Agency Blueprint

How do you create systems and processes to allow for a full-service agency to scale? What does it take to set up a full-service agency in a way that it can function without the owner? In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Amy Foley, the co-founder at Inbound Back Office. She started her entrepreneurial journey in 2011 when she left her corporate job for more flexibility and time with her family and started a small Virtual Assistant business. The business evolved into what is now known as Inbound Back Office, a 70+ team member Virtual Assistant company that provides back-office support to marketing agencies. Listen in to learn how to build a system where managers can engage and report any issues when you’re not involved with your agency's day-to-day. You will also learn how to build attractive features that attract and retain clients ready to pay for your value.  Key Questions:   [02:14] Would you mind sharing about Inbound Back Office, how it works, who you work with, and what it provides? [03:51] How did you manage to grow the team and not be involved with the day-to-day of the business anymore? [09:17] Can you talk about how exactly your management team is engaging and reporting to you? [10:54] What does your process infrastructure and checklist look like? [17:53] Have you seen any challenges with your billing method, and if you have, how have you managed them with new client acquisition?  What You’ll Discover:  [02:23] Amy on how they provide staff augmentation for marketing agencies, covering gaps on demand. [04:20] How she started and grew her business into a full-service agency and set it up to function without her and her partner.  [09:48] How she and her partner engage with management to understand the agency’s day-to-day. [11:32] How she created and documented processes to streamline services for her team.  [18:21] The attractive features that attract and retain clients from a pricing perspective.  Connect with Amy: WebsiteLinkedInFree Copy of The Practical Agency Book.Real Life Agency Success StoriesWeekly agency tactics YouTube ChannelProfitability Accelerator Call - If you're looking to make a change today schedule your profitability accelerator call to define what is possible for your agency in the next 90 days.

How do you tap into your network and their network? How do you equip your network with the right information to bring you leads without making them feel obligated? In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I explain how to leverage your network with a smart non-sales pitch strategy. I explain how to approach your network and give them the opportunity to connect you with your ideal client without making it about you.  Listen in to learn more about this approach and why you should focus on building a genuine relationship rather than pitching.  Key Questions:   [00:58] How do you avoid being desperate when prospecting and selling? [03:28] How do you avoid making things about yourself when seeking referrals from your network?  What You’ll Discover: [02:06] How to avoid making your network feel awkward when asking for referrals.  [03:28] How to give your network the opportunity to feel good by sending you the right clients.  [06:05] How to list, approach, and equip your network with information on who to connect you with.  [13:40] Remember not to pitch your network; instead, focus on building a genuine relationship.  [14:11] Generate a list from your contacts, make three categories, and reach out to them.Free Copy of The Practical Agency Book.Real Life Agency Success StoriesWeekly agency tactics YouTube ChannelProfitability Accelerator Call - If you're looking to make a change today schedule your profitability accelerator call to define what is possible for your agency in the next 90 days.

Do you know you’ll be set on sale success by selling based on value? After confidence, the second most important thing in a sale is value.  In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I explain how to successfully sell based on value with three major strategies. I describe how to take your prospective clients through a third-party selling model, which allow them to see themselves in the position of a previous client.  Don’t miss this episode to learn how to win the experience game by wrapping up all the information you collect during the sales call and sell to the prospect through a proposal.  Key Questions:   [01:19] How much time do you spend listening vs. talking on a sales call with a prospect? [05:02] How do you provide valuable advice willingly during a sales conversation?  What You’ll Discover: [01:19] The importance of active listening when on a call to build trust and a long-lasting relationship. [05:02] How to provide advice to your prospect by showing them how their problem can be solved.  [08:33] Third-party selling model – selling to a prospective client through the experience of a previous client.  [12:55] How to wrap up all the information you collected and sell through a proposal.Free Copy of The Practical Agency Book.Real Life Agency Success StoriesWeekly agency tactics YouTube ChannelProfitability Accelerator Call - If you're looking to make a change today schedule your profitability accelerator call to define what is possible for your agency in the next 90 days.

