The Digital Agency Growth Podcast

Last week on the show, we talked about taking a proactive approach with outbound by reaching out to their prospective clients and building authentic relationships. This week, Dan talks about Sales Schema’s actual methodology for doing so, the Targeted Outreach System, and focuses on giving you practical tips for optimization and a peek into the program. This week, episode 229 of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast is about optimizing agency-to-brand outreach!Watch our latest video training, How to Take Charge of Your Agency’s Future Revenue. During this training, you’ll learn how we get qualified appointments every week using tasteful and highly targeted email outreach.In this episode of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast, Dan Englander shares the importance of understanding the reasons behind low open rates and addressing them systematically and actionable steps you can take right now to build successful relationships that lead to meetings and interested prospective clients. In this episode, Dan discusses the following:The current trust recession and how building relationships can help.Four common hazards in outbound sales to avoid for success. The order of operations in optimization, from open rates to meeting rates.The need for a systematic approach to converting replies and agreements into meetings.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about The Digitial Agency Growth Podcast at https://www.salesschema.com/podcast/ and our Video training at http://salesschema.com/takecharge CONNECT WITH DAN ENGLANDER:LinkedInSales Schema

The role of outbound marketing has changed as marketing has developed over the years. The original playbook of reaching out thinking potential clients don’t know what they need no longer works. Knowledge isn’t what’s missing in the business equation anymore. It’s trust. Dan is here this week with Sales Schema’s revamped training to teach you the ins and outs of building trust in your business relationships for scaling your agency. This week, episode 228 of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast is about building agency pipelines using commonality-driven email outreach! Watch our latest video training, How to Take Charge of Your Agency’s Future Revenue. During this training, you’ll learn how we get qualified appointments every week using tasteful and highly targeted email outreach.In this episode of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast, Dan Englander shares the importance of not hiring too early for your business and actionable steps you can take right now to get your agency’s owner out of the sales seat. In this episode, Dan discusses the following:The healthy way to think about outbound for long term growth.The four siren song mistakes that go along with agencies hiring for business development. Why the outbound lead generation playbook is broken and what to do instead.Understanding the ins and outs of relationship sales at scale.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about The Digitial Agency Growth Podcast at https://www.salesschema.com/podcast/ and our Video training at http://salesschema.com/takecharge CONNECT WITH DAN ENGLANDER:LinkedInSales Schema

We’ve seen a big shift in employment and the workforce over the last few years, and it can be hard to know what to expect going forward and what decisions are best for your agency. Danny Markstein is a seasoned professional when it comes to workforce solutions, and he’s here today to talk about the demographic shift in the workforce, the Great Recession and Pandemic’s effect on employment, and more. This week, episode 227 of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast is about the workforce crisis and the power of specialization! Watch our latest video training, How to Take Charge of Your Agency’s Future Revenue. During this training, you’ll learn how we get qualified appointments every week using tasteful and highly targeted email outreach.In this episode of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast, Danny Markstein shares the importance of being scrappy and adaptable in the early stages of business development and actionable steps you can take right now to be competitive in your market. Danny Markstein is an experienced communications professional with more than 20 years of experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Danny founded Markstein in 2003 as a strategic consulting agency. Today, Markstein is a full-service creative communications agency. Visit markstein.co to unlock additional workforce solutions.In this episode, Dan and Danny discuss the following:The initial challenges of starting a consulting firm.Challenges of workforce participation and the impact of the pandemic on employment rates.The importance of accurate and clear communication in recruiting and retaining employees.The decision to specialize and  the continued flow of creative work through the agency. Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about The Digitial Agency Growth Podcast at https://www.salesschema.com/podcast/ and our Video training at http://salesschema.com/takecharge CONNECT WITH DANNY MARKSTEIN:LinkedInX (formerly Twitter)MarksteinCONNECT WITH DAN ENGLANDER:LinkedInSales Schema

