The Innovative Agency

Intro We’ve talked in-depth about burnout in the past, but this time we will be discussing the impact burnout can have on agency leaders’ mental and physical well-being. David Valentine, who currently runs several agencies, provides valuable insight into the effects of burnout and some steps you can take to minimize its impact. The conversation also explores his favorite strategies for positioning yourself to step away from day-to-day operations while still striving toward growth.    What you will learn in this episode:    The inevitable costs of burnout and the impact it has on agency leaders How diverting some of your focus to your mental and physical wellness will help you maximize your bandwidth.  How to elevate yourself within the agency so you can step away from the day-to-day and manage from a broader perspective.  What you must do before stepping away from your current leadership role to take on broader challenges.  How to nurture trust and confidence in key team members who may eventually fulfill your current role.  David’s preferred strategy for confronting agency scaling issues.   Bio   Dave Valentine owns 7 businesses that have generated over ONE BILLION dollars collectively for over 1000 clients, including major brands and Fortune 100 companies like Target, Time magazine, and American Express.   At the age of 29, his doctor said, “Are you prepared for your heart attack?” Dave realized he needed to learn how to scale his businesses without being overwhelmed by stress. His life depended on it. Dave now runs multiple companies from the mountains in a house by a river with three waterfalls.   Merging conscious capitalism with an unconventional marketing approach, Dave has rapidly grown his businesses by investing money in people rather than paid advertising. After selling his first business, Dave acquired three more companies and has put $3 MILLION into businesses this year. His mission is to employ over 200,000 people and revolutionize the way we reward good talent.   Dave wants to be so big that governments can’t ignore him because his companies take up too much of their GDP. Simply put . . . he wants to buy back the freedom that was stolen by greedy individuals and corporations.   Resources   Website: https://avadel.agency/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-valentine-95564891/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avadel/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realdavevalentine  

Intro Thought leadership and authority marketing are not new concepts to seasoned agency owners, but Sharon Robustelli offers exceptional insights that can help you innovate in this unique service category. During our conversation, Sharon highlights why clients value agencies who can create messaging that highlights who they are, what makes their brands different, and their specific perspectives on recent industry trends.    What you will learn in this episode:    How to implement a thought leadership campaign that is scalable over time.  The importance of creating people-centric authority marketing campaigns that are not dependent entirely on the figure delivering the message, but instead on the audience's appetite.  Why you should assess the bandwidth of the client organization’s leader, then determine if they are the best person to represent the brand in your campaign. How to leverage all of your clients’ C-Suite leaders during thought leadership and authority marketing campaigns.  The value of assuring clients that your agency will bear most of the workload related to driving authority marketing campaigns, rather than the client themselves.    Bio   Sharon Robustelli is founder and CEO of TEN3 Public Relations. She is an award-winning marketing communications specialist who has led successful programs for some of the world's leading consumer brands, organizations, and business leaders.   Resources: Website: https://www.ten3pr.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-robustelli-she-her-464a3413/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ten3-marketing-communications/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ten3pr Twitter: https://twitter.com/ten3pr  

Agency owners are discovering that artificial intelligence-based tech solutions are gradually becoming more capable of performing the creative tasks clients pay them to complete. This is shocking, and for some, scary. If you are concerned about the implications of AI technology for agencies, tune in to hear why our guest Paul Roetzer believes these tools will produce massive business development and revenue optimization opportunities for agencies willing to adopt an AI-savvy business model.    What you will learn in this episode:    Why agency leaders need to study AI tools deeply to keep their companies viable in the near future.  The importance of identifying AI tools that will help you more efficiently solve the problems you’re already solving.  How to think realistically about the implications of AI technology advancements and plan accordingly.  Why the value of the “human factor” will always persist, even in an AI-driven agency culture.  The benefits of becoming an AI-savvy agency as soon as possible.    Bio   Paul Roetzer is founder and CEO of Marketing AI Institute, and founder of Ready North (formerly PR 20/20), HubSpot’s first partner agency. He is the author of Marketing Artificial Intelligence (Matt Holt Books, 2022) The Marketing Performance Blueprint (Wiley, 2014) and The Marketing Agency Blueprint (Wiley, 2012); and creator of the Marketing AI Conference (MAICON).    As a speaker, Roetzer is focused on making AI approachable and actionable for marketers and business leaders. A graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Roetzer has consulted for hundreds of organizations, from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Resources:   Website: https://www.marketingaiinstitute.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulroetzer/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mktgai/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marketingAIinstitute/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mktgai Piloting AI for Marketers Series: https://www.marketingaiinstitute.com/education/bundles/piloting-ai  

