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

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Have you defined the who in your agency's growth journey? What are you using to guiding the type of team that will grow your agency to it's full potential? In today's episode, our featured guest shares his experience of co-founding a digital agency two decades ago with a group of former colleagues. By bringing clients from their previous agency and leveraging a steady stream of referrals, they were able to launch and grow their business. However, he quickly discovered that attracting the right talent—especially individuals excited to join a small, fledgling agency—was far more challenging than expected. Learn the valuable lessons he's learned about hiring, the qualities he looks for in candidates to drive his agency's success, and why he emphasizes the importance of acting swiftly when a hire isn't the right fit. Justin Hall is the co-founder and managing partner of Voxus PR, a B2B tech PR, social media, and content agency based in South Seattle. He shares the story behind how he and his partners transitioned from a larger agency to launching their own, the uncommon support from their former employer during their transition, and what's he's learned since about hiring and scaling. In this episode, we'll discuss: Why asking "who" matters more than "how" in agency growth. Balancing experience vs. potential in agency hiring. Be quick to act if a new hire is not the right fit. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources Smart Pricing Table: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by Smart Pricing Table, an award-winning proposal software built just for marketing agencies and designed to handle your unique challenges and cut down the time you spend on proposal as much as 90%. Go to smartpricingtable.com/smartagency to see if this is the missing piece your agency needs. Schedule a demo and get 50% OFF for the first two months. An Intentional Agency Backed by the Old Boss Justin's path to agency ownership was more deliberate than the typical accidental agency owner. He worked at a big agency twenty years ago, where he joined a group of workers who set out on their own to build an agency. Motivated by the idea that they could figure out a better way to do things, this group ventured to start their own business. They had built a reputation for exceptional work, which earned them not just their former boss's blessing, but also the opportunity to bring several existing clients with them. In fact, Justin acknowledges that their old boss' support played an important role in their eventual success. It's an extremely rare case scenario and one that was a result of the great work that these workers had done for that agency. Why 'Who' Matters More Than 'How' in Agency Growth When it comes to choosing a niche, Jason believes it's a mistake to make this decision based on your personal preferences. "Do I love this particular niche?" Is not necessarily the best question to ask yourself when choosing a path for your agency. Instead, this would be a good moment to ask yourself: "Where?" and "Who?" These questions serve as guiding principles for agency leaders, enabling them to empower their teams to make informed decisions autonomously. When agency leaders focus on the destination rather than the minutiae of the journey, they create an environment that fosters initiative and proactive problem-solving among their employees. In this sense, instead of asking HOW can I get my agency to the next level? Ask yourself WHO could help me reach that goal? And WHO do you need to become to not hold the agency back? This mindset of surrounding yourself with the right people who can contribute to the agency's vision and help navigate the complexities of growth should also align with your recruitment strategy. As Justin has learned, leaders should be hiring for initiative and communication rather than merely filling positions based on specific skill sets. Balancing Experience vs Potential in Agency Hiring Once the business was set up and some clients were secured, Justin and his partners faced the challenge of scaling and adding new business responsibilities to the client work they usually handled. Fortunately for them, the referrals poured in during the first several months, so new business was not a concern. On the other hand, finding talent willing to join a small agency was not easy. Unlike larger corporations with specialized roles and departments small agencies require employees to wear multiple hats. As Justin explains, the ideal candidate must not only excel in project management and writing but also be adept at pitching media and communicating effectively. This recruitment challenge prompted a fundamental strategic question: should they prioritize experienced people who could immediately contribute, or invest in developing new, young talent with the right potential? Each approach has its merits. Initially, the partners sought seasoned professionals who could make an instant impact. Yet they quickly discovered that these experienced hires often required significant support and integration. Hence, they now expand their search to also find talented young individuals fresh out of college with the right attitude and potential that could be trained to become valuable team members. The agency has adapted to offer these individuals what they would need to thrive: invested mentors and the right processes to make them the best they can be. Making Hard Choices in Small Agency Leadership Thinking about past hiring mistakes, Justin goes back to the need to fail fast when you're running a smaller agency. This is true for clients and also for employees. In both cases, you'll need to say no sometimes and be quick to find out whether or not they're the right piece in your puzzle. The balance between nurturing talent and recognizing when to make tough decisions is a delicate one that agency leaders must navigate. You may recognize the signs that an employee is just not right for your team but fail to act quickly and hold on to them thinking you can turn things around. It's human nature to want to fix the problem. For Justin, it depends on whether or not the employee is 100% invested in trying learn and get better. At the end of the day, however, if they're not capable of fulfilling certain functions in a time-effective manner, then they're probably the wrong fit. This philosophy is compassionate yet pragmatic. It recognizes that sometimes, the most supportive action is to acknowledge when an employee's skills and the agency's needs are fundamentally misaligned. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Alex Polamero, founder of Ninestone Partners, shares his remarkable journey of selling and then reclaiming his agency after experiencing burnout. He delves into the challenges of balancing solopreneurship and managing a team. Alex discusses valuable lessons learned from his partnership disputes, emphasizing the importance of clarity and collaboration. He also reveals how he grew his agency back to 5X in just four years by surrounding himself with the right people and focusing on shared values. His insights offer a profound look into the resilience required in agency ownership.

In this engaging discussion, Jhana Li, founder of Spyglass Ops, shares her expertise in operational efficiency. She tackles the common growth barriers agency owners face, emphasizing the importance of a skilled operations role. Jhana reveals how to craft an effective hiring funnel and what to expect from an operator's initial 90 days. She provides actionable tips for breaking down operational bottlenecks and highlights the significance of delegating low-value tasks, helping entrepreneurs shift their focus toward strategic growth.

Warren Wilansky, President and founder of Plank, shares his transformative journey in building a Montreal-based digital agency. He discusses the pivotal mindset shift that enhanced team retention and productivity. Warren also delves into redefining performance reviews, emphasizing supportive feedback and professional growth. He reflects on his evolution from directive owner to empowering CEO, sharing strategies for business development and independent team dynamics. His insights on finding fulfillment through clarity in professional goals are particularly inspiring.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Is your agency in need of a rebrand? Many of us are accidental agency owners who threw together a brand without fully understanding our niche or service offering; starting with just a basic name and logo. As the agency evolves this may signal the need for a strategic brand refresh. Today's featured guest runs a rebranding agency and shares the scenarios that could justify a rebrand, the difference the right will name make for clients to differentiate you, and share some rebranding strategies to keep in mind. Jim Heininger is a seasoned agency owner based in Chicago who runs two agencies: Dixon James, a strategic communication and change management firm, and the rebranding specialists known as the Rebranding Experts. With over 25 years of experience in the public relations industry, Jim discusses the importance of building a strong agency presence, why your name matters, and when is the right time to think about a rebrand. In this episode, we'll discuss: 2 big reasons agencies rebrand Why names matter for brand differentiation. Things to consider before renaming your agency. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources Smart Pricing Table: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by Smart Pricing Table, an award-winning proposal software built just for marketing agencies and designed to handle your unique challenges and cut down the time you spend on proposal as much as 90%. Go to smartpricingtable.com/smartagency to see if this is the missing piece your agency needs. Schedule a demo and get 50% OFF for the first two months. What Does Brand Mean? Jim built his career in the agency environment, spending 25 years in public relations working for some major agencies like Bushman Hillard and Ketchum. Later on, he worked for McDonald's as a communications strategist tasked with helping them get through some brand issues they faced at the time. His time at McDonald's taught him a lot about the perspective on agencies and how to form great client relationships to get the best work out of your agency. This time proved transformative for his career, it was when he had the opportunity to start his own agency and also when he started learning more about branding. Jim defines a brand as the comprehensive collection of experiences and assets that define a company, extending far beyond visual elements like logos to encompass customer experience, brand promises, and their fulfillment. While a brand ultimately exists in customers' minds, and you'll never be able to control how customers perceive it, you can influence that perception. Influential figures like Steve Jobs understood the importance of brand narratives and greatly admired Nike, which has mastered the art of branding by creating a strong identity that transcends their products. Businesses should actively manage their brand perception rather than allowing external forces to dictate it. Hence, it is only logical they consider rebranding once the brand no longer represents their business. 