Whether or not to niche down is an age-old agency question and comes with lots of things to consider. But have you considered your team’s dynamic in preferences when taking on clients and forming relationships? Friend of the show Jon Tsourakis is back again this week to talk about how his team helps focus the niches the company focuses on, insights on sales strategies, the challenges of M&A, and more! This week, episode 226 of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast is about leveraging team dynamics and client relationships for agency success! Watch our latest video training, How to Take Charge of Your Agency’s Future Revenue. During this training, you’ll learn how we get qualified appointments every week using tasteful and highly targeted email outreach.In this episode of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast, Jon Tsourakis shares the importance of team alignment and cultural fit in making strategic decisions and actionable steps you can take right now to check the efficacy of your sales process. Jon Tsourakis is a seasoned leader, marketer and sales expert. He’s the co-owner and President of Oyova, a national marketing and application development agency where he helps the firm identify and capitalize on new opportunities. He's a huge proponent of helping others, whether that's through one-on-one mentoring or collaborating with top digital agency owners in the Digital Mastermind where he hosts his podcast The Climb. In this episode, Dan and Jon discuss the following:The search for more fulfilling client relationships and the role of clear scopes and satisfactory results in building these relationships.The ability to share knowledge without compromising client relationships.The challenges of creating engaging content on LinkedIn and the evolving nature of content platforms.Navigating mergers and acquisitions, whether one-on-one or with a broker.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about The Digitial Agency Growth Podcast at https://www.salesschema.com/podcast/ and our Video training at http://salesschema.com/takecharge CONNECT WITH JON TSOURAKIS:LinkedInDigital MastermindCONNECT WITH DAN ENGLANDER:LinkedInSales Schema

When scaling an agency, the CEO is usually deeply ingrained. But CEOs are supposed to work on the business rather than in the business, right? So how can a CEO make their agency scalable and run smoothly without them being present in the company's day-to-day operations? Mandi Ellefson of the Hands-Off CEO is here to offer her insights and guidance on doing just that! This week, episode 225 of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast is about becoming a hands-off CEO!Watch our latest video training, How to Take Charge of Your Agency’s Future Revenue. During this training, you’ll learn how we get qualified appointments every week using tasteful and highly targeted email outreach.In this episode of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast, Mandi Ellefson shares the importance of specialization in growing an agency and actionable steps you can take right now to make your business run without you. Mandi Ellefson went from $175k debt to multimillionaire status by revolutionizing consulting agencies. Through Hands-Off CEO, she rescues agency owners from the daily grind, transforming million-dollar agencies into self-sustaining enterprises. With her expertise, she's boosted hundreds of agencies to millions in revenue, attracting premium clients willing to pay 50-600% fees. As a former business exit advisor, she crafts exit strategies, adding up to five figures to clients’ monthly net profit so they can focus on growth. She shares her wisdom as a published author and host of the Hands-Off CEO Podcast, helping consulting agencies triple fees and scale without less reliance on the CEO.In this episode, Dan and Mandi discuss the following:How agencies limit themselves by focusing on custom solutions.How to increase value and decrease risk for clients.Creating an irresistible offer to attract ideal clients that’s also exciting to the agency.The importance of delivering on promises and scaling with aligning with integrity.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about The Digitial Agency Growth Podcast at https://www.salesschema.com/podcast/ and our Video training at http://salesschema.com/takecharge CONNECT WITH MANDI ELLEFSON:LinkedInX (formerly Twitter)Hands-Off CEO PodcastWebsiteCONNECT WITH DAN ENGLANDER:LinkedInSales Schema