Intro How could a case study help you showcase the effectiveness of your agency’s services? To help you find the answers, we had Joel Klettke join us to share his insight on creating valuable case studies and how you can leverage them throughout your business development strategy.    What you will learn in this episode:    How agency owners should select candidates for future case studies.  The best ways to manage the process of creating client case studies.  The different ways case studies can be leveraged by your agency and its clients.  What approach is best when asking clients to participate in a case study.  How to make participating in a case study appear worthwhile to existing clients.  What it takes to create an effective case study.  The importance of offering control to the subject during the creation of case studies.    Bio   Joel Klettke is a bald, Canadian Dad of two who has spent way too much time behind a keyboard for it to be good for his cardiovascular health. From accounting gopher to accidental industrial labeling machine salesman, SEO to conversion copywriter, he's now the Founder of Case Study Buddy where his team helps B2B companies like HubSpot and Loom share their customer success stories in a way that drives real ROI   Resources:   Website: https://casestudybuddy.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelklettke/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/case-study-buddy/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casestudybuddy  Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoelKlettke Business Casual Copywriting  

Intro Whether your transition into running an agency was intentional or “accidental”, actively learning more about your role as an agency owner is a must. Our latest guest, Greg Hickman, presents his ideas on how agency owners can define their paths moving forward, without compromising on creating their ideal businesses. He also touches on some strategies agency owners can use to scale their agencies while remaining discreet.    What you will learn in this episode:    How agency owners should define “growth.”  Why “accidental” agency owners still need to learn core business skills.  How to effectively transition from a full-service background to a specific niche.  The importance of understanding your agency’s goals and committing to them.  How to productize the solutions your agency typically offers.    Bio Greg Hickman is the Founder and CEO of AltAgency™. Over the last 4 years, Greg and his team have transformed AltAgency™ from an automation consultancy serving many well known entrepreneurs and growth experts into one of the top coaching and training companies for agencies looking to grow and scale by packaging their expertise, installing systems for growth and leveraging automation to save time.    Resources:   Website: https://altagency.com/  LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryjhickman/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altagency/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greghickmanfan Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregoryjhickman Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gregoryjhickman

Intro Presenting strong proposals to prospects is a critical element of securing the clientele your agency needs to thrive. Your proposal-related efforts can also make or break the morale of your team. To help you craft the optimal proposal strategy for your agency, today’s guest, Joe Ardeeser, discusses his thoughts on what you should and shouldn’t do when creating and presenting proposals to prospects.   What you will learn in this episode:  How to put your best foot forward during the proposal writing process.  Why agencies must prioritize end results in their proposals.  The importance of identifying and articulating big-picture goals within proposals.  Why every proposal should be presented during a formal proposal review meeting with the prospect.  The value of offering prospects a degree of agency within the architecture of the prospecting process.  The benefits of creating interactive proposals that allow prospects to manipulate the scope independently.  What the “vague vortex” is, the problems it causes, and how to avoid it.    Bio Joe Ardeeser is the Founder and CEO of Smart Pricing Table. They are a fast and accurate b2b proposal software company.    Resources: Website: https://www.smartpricingtable.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeardeeser/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/smart-pricing-table/

High-performing agency owners constantly search for innovative ways to drive awareness and interest in their services. The latest episode of the Innovative Agency Podcast explores Christian Banach’s most effective approaches to demand generation. His guidance will provide the insight you need to create the ideal lists, curate the best offers, and construct effective messaging to create unique opportunities for business development.  What you will learn in this episode:  How to create successful outbound campaigns using Christian’s 40-40-20 rule.  The importance of investigating your current network to find business development opportunities.  Why you shouldn’t squander existing relationships and instead work to nurture them.  How to use functional brainstorming to avoid situations that burn cash without creating ROI. How to balance list building with other outbound campaign efforts.  Effective strategies for leveraging LinkedIn to attract business opportunities.  How the ROI of email ranks compared to other business development vehicles.   Bio Christian Banach is Principal/Chief Growth Officer of the business development and growth consultancy, Christian Banach LLC, where he and his team guide marketing agencies and martech companies to land 6- & 7-figure opportunities predictably and unlock their full potential. Christian founded a concert promotion and experiential marketing agency in high school and would grow it to over $10MM in sales. That company grew rapidly, and he worked with Grammy award winners like Lady Gaga and Pitbull. Not long after, Christian launched an experiential marketing agency division and activated programs for Disney and Toyota. The business boomed, but the 2008 Great Recession happened. Things screeched to a halt.  Like many agencies, his firm had grown through worth-of-mouth and referrals. To rebound, Christian hired a consultant who taught him the fundamentals of business development. Feeling reinvigorated, Christian closed his company, took what he learned from the consultant, and pivoted to a career in agency business development. Over the last decade, Christian has worked at independent and holding company agencies across marketing disciplines.  Christian discovered that his superpower was hunting and generating top-of-the-funnel opportunities with enterprise companies. He was involved in millions of dollars of wins with companies like Kohl's and Constellation Brands. Over the years, he felt an entrepreneurial itch, but he wasn't sure what he wanted to do. But the pandemic started, agencies lost clients, and some closed their doors. It reminded Christian of his agency during the Great Recession. But this time, Christian had the expertise to help as that consultant did for him. He left his high-paying agency job and launched Christian Banach LLC to help agencies and martech companies build relationships, gain perspective, and grow. Resources: Website: https://christianbanach.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianbanach/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/christian-banach-llc/  

