The Agency Accelerator

Welcome to The Agency Accelerator, the podcast that helps small to mid-sized marketing agencies grow in a profitable, sustainable, and enjoyable way. In today's episode, your host, Rob Da Costa, shares five essential strategies to avoid the feast or famine cycle that many agencies experience. If you're tired of the stress and uncertainty of fluctuating client loads and empty ‘order books’ then this episode is a must-listen. So, let's dive right in and discover how you can achieve stability and sustainable profitable growth in your agency. Time Stamp [00:00] Introduction: Rob outlines why feast or famine happens and why it is so common.  [01:10] Strategy 1: Build a strong foundation. Get clear on who you are, who you serve, and have a clear vision. This includes understanding your niche market and its needs.  [03:23] Strategy 2: Mitigate risk by diversifying your client portfolio. Avoid relying on a few clients for your revenue. Rob stresses the importance of consistently marketing your agency to attract new leads, no matter how busy you are. [05:01] Strategy 3: Develop an effective sales and marketing plan. Communicate your value proposition across various platforms to attract your ideal target customer. Rob highlights the importance of protecting time for sales and marketing, even during busy periods. [08:09] Strategy 4: Protect time for client delivery. Implement time management strategies to ensure efficient client service. Rob advises changing your mindset about time availability and priorities. [10:04] Strategy 5: Focus on client retention and growth. Build strong client partnerships and generate additional revenue from existing clients.  [11:47] Conclusion: Rob shares personal experiences and encourages listeners to implement the strategies discussed to achieve sustainable growth in their agencies. Quotations "Feast or famine cycles in your agency will be detrimental to your business's stability, growth, and stress levels! So you need to implement strategies to help you maintain a consistent stream of clients and revenue." 2. "Protecting time for sales and marketing is crucial, regardless of how busy you are with client service. This will ensure a steady flow of leads and new clients, preventing you from lurching from feast to famine." Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you to move towards a Self-Running Agency. How to leave a review on Apple Podcasts Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: Free niching GuidePodcast episode on niching Join our next Agency Accelerator LIVE Workshop (it’s free!)

Welcome to a brand new episode of The Agency Accelerator, the podcast that is dedicated to helping agency owners build profitable, sustainable, and enjoyable businesses. In today's episode, titled "The Impact of AI on Agencies," our host, Rob Da Costa, sits down with Clodagh Higgins, an experienced digital agency director, consultant, and coach.  As experts who have worked with over 1,000 agencies globally, Rob and Clodagh delve into the transformative power of AI in the agency world, discussing its potential benefits, challenges, and the importance of embracing this technology rather than avoiding it.  From the impact on work-life balance to the influence on creative content, join us as we navigate the future at the intersection of human expertise and artificial intelligence. Grab a notebook and a coffee and, let's dive into the conversation and discover how agencies can leverage AI to unlock their full potential. Time Stamp [00:00] Introduction. [03:20] The current opportunity for agency owners to embrace AI and focus on work-life balance. [11:15] Exploring the role of AI tools in enhancing agency capacity and automating tasks. [15:30] Addressing concerns about AI tools lacking creativity and the importance of asking the right questions. [19:10] Practical example of using AI tools to automate the process of writing show notes for podcasts. [23:40] The potential of AI tools to handle certain tasks and increase work efficiency. [27:10] Clodagh’s advice to agency owners in embracing AI and finding someone passionate to lead the AI implementation. [30:55] Comparing the impact of AI to the rise of Facebook and the importance of guiding clients through the AI process. [36:00] Conclusion and final thoughts on the opportunities and challenges of AI implementation in agencies. Quotations The term “AI co-pilot is the thing that really needs to be. Somebody your agency needs to be responsible for exploring AI. They are your AI Co-pilot!." — Clodagh Higgins "If you are not looking into AI or if you are thinking it's something you shouldn't be using in your agency then you are going to be left behind quickly." — Rob Da Costa The Future of Work: "I do believe that we will be working less because AI will help us produce more. I think we're going to have more time for creativity." — Clodagh Higgins  Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you to move towards a Self-Running Agency. How to leave a review on Apple Podcasts Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: Clodagh’s websiteClodagh’s LinkedIn profileJoin in the conversation and attend one of my free twice-monthly Agency Accelerator LIVE Workshops