2 Big Reason to Consider an Agency Rebrand According to Jim, agencies are the business category that most frequently undergo rebrands. It makes sense, given so many are accidental agencies. Many agency owners begin as skilled practitioners who establish a business in response to growing client demand, often resulting in a created brands that may not stand the test of time. There are two common reasons why founders consider a rebrand: Make it all about the business, instead of yourself. Many agencies initially build their brand around the founder's expertise. As the business grows, however, there's often a strategic need to highlight the broader team's capabilities, reducing client expectations for direct founder involvement in every project. Niching down. Another common scenario prompting a rebrand is when an agency decides to niche down its services. While owners might worry about alienating existing clients through rebranding, Jim notes that clients typically focus more on service quality and results than brand aesthetics. Rebranding is not merely a cosmetic change; it is a strategic decision that requires careful consideration. If your current brand fails to differentiate you from competitors or clearly communicate your value proposition and target audience, it could be time to rebrand. Success lies in approaching it as a strategic initiative, involving key stakeholders, and maintaining focus on innovation and market relevance. Ultimately, a well-executed rebrand not only revitalizes an agency's image but also reinforces its commitment to delivering exceptional value to clients in an ever-changing environment. Why Names Matter for Brand Differentiation If we look around, we're surrounded by big brands with names that didn't necessarily mean much before their success gave it meaning. For examlpe, did "google" even mean anything before 1998? It's natural to ask ourselves then if a name is really that important. For small businesses, yes, a name is very important because it's your opportunity to put something compelling out there, capture the audience's attention, and differentiate your business. Nowadays it's getting harder to name a corporation, as it seems the good names are all taken. This has led to a trend of using unconventional names, which, while potentially memorable, risk confusing potential clients. The balance between distinctiveness and clarity has become a critical consideration in the naming process. Jim's approach to rebranding starts with a name that is packed with meaning, is exciting to the client, and inspires them to put together a cohesive elevator pitch. A well-chosen name should serve as a foundation for effective storytelling, enabling businesses to communicate their value proposition clearly and memorably. Things to Consider Before Renaming Your Agency A name serves as the first point of contact between a brand and its audience and should encapsulate the essence of the agency's mission, values, and unique offerings. There's a lot of work to be done before landing on the perfect name, like understanding your differentiators, your promise to customers, and the legacy you want to leave. Understanding these elements correctly will help you come up with a clear brand promise and a word that represents that promise and brings it to light. Additionally, think about the type of word you want. Do you want a descriptive word? Do you want to coin a term? Or maybe borrow meanings from existing words that can be contextualized within the industry? Naming, therefore, becomes a strategic endeavor that requires a deep understanding of the agency's strengths and the value it offers to clients. Just remember the approval timeline associated with trademarking a name can take up to a year, which is why agencies should be confident in their chosen name and conduct a thorough review process, ensuring that it not only resonates with the brand's identity but is also legally viable. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Do you need to get yourself out of agency operations so you can work ON the agency rather than in it? Are you stuck in processes and fulfillment when you should be looking at growth? It might be time to hire for the role of COO to ensure your agency's success. A Chief Operating Officer plays a pivotal role in an agency's development, significantly reducing the CEO's operational burden. However, timing is crucial – agencies should carefully consider their growth stage before initiating the search for a COO, and thoroughly understand the position's complexities to ensure an ideal match. Our featured guest brings a unique perspective to this discussion. Having served as both COO and now CEO at her current agency, she offers valuable insights into the essential qualities needed for the role. Her experience illuminates the delicate balance required between the visionary (CEO) and the executor (COO), demonstrating how this partnership can drive optimal agency outcomes. Brittany Filori is the CEO of 51Blocks and several other white label agencies serving agency owners and entrepreneurs. She discusses the crucial role of a Chief Operating Officer (COO) in agency management and shares her unique journey from starting at the bottom to becoming a CEO, providing valuable insights into the relationship dynamics between CEOs and COOs. In this episode, we'll discuss: Do you need a COO or an Ops Manager? The most important roles of a great COO. The crucial CEO-COO dynamic. Preventing COO burnout. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. Should You Hire an Operations Manager or a COO? The decision to hire a Chief Operating Officer (COO) marks a critical turning point in an agency's growth journey. Brittany recalls transiting to a COO role once her agency was big enough to need department managers. Of course, this can vary from business to business but for her it comes down to whether the owner was ready to hand off the keys of the business' growth, and whether they needed a second hand to get the agency to the next level. Unlike an Operations Manager, whose role is managing the team, the COO is often seen as the backbone of an organization, responsible for ensuring day-to-day operations align with broader strategic goals. According to Brittany, bringing in a COO could be the best or worst decision you make, depending on who you put in that seat. It's certainly a tricky role to hire and Brittany urges agency owners to clearly define their needs. Are you seeking someone to manage personnel, or do you need a strategic thinker to drive business growth and operational excellence? These fundamental questions can mean the difference between a successful hire and a costly misstep. Strategic Operations Staffing for Growing Agencies For growing agencies not yet ready for a COO, an operations manager can provide crucial support by taking on team management responsibilities. Given the high-stress nature of operations and its potential for burnout, finding the right person requires careful consideration of both management skills and operational expertise. Agencies usually pay a pretty penny for someone who comes in with that talent. However, for smaller agencies that don't have the budget for an Operations Manager just yet, Brittany recommends training the best account manager to start to fit into that role. A great Ops Manager should be a great leader with attention to detail and the ability to see the big picture. This internal promotion strategy provides a cost-effective path to filling a critical role while also creating growth opportunities that can boost team morale and retention. 3 Most Important Roles of an Amazing COO A COO serves as the backbone of an organization, balancing multiple critical responsibilities that directly impact both the company's success and its culture. Here are three key attributes that define an exceptional COO: Comprehensive knowledge of the agency. A great COO must understand how each department functions independently and how they interconnect to support one another. This understanding extends beyond internal operations to encompass the client perspective, as every strategic decision must account for both team capabilities and customer experience. Strong financial intelligence is crucial for effective operations management. COOs must constantly evaluate agency profitability, assess resource allocation, analyze client contribution margins, and monitor employee costs. For example, an experienced COO like Brittany learns to view every decision through both a financial and customer-centric lens. Whereas earlier in their careers, they might have focused primarily on client satisfaction without fully considering the financial impact on the agency. Leadership excellence stands as a fundamental yet often overlooked requirement. Many mistakenly believe that a COO's role revolves solely around numbers and processes. However, the position demands someone who can effectively guide and inspire teams toward organizational goals. Strong communication skills and leadership abilities are not optional extras but prerequisites for success in this role. The Dynamic Between the CEOs & COOs The relationship between CEO and COO is more nuanced than many realize, according to Brittany. At its core, it's a partnership between a visionary and an integrator, where the greatest challenge lies in maintaining distinct roles despite overlapping talents. Rather than seeking a mirror image of themselves, CEOs should look for COOs who complement their strengths—even if that means partnering with someone who seems like their opposite. With these inherent differences, CEOs and COOs must learn to manage conflict, which instead of being avoided, should be embraced as a necessary element of collaboration that can serve as a mechanism for clarity. In her case, Brittany and her COO find the most constructive way to navigate conflict is to stick to facts and remove emotion. You want a COO who will complement you while also challenging you to think differently about issues to obtain the best possible results. In an effective CEO-COO relationship, the foundation is trust and communication, anchored by shared core values and commitment to the organization's mission. Brittany's advice to CEOs is to let your COO fail. If you don't fully agree with how they're planning to execute something give them a shot to try it their way. If they fail, your job as CEO is to help pick them back up, not criticize them, because otherwise they won't feel confident bringing forward innovative ideas in the future. Preventing COO Burnout: Building a Sustainable Leadership Structure As Brittany highlights, finding the right COO is just the beginning; ensuring their longevity within the organization is equally vital. The COO often bears the brunt of operational stress, alleviating burdens from the CEO and other leadership roles. Therefore, it is crucial for agency owners to actively support their COOs by ensuring they have all the tools they need to execute efficiently and feel supported. Implementing structured platforms for dialogue, such as regular check-ins and performance reviews, can facilitate healthy discussions about workload, expectations, and career aspirations. This not only helps in managing stress levels but also reinforces a sense of partnership and collaboration between the COO and the rest of the leadership team. COOs can get overwhelmed and stressed too. Finding one that matches your organization well is already hard enough so once you do, make sure you can find a way to retain them. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

In this engaging discussion, Marc Beckman, co-founder and CEO of DMA United, shares his expertise at the intersection of AI and creativity. He highlights the challenges of integrating AI in storytelling while maintaining genuine connections. Marc discusses his agency's innovative strategies for client engagement and how AI can enhance, not replace, human emotional expression in art. He also explores trends in celebrity engagement and the evolving landscape of content creation, providing valuable insights for agencies navigating this dynamic field.

