The Innovative Agency

There's no denying we're in a video content boom — even shorter-form videos can have outsized impact. And when you add the brand equity, audience reach, and production expertise of an influencer, your video content can attain even greater levels of success. In this episode, Gabe Gordon, Co-Founder at Reach Agency, speaks with me about the ins and outs of video-driven influencer campaigns. What we talked about: - Starting out in a niche, then expanding out to other corners of the market - Trends in video consumption - Tips for collaborating with influencers To hear more from Innovative Agency owners, listen to The Innovative Agency podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for The Innovative Agency in your favorite podcast player.

Inbound referrals can only provide a limited amount of a marketing agency's new business. At some point, you need to diversify your lead generation. Today's guest, James Harper, Founder of Agency Flare, tells me that we're at a tipping point where marketing agencies need to adopt a blended approach to lead generation — using both inbound marketing strategies and a cold sales approach. Topics we talk about: - The role of the agency owner in the sales process - Using a blended approach of inbound and outbound tactics - Adopting a "serve" rather than "sell" mentality - The value of niching up To hear more from Innovative Agency owners, listen to The Innovative Agency podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for The Innovative Agency in your favorite podcast player.

Recently, I was invited on The Climb hosted by Jon Tsourakis, President and Chief Revenue Officer at Oyova, to talk about the legal counsel I provide to agencies. In this crossover episode, the tables are turned. Jon joins me to talk about how an agency leader approaches legal issues and to share his advice for other agency owners. We cover topics like: - Negotiating contracts with clients, other agencies, and freelancers - Properly valuing and charging for your expertise - Asking clients the hard questions upfront Other resources mentioned during the podcast: - Digital Mastermind Group Annual Event - Want to join the Digital Mastermind Group? Email Jon at Jon@digitalmastermind.com To hear more from Innovative Agency owners, listen to The Innovative Agency podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for #FlipMyFunnel in your

For small and mid-sized agencies, client work comes first — but often at the expense of new business development. So how do you go about refocusing efforts on your agency's growth engine? Lee McKnight, Vice President at RSW/US, has some ideas for you. He joined me to talk about the opportunities and challenges facing agencies today and how to recalibrate the way you approach new business. What we talked about: - The state of new business for small and midsize agencies - Why you shouldn't wait to go after new business - Taking a step back to instill an agency-wide culture around new business To hear more from Innovative Agency owners, listen to The Innovative Agency podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for The Innovative Agency in your favorite podcast player.

Working with startups isn't for everyone. In fact, many agencies avoid them completely. But for an agency with the right skills and fortitude, the experience can be incredibly fulfilling. In this episode, I interviewed Melissa Wallace and Laura Maiurano, the co-founders and chief executives of fivefoottwo marketing. We talked about how to be effective when working with entrepreneurs and startups. What we discussed: - Misconceptions agency owners have about working with startups - How to build effective agency-to-agency collaboration - Constructing a fair compensation package with a startup - Why a small, independent agency can be a perfect match for a startup To hear more from Innovative Agency owners, listen to The Innovative Agency podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for #FlipMyFunnel in your favorite podcast player

If you want to build brand demand over time and stop having to rely on advertising to get clients, you need to get serious about building your personal brand on LinkedIn. You will need to move far beyond your company page. You will need to humanize your personal profile by sharing both valuable content as well as stories, thoughts, and experiences. In this episode, I interview Mandy McEwen, Founder & CEO at Mod Girl Marketing, about demystifying LinkedIn and personal thought leadership. What we talked about: - First steps for getting started growing your LinkedIn presence - What happens when you stop selling and start providing value - Building LinkedIn cadences and using direct messaging - The challenge to be vulnerable online To hear more from Innovative Agency owners, listen to The Innovative Agency podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for The Innovative Agency in your favorite podcast player.

You've owned your agency for 15 or 20 years now, but it's never looked exactly like you imagined it. That's because you're letting your clients lead. In this episode, I interview Robert Patin, Managing Partner at Patin & Associates, about the most common missteps he sees as an agency coach. What we talked about: - Knowing & owning your value in negotiation - How to set your fees - Niching, exclusivity, and freelance workers - Trends for agencies in 2021 Resources we mentioned during the podcast: - I was recently a guest on Robert's podcast, Agency Blueprint To hear more from Innovative Agency owners, listen to The Innovative Agency podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for The Innovative Agency in your favorite podcast player.

Revenue-producing opportunities most agencies haven't thought of include fractional CMOs, becoming an AOR, technological agility, and… the ability to be fired. In this episode, I interview Alex Hultgren, Founder & CEO at Customers 1st Marketing, about opportunities for agencies to both pivot and niche down: What we talked about: - What fractional CMOs are and why they are a brilliant idea - All about the modern agency of record - Brand strategies for mid-size businesses, including securing a budget - Why the ability to be fired gives you standing with your clients Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Find fractional CMOs at Chameleon Collective - Also at Voyager You - Also at Authentic Brand To hear more from Innovative Agency owners, listen to The Innovative Agency podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for The Innovative Agency in your favorite podcast player.

Every agency is charged with growing its clients. But there's a big difference between the growth traditional marketing offers and the supercharged results that growth marketing delivers. In this insightful episode, I sat down with Jim Huffman, CEO of GrowthHit, to deep dive into how growth marketing actually works. Some topics we covered: - How GrowthHit is able to achieve rapid growth quickly - How to approach customer intelligence - The difference between traditional marketing and growth marketing - The advantages of having difficult client conversations upfront - Turning intellectual capital into revenue streams Here are some resources we mentioned during the podcast: - Email Jim: Jim@growthhit.com - Follow him on Twitter - Check out The Growth Marketer's Playbook To hear more from Innovative Agency owners, listen to The Innovative Agency podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for The Innovative Agency in your favorite podcast player.

Not everyone can be a thought leader. In fact, thought leadership isn't about being smart at all. It's about being genuine and caring. In this episode, I interview Tracey Fudge, Founder at The Thrive Agency, about cutting through the noise online. What we talked about: - Being picky about client selection - What thought leadership really is & strategy to grow it - Differentiating yourself from market competitors with niching - Tackling the longer sales cycle of B2B tech sales To hear more from Innovative Agency owners, listen to The Innovative Agency podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website.