Welcome back to another episode of The Agency Accelerator. Today we're diving into a topic that is all too familiar for many marketing agency owners - the burnout epidemic. As agency owners, we often find ourselves overwhelmed, exhausted, and struggling to manage our well-being amidst the demands of running a business. So in this episode, we're going to explore strategies to take charge of our well-being and prevent burnout. So grab your favourite beverage, sit back, and let's get started on this journey towards a healthier and more sustainable agency life! Time Stamp [00:00] Introduction to episode topic: The Burnout Epidemic: Taking Charge of Your Well-Being  [01:12] Strategy 1: Create and maintain a clear vision for your agency [02:45] Strategy 2: Set clear expectations with clients from the beginning [04:17] Strategy 3: Focus on one task at a time to increase productivity [05:38] Strategy 4: Plan your day and overestimating time for tasks [07:03] Strategy 5: Delegate tasks to free up time and prevent burnout [09:02] Strategy 6: Implement morning and evening rituals for structure [10:27] Strategy 7: Establish a supportive network to avoid burnout [12:01] Bonus Strategy: Maintain a healthy work-life balance Quotations “When you're going through stressful or busy times, make sure you hang on to your WHY to help you get through the times of craziness” - Rob Da Costa Setting Boundaries with Clients: "It's much easier to get your boundaries with clients right from the beginning than it is to put them in place retrospectively. After all, if a client is used to you responding as soon as they send an email, then, of course, they expect you to respond immediately every time they send an email!" — Rob Da Costa Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you to move towards a Self-Running Agency. How to leave a review on Apple Podcasts Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: Free Agency Accelerator LIVE WorkshopsWinning Back Time - free guide

In this episode of The Agency Accelerator, Ilia Markov from the time tracking management tool, Toggl, discusses the importance of time recording and how it will help agencies manage their capacity, productivity, and profitability. We explore how time tracking is not just about billing clients, but is also a way to analyse where time is going, identify areas for improvement, and optimise operations. We outline the metrics that should be measured, such as billable versus non-billable time percentages, and what constitutes too much billable time. Finally, Ilia emphasises that time tracking is not a tool for spying on employees, but rather to spot inefficiencies, identify early warning signs of burnout, and optimise work. Quotations "The highest performing agency usually are somewhere in the vicinity of 75%, meaning 75% of a client facing employee's total time ends up on an invoice."— Ilia Markov "Regardless of the pricing model that you use, it's important to understand how you are using your main resource...your people! It's very important to understand where their time is going and how it is used." — Ilia Markov Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you to move towards a Self-Running Agency. How to leave a review on Apple Podcasts Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: Toggl (Get 20% off an annual plan using discount code ACCELERATOR)Ilia's LinkedIn profileTwitterJoin my twice monthly FREE live agency workshops

Everyone talks about the concepts of value-pricing and value-selling and it sounds really good in theory. But in reality, a lot of agencies don't know how to apply it or are too scared to start taking a value pricing approach. So they go back to their tried and tested ways of pricing on fixed project fees or selling on time. So in today’s podcast I want to give you five tips and strategies that you can begin using right away to start moving towards a value-based pricing and a value-based selling approach.  Time Stamp [01:56] Today’s episode is sponsored by my free masterclass: “3 ways to raise your agency's prices and profits without losing clients”. I'm running this workshop 4 times this month (if you're listening live) or you'll be able to watch a replay. So check out the link below and invest 60 minutes of your time to learn some practical strategies that you can start implementing straight away.  [02:21] A story of toothache to explain value-pricing [03:23] A definition of value based selling [03:44] An example of quoting for a web design project [04:18] 5 strategies to move towards a value-based pricing and selling approach that will enable you to charge higher fees and create strong relationships with your clients [04:39] Strategy 1: From the first conversation you have with a prospect focus on the outcomes they are looking for and how they tie back to their business goals [06:35] Strategy 2: Make sure you understand how the wider business will assess the success of your campaign not just the marketing resource that you might be dealing with.  [07:07] Strategy 3: When you agree to write a proposal make sure you’re constantly referencing the outcomes that the client is seeking from your work.   [07:28] Strategy 4: Price on the outcomes.  This doesn’t mean you’re making any kind of guarantees or offering ‘payment by results’, it just means that you are getting everyone’s mind focused on the transformation the client is looking for from being in pain to not being in pain. [08:11] Strategy 5: Don’t discount!  If they want a lower fee and discuss which aspects of the project they don’t want to include! [08:44] Pricing is 50% mindset and 50% application Quotations “Getting your pricing right is 50% mindset and 50% application.” - Rob Da Costa “Brave agencies will spend 90% of their time in a prospect meeting in fact-find mode and 10% presenting their agency.” - Rob Da Costa Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you to move towards a Self-Running Agency. How to leave a review on Apple Podcasts Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: Download my FREE guide on value-pricing & value-sellingJoin my FREE masterclass on value-pricing and value-selling