Dale Bertrand, founder of the Boston-based SEO agency Fire & Spark, discusses his remarkable journey from software developer to digital marketing expert. He reveals how he turned public speaking into a primary source of leads, transitioning from webinars to 30 conferences annually. Dale shares insights on overcoming the fears of public speaking and the importance of storytelling and knowledge sharing. He emphasizes the value of transforming team members into speakers to extend reach and foster business growth, along with strategies for effective networking and client engagement.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Have you dedicated time to ensure the health of your email list? If you've built a 15,000-person email list for your business—that's a huge accomplishment! But what if that list isn't performing? If your open rates are as low, that number becomes meaningless. It's not about the quantity of subscribers, but the quality of your engagement. Moreover, if you're not consistently delivering valuable content that keeps you top-of-mind as a problem-solver, then you're not maximizing the potential of your list. Today's featured guest shares his insights on effective email marketing strategies, including optimal content delivery frequency, list maintenance best practices, and how his agency has evolved over the past decade. Drawing from his experience, he advocates for email marketing as a reliable channel that doesn't depend on unpredictable social media algorithms. He believes many companies are overlooking a gold mine by fixating on new client acquisition while neglecting their existing client base. Reade Milner is the co-owner of Rogue Pine, a digital marketing agency focused on the middle of the funnel and email marketing. Reade shares his journey into the world of digital marketing and discusses why many agencies are actually sitting on a gold mine when they're searching for new clients. Reade also shares how often you should be sending value content to your lists, and more. In this episode, we'll discuss: Why most agencies are sitting on a gold mine. How to build a newsletter people will actually want to read. Why 40% is the new 20% in open rates. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources Smart Pricing Table: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by Smart Pricing Table, an award-winning proposal software built just for marketing agencies and designed to handle your unique challenges and cut down the time you spend on proposal as much as 90%. Go to smartpricingtable.com/smartagency to see if this is the missing piece your agency needs. Schedule a demo and get 50% OFF for the first two months. How Real-World Experience Shaped a Marketing Career Reade's digital marketing journey began as a high school student, when he worked at a family business and was tasked with figuring out how to build a digital strategy to attract customers online. Looking back, he doesn't know how serious they were in trusting such a young person with an important component of their business. However, Reade took it very seriously since it seemed like a smart thing to learn. The abilities he gained from that experience and then starting and crashing his own business in college helped him continue down the path of marketing and content, working at an agency right after college. According to Reade, going through college taught him nothing about digital marketing or the skills he would continue to develop to succeed in that industry. Instead, it was the Hubspot certifications he completed during his time at that agency what helped him learn the marketing terminology he needed. At that time, he also started to take side projects, which led to eventually starting his own agency. Why Most Marketing Agencies Are Sitting on a Gold Mine Many businesses focus heavily on client acquisition while overlooking the valuable opportunity of growing their relationships with existing clients. These established relationships represent untapped potential for growth, as current clients already understand and trust your services, making them more likely to engage with additional offerings. To remain relevant in these clients' minds, Reade emphasizes the importance of consolidating client contacts from various sources—CRMs, spreadsheets, and databases—into a comprehensive email list and establishing consistent, meaningful communication through targeted content creation. What is stopping most people from grabbing this low-hanging fruit? Many fear that emailing clients too often leads to them unsubscribing from their list. However, the risk of being irrelevant to them is far worse and gets you nowhere. Remember, if you don't ask, the answer will always be no. Regular engagement will ensure customers are aware of your continued growth and ability to address their evolving business challenges. Moreover, satisfied clients often become brand advocates, providing referrals and testimonials that can be invaluable for attracting new business. 