Do you believe in yourself enough to make a sale? Selling is a skill that gets better with time, and we all start at an awkward place. More than anything, making a sale requires confidence and an understanding of the value you’re delivering.  In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss the power of confidence and value as the best sales tactics. We share our initial experiences with sales and how we developed the confidence to be the great salespeople we are today.  Don’t miss the episode to learn more about the anatomy of a sale and the power of authenticity in mastering the sales skill.  Key Questions:   [00:45] What is your experience with sales as a creative with zero confidence? [08:24] What does it take for a sale to go from the initial interest to a yes?  What You’ll Discover: [01:23] We share our initial experiences with sales and how we developed the confidence to become better salespeople.  [04:55] The importance of realizing that sales is not about you but the value you’re offering.  [08:24] The importance of trust, respect, need, and risk vs. value assessment for a sale to go from initial interest to a yes.  [09:48] How to boost your confidence in sales and its impact on you and your prospect.  [13:20] How to recognize your prospect’s need in order to remove the pressure of needing to convince anything.  [16:03 How speaking with confidence allows you to speak from experience of the value you’re providing.  [17:15] Understand that sales is just the first step, plus how to build long-term relationships afterward.  [18:39] The power of authenticity that allows you to take on sales without needing to hire right away.Free Copy of The Practical Agency Book.Real Life Agency Success StoriesWeekly agency tactics YouTube ChannelProfitability Accelerator Call - If you're looking to make a change today schedule your profitability accelerator call to define what is possible for your agency in the next 90 days.

What have been your experiences in the industry lately? A lot has been happening in the industry in the current economic environment regarding longer sales cycles, greater price sensitivity, and client ghosting.  In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Jody Sutter to share an update on the state of the industry. Jody is the owner of the Sutter company, a new business consulting company that advises small agencies on organizing and operating their growth strategy. Before starting The Sutter Company, she spent nearly two decades leading business development teams at large global agencies like R/GA and Havas. Listen in to learn how to plan around longer sales cycles and manage client ghosting by communicating your value.  Key Questions:   [02:11] What have you seen with longer sales cycles? [10:30] Do you see any economic environment where budgets are being sliced? [16:21] What are your thoughts on client ghosting, and why do you think it’s happening?  What You’ll Discover:  [02:18] How to plan around a longer sales cycle by having a larger pipeline and getting a client started with you faster.  [04:02] Understanding how clients determine the sales cycle and how to plan around them.  [06:46] Things that work to manage and reduce the sales cycle while benefitting your client. [11:58] The importance of having the outcome/KPIs conversation earlier in the sales process. [13:36] How to communicate your value to the client to have them understand why the risk is worth it. [16:39] The reasons why clients ghost and how to manage it to avoid time killing the deal.  [19:58] Understand that client ghosting has nothing to do with you, plus how to approach the client for answers.  [22:52] How to leverage ghosting clients as future prospects, which might be fruitful. Connect with Jody: WebsiteLinkedInFree Copy of The Practical Agency Book.Real Life Agency Success StoriesWeekly agency tactics YouTube ChannelProfitability Accelerator Call - If you're looking to make a change today schedule your profitability accelerator call to define what is possible for your agency in the next 90 days.

Change is constant; the industry is constantly shifting. Recently, there has been a migration from boutique to agency of record and back to boutique. How do you then leverage this change and capitalize on the opportunities available?  In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I discuss why brands are migrating from agency of record to boutique and its impact on agency owners. I explain the importance of asserting your specialization as an agency when working with enterprise clients.  Don’t miss the episode to learn more about capitalizing on trends happening in the industry while working with either larger or mid-market brands.  Key Questions:   [04:57] How can brands migration from agency of record to boutique impact you, and why is it happening?  [08:46] How do you go about generating leads for larger brands with their different sales cycle? [15:06] How do you capitalize on the opportunities and trends happening in the industry?  What You’ll Discover: [01:44] The reasons why many brands are looking to diversify their relationships with their agencies. [04:01] Why brands are choosing to migrate to boutique and the potential for you to capitalize on those relationships.  [05:05] The importance of asserting your specialization when working with enterprise clients. [09:12] Understanding the long sales cycle for larger brands and why you need to be part of it.  [13:33] The nuances of mid-market brands and why you should find ways to capitalize on them. [15:06] How to utilize opportunities in every market by capitalizing on trends happening in the industry. Free Copy of The Practical Agency Book.Real Life Agency Success StoriesWeekly agency tactics YouTube ChannelProfitability Accelerator Call - If you're looking to make a change today schedule your profitability accelerator call to define what is possible for your agency in the next 90 days.