Intro Agency owners who do not engage in the business development aspects of their organizations are few and far between. Yet, Jody Sutter has found that even agency leaders with a strong interest in business development sometimes find themselves unprepared for unexpected market downturns. As a resolution, we’ve invited Jody to provide her perspective on potential strategies agency owners can implement to bolster their business development efforts.  What you will learn in this episode:  The impact COVID responses have had on agency employees’ work arrangements. The value of prioritizing empathy throughout business development programs.  The importance of evaluating clients regularly to ascertain whether there is any risk of losing their business.  How taking a straightforward and honest approach with potential clients can improve business development efforts.  How your agency should approach business development if a recession occurs.  Why it is critical that agency owners prioritize opportunities that are in line with their individual strengths.  Bio Jody Sutter's mission is to ensure that owners of small marketing agencies are in control of their new business destiny. Most agency owners didn’t start their agencies because they love to drum up new business, and yet the success of their agency depends on it. Jody helps these agency leaders develop a sustainable approach to winning new business via coaching, consulting, and done-with-you models. She is a career business development professional and her clients benefit from her years of experience doing agency sales and marketing. Jody has run large global new business operations for agencies like R/GA, OMD and Havas but she has also spent time on the front lines at smaller creative firms, generating leads and building relationships that led to new revenue. Jody knows what a challenge it can be to get the attention of new prospects and win the right kind of business for your agency. It takes hard work, creativity, and discipline. But it can also take an outsider’s perspective to help you understand your greatest strengths and how to position them. Equal parts storyteller and problem-solver, Jody knows how to prescribe the right tools and techniques that will work for your agency and get your prospects to say “yes”. Resources: Website: https://www.thesuttercompany.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodysutter/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-sutter-company/  

The agency model is often delivery focused. Yet, our guest Mandi Ellefson suggests that agency owners forego delivery-focused agency models and instead transition into becoming a strategic growth partner for future clients. In her experience, this approach can produce massive transformation in an agency owner’s ability to avoid burnout while scaling up revenue generation.  What you will learn in this episode:  The drawbacks of delivery-focused agency models. The value of creating an irresistible offer for prospective clients.  The dangers of burnout.  How to identify “soulmate” clients that sit squarely in the sweet spot.  The importance of identifying million-dollar problems that your agency excels at solving.  What steps you should take to leave a niche that isn’t working anymore.  How to shift your mindset to be better prepared for scaling your agency.  Bio Mandi Ellefson is the creator of the Scale to Freedom Scalable Service Growth™ model. She leads consulting agency owners to have lives with greater freedom and success. Mandi has consulted with over a hundred consulting agency CEOs. She's helped them immediately free up to 20-50% of their work week to focus on accelerating profits. Her clients have grown five figures of net profit every month, added millions of dollars in sales, and have exited the day-to-day to scale growth. Some owners now passively manage their business, or have sold it. Mandi is a published author and host of The Hands-Off CEO Podcast. As a committed Freedom Fighter, a percentage of business profits go to rescuing enslaved victims of child sex trafficking. Mandi is a mother of two, enjoys travel, mountain biking and exploring the outdoors with her husband. Resources: Website: https://www.handsoffceo.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandiellefson/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hands-off-ceo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mandiellefson.biz Twitter: https://twitter.com/mandiellefson

Intro Oftentimes, agency owners position their personal brands separately from their agencies’ brands. This isn’t always ideal for business development. That’s why dynamic strategists like Jason Mudd suggest agency principals make greater strides to leverage their personal brands to market their businesses.  What you will learn in this episode:    How agency owners can invest 50% of their time into business development while also investing in their personal brands.  The importance of leveraging diversity and inclusion when engaging with third-party business development opportunities.  The benefits of ranking promotional opportunities based on the level that they fit your brand’s needs.  The value of niche promotional opportunities, especially when you assign them to lower-ranking members of your organization as needed.  How to select and categorize promotional opportunities for your agency and personal brand.    Bio Jason Mudd is a trusted adviser and dynamic strategist to some of America’s most admired and fastest-growing companies, including American Airlines, Budweiser, Dave & Buster’s, H&R Block, Hilton, HP, Miller Lite, New York Life, Pizza Hut, Southern Comfort, and Verizon.   He is the CEO and managing partner of Axia Public Relations. According to Forbes magazine, Axia is one of America’s Best PR Agencies.   Jason is a professional public speaker, an Emmy Award-winning, accredited public relations practitioner, author, podcaster, and entrepreneur. Resources:   Website: https://www.axiapr.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmudd/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/axiapr/