less efficient option. In the case of Uber versus traditional cabs, Uber's efficiency rating was eight, hinting that clients would rarely go back to using regular cabs.

Businesses can then keep track of their efficiency and rate themselves in terms of client satisfaction or a particular project. According to Khushbu, results from applying this framework should be met with the curiosity to find out “why” and what’s behind said results. If clients are unhappy with the service, why is that? The answers will help you define a roadmap to deal with those metrics.

Efficiency is not just about completing tasks quickly, but also about providing a seamless and effective experience for clients. When a service is efficient, clients are more likely to share it with others, leading to word-of-mouth recommendations and further growth for the business.

Understanding Client Needs and Tailoring Solutions for Success

Everyone brings a different set of expectations to the agency-customer relationship. Agencies should try to understand their clients’ pain points better. At E2M, they focus heavily on defining these pain points during the first client call and then tailor their offering to fit the solution that particular client needs.

For example, if a client lacks technical expertise, the agency can step in as a technical expert to provide the necessary support. If a client struggles with communication, the agency can act as a project manager or account manager to streamline communication processes and save the client time.

This approach is crucial in ensuring that clients save time and become more efficient, ultimately leading to a more successful and fruitful relationship between the agency and the client.

Furthermore, Khushbu highlights the importance of ongoing communication and follow-up with clients even after delivering a service. Checking in with them and ensuring the solutions provided meet clients’ needs and expectations helps the agency continue to build trust and strengthen the client relationship. It’s a proactive approach that not only helps retain clients but also establishes a reputation as a trusted and reliable partner.

Unlocking Agency Growth by Harnessing the Power of Existing Client Relationships

If you’re looking to elevate your agency's growth strategy, 70% of your success lies in your existing client base. It's all about deciphering the right metrics, tracking client health, and mastering the art of scaling relationships to ensure a seamless dance of value delivery and exceeding client expectations.

One of the main KPIs to track is the client retention ratio, which measures the percentage of clients that continue to work with the agency over time. Khushbu and her team take it a step further by categorizing clients into green, yellow, and red zones, unveiling insights that guide tailored strategies. From nurturing green advocates to championing red and yellow clients with extra attention, this personalized approach paves the way for sustained growth and client satisfaction.

Reviving Client Engagement with Success Stories & FOMO

Ever wondered how to rekindle the spark with clients who've gone MIA? It's a common fear — reaching out could lead to cancellations. Khushbu recommends approaching them with success stories, highlighting how they could be using their plan and the results they could be getting.

Try to stir that competitive spirit in them that says, “If this other client is getting these results why can’t I?” She describes it as creating FOMO around your services and the benefits they could be getting from the plan they’re already paying and it’s a way to be proactive in identifying and addressing challenges before they escalate.

Agencies must be more proactive about assessing the value they are providing to clients. Outsourced solutions may be seen as implementers or order takers, but Kushbu knows the importance of taking care of clients in a strategic way. By asking questions like "Are we delivering value?" and "What are the results we are actually delivering?" agencies can stay ahead of potential problems and ensure that they are meeting their clients' expectations.

Using ‘Always and Never’ to Train Your Agency Team to Deliver Exceptional Service

For Khushbu's team, client satisfaction is at the core of everything they do. But how do you ensure that your team is consistently delivering exceptional service? She has a few exercises up her sleeve that are game-changers.

One of her favorites is the "always and never" exercise – a simple yet powerful way to get everyone on the same page. Team members list out the things they always want clients to say about their service and the things they never want to hear. This exercise helps team members understand what clients expect from them and how they can work together to deliver exceptional service.

Once those lists are created, it's time to roll up their sleeves and get proactive. The team dives into contingency plans and potential solutions for any problems that could lead to client dissatisfaction. It's a preemptive strike against potential pitfalls. Additionally, Khushbu regularly asks team members the hardest problem they’ve solved for a client. This way, they’ll be more conscious when it comes to asking themselves “Am I solving the client’s problem right now?” It’s also a way to constantly capture client success stories.

With exercises like this, her team is primed to deliver exceptional experiences that keep clients coming back for more.

Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset?

Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Direct download: Khushbu_Doshi_Audio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am MDT

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