We all know that trends in everything, especially marketing, come and go quickly. But just because a certain style or type of marketing isn’t in vogue in 2024 doesn’t mean it isn’t worthwhile. With the marketing landscape moving at a fast pace, it can be helpful to look at past techniques to see what worked in the past and how you can apply it to your business today. Mike Brevik, Owner and Chief Marketing Officer at Cyberdogz is here today to share what he’s learned in his 20+ years in the industry about branding your business at any stage, using nostalgia as a marketing tactic, and more. This week, episode 224 of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast is about guerrilla marketing, nostalgia, and building a unique agency culture!Watch our latest video training, How to Take Charge of Your Agency’s Future Revenue. During this training, you’ll learn how we get qualified appointments every week using tasteful and highly targeted email outreach.In this episode of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast, Mike Brevik shares the importance of carrying your branding through all of your marketing efforts and actionable steps you can take right now to successfully utilize guerrilla marketing for your business. Mike Brevik is a Brand and Marketing Strategist who partners with startups and well established companies to grow their professional brands. With 20+ years in the print, creative, and marketing industry, Mike spent over a decade of that time leading and building eCommerce solutions, Social Media strategies, and everything in between for two of the Midwest's largest retailers. Building relationships is key to Mike's approach and has enabled him to work with several premier brands from Nike, to Jordan, to Under Armour, to Harley Davidson, and many more along the way.In this episode, Dan and Mike discuss the following:Why branding is not the be all, end all of your marketing practices.The 80/20 rule of conventional versus unconventional marketing.The importance of hiring flexible people willing to try the unusual.Leveraging nostalgia in your modern marketing efforts.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about The Digitial Agency Growth Podcast at https://www.salesschema.com/podcast/ and our Video training at http://salesschema.com/takecharge CONNECT WITH MIKE BREVIK:LinkedInCyberdogzBrand Retro with Cyberdogz podcastCONNECT WITH DAN ENGLANDER:LinkedInSales Schema

Almost all businesses start getting clients based on referrals. And while that might feel less necessary as your business grows, referral marketing offers you a lot of options to make yourself stand out among your competitors, grow your email lists, and so much more. Josh Ledgard, founder of KickoffLabs, is here today to talk about how to take advantage of referral marketing for your business every step of the way! This week, episode 223 of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast is about unlocking the power of word-of-mouth and effective referral marketing!Watch our latest video training, How to Take Charge of Your Agency’s Future Revenue. During this training, you’ll learn how we get qualified appointments every week using tasteful and highly targeted email outreach.In this episode of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast, Josh Ledgard shares the importance of focusing on the marketing fundamentals and actionable steps you can take right now to improve your referral marketing strategy. Josh Ledgard, founder of KickoffLabs, brings a powerful tool for businesses focused on audience growth. With experience ranging from Big Tech to Social Media companies, he developed KickoffLabs, along with his co-founder, to simplify the process of generating word of mouth referrals, launching a new product, and running giveaways designed to promote your business. Outside of work he enjoys playing recreational baseball and spending time with his family. In this episode, Dan and Josh discuss the following:The trust recession and how companies are scrutinizing their marketing budgets.Different types of referral programs and their pros and cons.Getting a grasp on the basics before building a robust referral system for your business.Crafting personalized emails and content to show the people behind the brand.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about The Digitial Agency Growth Podcast at https://www.salesschema.com/podcast/ and our Video training at http://salesschema.com/takecharge CONNECT WITH JOSH LEDGARD:LinkedInWebsiteX (formerly Twitter)KickoffLabsCONNECT WITH DAN ENGLANDER:LinkedInSales Schema

There is so much information out there on growing and scaling your agency that it can be easy to lose sight of the strategies that matter most: offering your clients stellar results and making your services stand out in the market so you can find the clients that are the best match for you. Friend of the show Raul Hernandez Ochoa is here today with lots of practical advice and food for thought on taking your agency to the next level, better serving your clients, and more. This week, episode 222 of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast is about finding your unique value proposition and positioning your agency for maximum growth! Watch our latest video training, How to Take Charge of Your Agency’s Future Revenue. During this training, you’ll learn how we get qualified appointments every week using tasteful and highly targeted email outreach.In this episode of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast, Raul Hernandez Ochoa shares the importance of communication and value delivery in branding and actionable steps you can take right now to identify what sets you apart from competitors. Raul Hernandez Ochoa is a Digital Growth Operator and Strategist that helps digital bootstrapped business owners reach their impact & revenue goals. His frameworks have helped 2-5x companies. Raul has led strategy for multiple digital teams across the globe in 12+ different time zones helping generate millions in revenue online. He has also overseen over $25M (and counting) in digital marketing ad spend and has trained hundreds of entrepreneurs through live seminars, online programs, and private masterminds. In this episode, Dan and Raul discuss the following:Raul’s rule of 21 for gathering quality data and making decisions.How to determine the best clients for your agency.Leaning into your strengths to differentiate yourself in the market.Why clients want to work with professionals who have skin in the game.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about The Digitial Agency Growth Podcast at https://www.salesschema.com/podcast/ and our Video training at http://salesschema.com/takecharge CONNECT WITH RAUL HERNANDEZ OCHOA:LinkedInDo Good WorkX (formerly Twitter)CONNECT WITH DAN ENGLANDER:LinkedInSales Schema