3 Key Sections to Build Newsletters People Actually Want to Read When it comes to client communications, Reade believes there's no such thing as too long, just too boring. If the information you offer is useful to people, they won't mind skimming through it to get to the most important aspects. If it's useless, however, they'll ignore it even if it's just a paragraph. If you're just getting started with a newsletter or are trying to establish consistency in your content, Reade recommends having three sections: Original section, where you're leading with value by offering an original piece of content. Curated section with recommendations of social media posts, articles, or videos you recommend. Highlight section, where you can highlight case studies or products or services you offer. It's enough to keep people informed about your services and milestones while not being too overwhelming. Reade also dives into the effectiveness of subject lines and why it lies not in its consistency but in its ability to pique curiosity and draw the reader in. While establishing a recognizable brand can be valuable, he believes in the need for experimentation to generate curiosity. So instead of leading with your company name (ie: The XYZ Newsletter #45) try to create curiosity by leading with a particular piece of information that may be very useful for your audience. Furthermore, testing various subject lines—from intriguing questions to bold statements—can yield insights into what resonates most with the audience. The goal is to spark interest and drive opens, which ultimately leads to deeper engagement with the content itself. Why 40% is the New Standard for Email Open Rates For Reade, 40% is the new 20% in terms of the goal for open rates. Aiming for a 40% open rate might be more appropriate nowadays considering the changes in email platforms and clients that often auto-open emails for security purposes, which can artificially inflate open rates. This is why he recommends recalibrating expectations and focusing on achieving higher engagement metrics that reflect the true interest of your audience. In addition to content quality, list management plays a crucial role in optimizing your email engagement. For Reade, it's worth it to prune your email list to remove subscribers who are no longer interested in your content and thus refine your audience. This improves engagement rates and ensures you communications are reaching individuals genuinely interested in you offerings. It's essential for maintaining a healthy email list that drives meaningful interactions. Interestingly, Reade places less emphasis on clickthrough rates compared to open rates. He recommends embedding complete content within emails rather than relying on external links. While low clickthrough rates aren't necessarily concerning when paired with healthy open rates, they can signal an opportunity to optimize content strategy. This might involve refining newsletter language and call-to-action elements to better guide readers toward desired interactions, especially when specific clickthrough targets exist. The Power of Direct: Why You Shouldn't Overlook the Impact of Email While email marketing might not be considered the most glamorous marketing channel—some even see it as outdated—the data tells a different story. People are forty times more likely to make a purchase after receiving an email from a company than after seeing a social media post. This highlights the power of direct communication. Email marketing allows businesses to connect with their audience personally, fostering engagement and driving sales in a way that social media often can't. Unlike the ever-shifting algorithms of social media platforms, email provides a stable, owned channel for nurturing leads and ensuring consistent outreach to an audience that has already expressed interest in the brand. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Do you face a lot of skepticism from clients who have been disappointed by agencies before? How do you go about gaining their trust? After seven years running his agency, today's featured guest still lists that mistrust as one of his primary challenges and talks about his strategic approach to overcoming this hurdle: combining client education with precise problem identification to deliver time-saving solutions that truly impact their businesses. This approach not only helps rebuild trust damaged by previous agency experiences but also positions marketing as a genuine catalyst for business growth. Join us as we explore how agencies can move beyond surface-level marketing solutions to become trusted partners in their clients' success stories. James Loomstein is the managing partner of Rogue Marketing, a digital agency based in Dallas that serves mostly mid-market B2B companies across various sectors. They are business builders committed to solving client problems, whether it's entering a new market, seeking acquisition, or launching new products. James reflects on his journey into the marketing world and the biggest challenges he faced while building his agency. In this episode, we'll discuss: Rebuilding trust and overcoming skepticism. The secret to agency longevity. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources E2M Solutions: Today's episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by E2M Solutions, a web design, and development agency that has provided white-label services for the past 10 years to agencies all over the world. Check out e2msolutions.com/smartagency and get 10% off for the first three months of service. A Winding Path into the Digital Agency Industry James began his career journey in the early 2000s with a clear goal: to work in marketing. Initially starting in consulting, he found the path to marketing restricted, with an MBA in marketing and strategy as one of the few avenues available. During his studies, he noticed his classmates worked at companies like Kimberly Clarke and American Airlines, which have them a significant advantage and positioned them for immediate brand management roles upon graduation. James realized early on that the way into the agency world was to start his own agency. However, he still needed the experience so he interned at a big company and after graduation he started to work at Omnicom as a business analyst. Over the years, he worked at different companies and startups. During the economic downturn of 2008, frustrated with job instability and slow career advancement, James established Digital Space. Over the next four years, he refined his business model, carefully selecting clients and defining his service scope. Eventually, he ended up working for the company where he met his future partner Chip. Once both he and Chip resigned two years later, their collaboration seemed natural. Chip's agency, Rogue, and James's Digital Space frequently worked together, leading to their official merger in 2016. This partnership marked the beginning of a successful joint venture that continues to thrive. Rebuilding Client Trust and Overcoming Skepticism Seven years post-merger, James identifies two major challenges they've faced in their growth journey. First, he's learned that accepting unsuitable projects benefits only the client or hired freelancer, never the agency. While difficult to implement, this selective approach has become crucial to maintaining the agency's integrity and fostering meaningful client relationships. Second, he's had to face the challenge of the damaged reputation agencies sometimes have among mid-market companies. Having been disappointed by previous agency experiences, these clients often approach marketing services with skepticism. James frequently finds himself rehabilitating the industry's image while diving deeper to uncover the true nature of clients' challenges. Often, what is labeled as a "marketing problem" may actually stem from underlying issues within a company's operational framework. Agencies must strive to understand the specific challenges their clients face and tailor their strategies accordingly. It is the way to create tangible value and measurable results for their clients. James attributes these agency failures to the low barriers to entry the marketing industry where anyone can claim expertise in marketing with minimal experience. He strongly advocates for aspiring agency owners to gain corporate or agency experience before launching their ventures, arguing that understanding business fundamentals is crucial for success with mid-market clients. Without this foundation, agencies risk failing both themselves and their clients. The Secret to Agency Longevity For James, new agencies should start by mastering a specific, well-defined service that delivers clear value to clients. What is something you can take off their plate? What is an area with a specific outcome to achieve? It might start with something very small but if you do it well you'll not only solve a problem, you'll also build trust, have a story to tell, and find a way to move forward. Additionally, don't just look to solve the client's problem. Ask yourself whether or not you're saving them time. If you're solving problems but clients are constantly telling you what to do, then you're replaceable. People will always trade time for convenience so it's to your advantage to do what you can to take the pressure off the client. For emerging agency owners, James outlines three essential steps: define your target audience identify their core problem establish clear performance metrics. If potential clients can't articulate their success metrics, they're likely not an ideal fit. Clear expectations and accountability from the start build the foundation for lasting partnerships. This focus on measurable results has led James' agency to move away from traditional retainer models, which often lead to diminishing client satisfaction over time. Instead, his agency has adopted a performance-based approach that emphasizes consistent value delivery throughout the relationship. This results-oriented strategy helps prevent client churn by maintaining clear accountability and demonstrating ongoing value. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.