Introduction In this episode of The Agency Accelerator Podcast, Rob Da Costa explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance work and team productivity. He highlights examples of AI tools such as Chat GPT and Bard to improve writing skills and how analytical tools can extract valuable data for customer insights and targeting. Rob predicts key trends in AI integration, including the collaboration between humans and AI to improve efficiency. He also addresses ownership and plagiarism concerns for AI-generated content. Finally, he discusses what lies in the future for agencies and AI. Topics Covered In This Episode: History and practical application of AIRob Da Costa's experience with using AI toolsKey trends in the integration of AI into agency lifeAI tools for marketing agenciesChallenges with AI-generated content and copyright ownershipHow AI is enabling agency teams to move to a more strategic levelThe need for agencies to differentiate themselves in a world where AI may commoditize certain tasksTop 10 AI tools to use todayWhat is on the horizon for AI Quotes The Rise of AI: "The one thing is for sure, you should be embracing AI." - Rob Da Costa We need to make sure we are elevating what we do and having a clear point of differentiation. But we absolutely need to be embracing tools to help us with creativity and content creation, whether that be written text, images or video - because AI is going to make that much, much easier." — Rob Da Costa Useful links: Here are the top AI tools for marketing agencies, mentioned in this episode: 1. ChatGPT 2. Adobe Sensei 3. Google Cloud AI 4. IBM Watson 5. Salesforce Einstein 6. HubSpot Marketing Hub 7. Sprout Social 8. WordStream Advisor 9. Hootsuite Amplify 10. Marketo Engage Save your seat for my next Agency Accelerator LIVE series of FREE agency workshops

In this week’s podcast, Rob talks to Jenny Plant from Account Management Skills about effective account management. They discuss the importance of building respectful relationships with clients and the value of sales training for account managers. They also delve into when and if you should be splitting account management and project management roles in your agency, touching on the benefits and challenges of doing so.  Key takeaways include the four levels of client value, the different DISC profiles of account managers and project managers, and the importance of acknowledging the different skill sets in agency roles.  Time Stamp [01:58] Jenny outlines the importance of sales training for account managers and notes the missed opportunity for agencies without investing in this skill. [07:27] 4 Levels of Client Value: Tips for Growth: Level 1 is excellent service, Level 2 is delivering a fantastic customer experience. Level 3 is focusing on an outcome and Level 4 is discussing the future and upselling additional services.  [11:14] Account managers should prioritise delivering outcomes, being strategic partners, and proactively informing clients of additional services. [18:37] Importance of considering natural behaviors and skill sets of different agency roles like project managers and account managers. Differences highlighted based on profiling data, with account managers focused on communication, presentation, and relationship building. [23:21] Struggle of account managers with business development leads to hiring business development professionals who may not be successful. Splitting into account manager and project manager roles might alleviate it, but effective collaboration between the two is crucial. [28:51] Good account managers recognise a respectful and balanced relationship with clients, step out of their comfort zones, identify opportunities, retain and grow clients. Final question to guest: what advice would you give your younger self starting out in business? Quotations “When they ask clients the question, would you like your agency to leverage the understanding they have working with other clients and share it with you? 100% of clients say yes, but less than 20% of agencies actually do that." — Jenny Plant  "Don't assume that as your career develops, you will naturally be a full, rounded account manager. Those skills need to be taught." — Rob Da Costa "The Zone of Wasted Effort": "There's a point that you reach in the client relationship where you need to be bringing new ideas and painting a picture of the future, being critical, getting involved in their business and helping them develop further. But instead, you're just stuck in this retentive account retention loop."— Jenny Plant Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you to move towards a Self-Running Agency. How to leave a review on Apple Podcasts Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: Account Management Skills' WebsiteFind Jenny on LinkedInRegister for my FREEE value-packed Agency Accelerator LIVE events (every Wednesday morning at 9am(UK)

