Smart Agency Masterclass with Jason Swenk: Podcast for Digital Marketing Agencies

RJ Huebert, founder of HBT Digital, shares his journey from corporate marketer to agency owner, revealing the chaotic realities of agency life. He emphasizes the importance of speed in lead generation and how it can make or break sales. Listeners learn innovative strategies for nurturing leads without overwhelming them. RJ also discusses the balance between business demands and personal well-being, advocating for health and family as top priorities. With insights on reclaiming time and creating effective systems, he inspires agency owners to scale smarter.

Agency owners face a tough reality: their pricing models might be broken. The discussion pivots on shifting from selling time to focusing on the outcomes delivered. Emphasizing value-based pricing can lead to significant profit growth, making you irreplaceable to clients. The pitfalls of hourly and project-based pricing are examined, highlighting how they often attract micromanaging clients and can trap agencies in a feast-or-famine cycle. Learn how to adjust your pricing to reflect your true value and attract high-quality clients.

This week’s guest is Pete Kleinjan, founder of Tiger29, a local SEO agency focused on helping small businesses thrive. He shares a shocking experience of facing a surprising $10K tax bill, underscoring the importance of trusting experts and maintaining perspective during chaos. Pete emphasizes that selling outcomes, not SEO jargon, is key to client relationships. Additionally, he discusses the lasting impact of authenticity over AI and the need to prioritize genuine client engagement, especially in challenging times.

Colin Hetherington, founder of Common Good and co-founder of Zoo Digital, dives into the chaos of running an agency. He shares how to cultivate a resilient company culture to maintain low turnover and attract respectful clients. Hetherington emphasizes the importance of core values, stating they must truly reflect the team's beliefs. He advocates for creating robust systems to prevent burnout and explores the power of focus for sustainable growth. With hard-won lessons from his agency journey, he offers a roadmap to clarity and success.

Join Matt Marchetta, an agency owner with 20 years of digital marketing experience, as he shares his journey from web design to acquiring Growth Labs, a lead generation agency. He warns of the pitfalls of agency acquisitions, focusing on due diligence and the importance of asking the right questions. Matt recounts the unexpected challenges he faced, including managing client guarantees and the significance of personal branding. His insights are invaluable for any agency owner considering growth through acquisition, ensuring you avoid costly mistakes.

Phil Parrish, Co-founder and President of PrograMetrix, shares his insights on the urgent need for agencies to adopt AI for staying competitive. He highlights how AI can enhance efficiency, drive better client results, and deliver deeper insights. Phil discusses the importance of evolving from traditional practices to embracing innovation, asserting that agencies lagging behind on AI risk being outpaced by nimble competitors. He emphasizes a culture of adaptation and problem-solving to harness AI as a growth multiplier for agencies, ensuring they remain relevant in a fast-changing landscape.

A startling 40% of CMOs are planning budget cuts this year. Agencies that merely sell tasks risk being cut, while those that position themselves as essential partners thrive. The key lies in effective communication and demonstrating real value. Many agencies fall short post-contract, leading to frustration among clients. In-house teams and AI are taking over basic production, making it crucial for agencies to step up and truly engage with their clients to avoid being replaced.

Darby Copenhaver, an Agency Scale Specialist, shares insights on enhancing client retention by prioritizing satisfaction and fostering strong relationships. He discusses the pitfalls of poor onboarding and communication, emphasizing the need for transparency. Darby also outlines the importance of positioning agencies as trusted advisors and leveraging AI to streamline processes while maintaining human connection. Key strategies include preventing buyer's remorse and utilizing ongoing discovery to adapt to client needs, ensuring long-term loyalty.

Hamlet Azarian, Founder and CEO of Azarian Growth Agency, champions the idea of cultivating leaders from within. He shares how nurturing internal talent fosters a growth mindset, referencing a success story of an intern who rapidly advanced to a senior position. The podcast delves into merit-based career paths and designing supportive environments that balance individual ambitions with organizational goals. Azarian also addresses talent retention, highlighting that positive employee experiences can lead to valuable referrals, even if team members eventually move on.

Caitlin Copple and Holly Conti, co-partners of Full Swing PR, share their experience scaling their agency past the million-dollar mark in just four years. They discuss the importance of collaboration and transparent communication in agency partnerships. Highlighting the evolution of client relationships, they emphasize shifting focus from publicity to generating tangible sales pipelines. The duo also dives into quarterly planning as a strategy for success and shares innovative ideas like using private podcasts to enhance client engagement.