Sustainable agency growth is possible for an agency of any size. The keys to success? Generating qualified leads and structuring sales teams who understand your business, want to see themselves and your company succeed, and have the capacity to rise to the challenge. Chelsea Olsen is here today to talk about her work as a Fractional Chief Growth Officer, what she’s learned with over 20 years of sales experience, and more. This week, episode 221 of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast is about building sustainable agency growth with email and LinkedIn! Watch our latest video training, How to Take Charge of Your Agency’s Future Revenue. During this training, you’ll learn how we get qualified appointments every week using tasteful and highly targeted email outreach.In this episode of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast, Chelsea Olsen shares the importance of understanding your target audience and actionable steps you can take right now to automate and organize your personalized outreach to your target audiences. Chelsea Olsen is a fractional leader who knows exactly how to get your business more leads and new customers. She has spent nearly 20 years honing her skills in selling efficiently, leading her to master the art of closing deals and driving revenue growth. Chelsea works with companies that value continuous growth, openness to innovation, and a commitment to introspection and accountability.In this episode, Dan and Chelsea discuss the following:What good sales training and exceptional hires look like for agencies.Getting clear on your target audience so you can solve their specific problems.The concept of GWC in hiring - get it, want it, have the capacity for it.Utilizing automation to speed up and organize your outreach efforts.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about The Digitial Agency Growth Podcast at https://www.salesschema.com/podcast/ and our Video training at http://salesschema.com/takecharge CONNECT WITH CHELSEA OLSEN:LinkedInWebsiteCONNECT WITH DAN ENGLANDER:LinkedInSales Schema

So many of our conversations here on the Digital Agency Growth podcast are about the businesses and clients we serve. But one important group often overlooked is the employees, both those of our clients and of our own. Ethan McCarty makes employee experience and excellence his priority at Integral, creating award-winning programs that inspire and motivate employees to do their best work. Ethan is here today to discuss employee experience, trends in employment, and more. This week, episode 220 of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast is about the evolving employee experience in the agency world and the importance of curiosity in the workplace.Watch our latest video training, How to Take Charge of Your Agency’s Future Revenue. During this training, you’ll learn how we get qualified appointments every week using tasteful and highly targeted email outreach.In this episode of The Digital Agency Growth Podcast, Ethan McCarty shares the importance of values and transparency in the company's culture and actionable steps you can take right now to build trust and stronger relationships with potential clients. Ethan is the founder and CEO of Integral, an award-winning employee experience agency serving leaders of Communications, HR, Marketing, and Technology at global and local organizations. Formerly the global head of Employee and Innovation Communications for Bloomberg LP and Global Director of Social Strategy for IBM, Ethan has more than 20 years experience leading digital communications, engagement, and marketing initiatives at scale. Ethan has led large, globally and culturally diverse teams by innovating and humanizing the practice and advising senior leaders from the CEO to first-line managers among his clients on how to do the same.In this episode, Dan and Ethan discuss the following:The benefits of both in-person collaboration and remote work.Expecting long sales cycles while working with large companies.Building trust and establishing credibility through networking, volunteering, and mentorship.The shift in management philosophy from enforcing rules to removing blockers.To read the Third Edition of the Integral Index, check out Integral’s website!Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!Learn more about The Digitial Agency Growth Podcast at https://www.salesschema.com/podcast/ and our Video training at http://salesschema.com/takecharge CONNECT WITH ETHAN MCCARTY:LinkedInIntegralCONNECT WITH DAN ENGLANDER:LinkedInSales SchemaLINKS MENTIONED:Page.orgInstitute for Public RelationsDiversity Action AllianceFull Sequence Coaching