It's worth revisiting one of our more popular podcast episodes because we all want to build our agency in a sustainable and profitable way and there are 4 foundations we need to focus on to achieve this. We dig into them in this actionable episode. We can get seduced by so many ideas about how to build our agency because there are a lot of people out there telling you what you should be doing and that can be really confusing. We can end up being run ragged, pulled in 100 different directions implementing the latest idea or trendy strategy.  But at the end of the day, there are only four foundational areas you need to focus on to build a robust agency that you can then start scaling using three advanced strategies. So that is what we are digging into today. Time Stamp [00:00] Introduction [01:12] The dangers of chasing shiny new objects [01:51] The 4 agency foundations: [02:17] Foundation 1: Knowing your audience - the importance of having a clear niche [04:28] Foundation 2: Creating a clear living roadmap for your agency [06:26] Foundation 3: Build a repeatable marketing system to generate a consistent flow of new leads [07:45] Foundation 4: Convert your leads into loyal clients [09:42] Growth 5: Client retention: How to maximise the value of existing clients [10:13] Growth 6: Growing your team to get work off your plate [11:21] Growth 7: Getting work off your plate and make yourself redundant! [11:38] Grow [13:20] Join me on my FREE LIVE Masterclass: Elevate Your Role to CEO (dacostacoaching.co.uk/masterclass-CEO-2022) [14:58] Avoid being a busy fool and focus on the things that move the needle Quotations “In a recent poll I ran, 68% of respondents said they had one niche and 32% had several” - Rob Da Costa “Make sure you focus your limited time on the hot prospects and not the time wasters.” - Rob Da Costa Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you to move towards a Self-Running Agency. How to leave a review on Apple Podcasts Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: Save Your Seat For My FREE Agency Accelerator LIVE WorkshopsThe Self-Running Implementation GroupNiching GuideLinkedIn podcast

In this episode, host Rob Da Costa is joined by Arnaud Belinga, co-founder of Breakcold, a social selling and CRM platform. They discuss the importance of social selling and how it can be used as part of a business development strategy. Engaging with prospects on social media platforms such as LinkedIn is becoming increasingly important, especially for B2B businesses. They also discuss how to use automation in a smarter way as part of social selling and highlight some success stories of using social selling strategies to build personal brand authority and to gain referrals. Arnaud shares his experiences of creating his own start-up and lessons learned along the way Time Stamp [00:00] Social Selling: The Key to Your Sales Strategy [05:24] The Importance of Engaging with Prospects on Social Media As Part Of Your Sales Process [09:40] Two Strategies for Effective Social Media Targeting [12:10] Be Warned Against Improper Use of LinkedIn Automation [17:46] Top B2B Sales Pros Avoid Automation for Success [20:37] Sales and Marketing Lines Blurred: A New Trend [28:04] Experience Matters More Than Age In Business [29:41] From Bad Programmer to Marketing Professional: Tips & Insights Quotations “Social selling is essentially a way to do B2B sales with social media." — Arnaud Belinga “The only way to close customers when you don't have a clear advantage and distinguished offer is to be the most likeable service provider." — Arnaud Belinga  'If you're operating with a clear niche, then it becomes much easier to identify your ideal target customer and therefore it becomes much easier in LinkedIn search to find those people.'" — Rob Da Costa  Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts “I enjoy listening to The Agency Accelerator Podcast. I always learn something from every episode.” If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people like you to move towards a Self-Running Agency. How to leave a review on Apple Podcasts Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, subscribe to the podcast. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not subscribed, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Subscribe now! Useful links mentioned in this episode: Reach Arnaud at arnaudbelinga@breakcold.com, or visit the websiteJoin me on my weekly FREE Agency Accelerator LIVE events

In this episode of the Agency Accelerator Podcast, host Rob Da Costa delves into the topic of profitability. He provides advice on ideal profit margins and four key areas that can impact the bottom line: undercharging, over-servicing, not using time efficiently, and high client turnover. [00:32] Introduction [01:13[ Overview of the episode: Rob talks about the focus on profitability in this episode [03:21] Ideal profit margins: Rob discusses gross profit and net profit targets for agencies [06:10] Impact of undercharging: Rob talks about charging a fair price and understanding client outcomes [08:25] Impact of over-servicing: Rob advises against giving away too much for free [09:55] Impact of high client turnover: Rob stresses the importance of retaining clients [11:39] Impact of not using time efficiently: Rob discusses how to create more efficient processes [16:05] Recap and invitation: Rob summarizes the key points of the episode and invites listeners to join Agency Accelerator Live Quotes "Focus your pricing based on the value that the client will receive not the time it will take!" Rob Da Costa "If you're not making enough money, four on four areas - undercharging, over-servicing, poor time management and high client turnover." Rob Da Costa "The more value you can add, the more you can differentiate yourself in the marketplace and the more you can move away from just being a commodity based on price." Rob Da Costa Useful links Register for the next Agency Accelerator LIVE