How often does operational chaos show up in your agency, and how do you manage them? Operational chaos causes many issues for agency growth, scale, profit, and your mental well-being as the owner. In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss operational chaos, how they affect the team and day-to-day, and how to manage them properly. We explain the four causes of operational chaos – self-created chaos, missing or not working process, miscommunication, and client issues. Don’t miss this episode to hear us share our experiences with operational chaos and the tools we’ve adopted to manage them.  Key Questions:   [02:19] How does self-created chaos show up for you as the agency owner? [14:28] What types of miscommunications does your team experience often. and how can you manage them?  [20:02] How do client issues show up in your agency, and how do you manage them?  What You’ll Discover: [01:12] The four causes of operational chaos – self-created chaos, missing or not working process, miscommunication, and client issues.  [02:19] We share ways self-created chaos shows up for us and how it can impact the team.  [06:14] How to manage self-created chaos by leaving a void to allow someone else to rise to the occasion. [07:46] Understanding why your overreaction is self-sabotage and what you can do instead.  [09:31] The importance of having systems and processes in place to help you solve problems and get out of your business.   [14:28] Types of miscommunications that lead to chaos and things you can do to avoid and manage them.  [17:23] The importance of having a standardized way to communicate inter-departmentally and save time.  [20:02] How client issues show up and how to correctly manage client expectations to catch issues faster.  [21:21] Tips and tricks for timeline and client expectations to avoid chaos. Free Copy of The Practical Agency Book.Real Life Agency Success StoriesWeekly agency tactics YouTube ChannelProfitability Accelerator Call - If you're looking to make a change today schedule your profitability accelerator call to define what is possible for your agency in the next 90 days.

How do you grow and sell an agency at four times its original worth? It’s not easy to sell creative work or reposition a brand. Many changes must happen, from how you show up to how the creative team operates. In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Jane Bayler, an entrepreneur, investor, top 2.5% global podcaster, and brand and online marketer, who has built multiple businesses, including a London brand identity business, that she grew from £1m to £6m in under 2 years, quadrupling profits and selling to a US communications group. Listen in to learn how to leverage a big brand you’ve worked with to get through the door and then build relationships. You will also learn why selling creative is more of showmanship, and the more of a showman you’re in selling agency work, the easier it is.  Key Questions:   [01:33] What is your background story? [06:36] What were you looking at when you repositioned, and how exactly did you reposition? [11:27] Did the case study you leveraged have a lot of numbers behind it?  [15:11] What was it like from a team scale perspective in maintaining the quality of work? [19:54] How did the actual sale come about, what did the deal look like, and what did it look like before and after the sale? What You’ll Discover:  [01:53] Jane on her background in creative design, television, advertising, and how she grew and sold an advertising agency.  [07:15] She explains how they leveraged an old case study to specialize and sell their services.  [11:46] How to leverage a big brand you’ve worked with to get through the door and then build relationships.  [14:16] Why the most articulate, charismatic, and persuasive agencies find it easier to sell agency work.  [15:33] The team challenges they experienced moving from small exciting projects to more factory-like work.  [18:21] How aggressive agency growth negatively affects your ability to take care of your team. [20:10] Jane describes the agency sale process – the good, the bad, and the in-between before and after the sale.  Connect with Juliana: WebsiteLinkedInFree Copy of The Practical Agency Book.Real Life Agency Success StoriesWeekly agency tactics YouTube ChannelProfitability Accelerator Call - If you're looking to make a change today schedule your profitability accelerator call to define what is possible for your agency in the next 90 days.

Is your offer something that your ideal client really wants to buy? Is your offer something that your ideal client really wants to buy? Is it useful and something they will invest in and pay the price you’re charging? If unsure, you may want to do some market research to validate your offer.  In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I explain the questions to ask yourself about your offer and how it impacts your ideal client. I also explain how to research your market and use your ideal client’s feedback to validate your offer and potentially make a sale.  Don’t miss the episode to learn more about validating your offer, positioning yourself, and being confident about your sale!  Key Questions:   [00:38] Is your offer truly resonating with your market, and how can you validate that offer? [01:43] Does your offer solve a major business problem for your ideal client, and is it something they’re currently experiencing pain over? What You’ll Discover: [00:38] The questions to ask yourself about your offer to understand how it impacts your ideal client’s life. [03:01] How to contextualize an offer for your ideal client to have them feel what it would look like.  [05:18] Reach out to people in the space and ask questions related to your service.   [09:08] How to use the information you collect to adjust how you’re positioned, structured, and selling based on the feedback.   [09:51] How to curate your pitch based on feedback, present it to your ideal client, and potentially make a sale. Free Copy of The Practical Agency Book.Real Life Agency Success StoriesWeekly agency tactics YouTube ChannelProfitability Accelerator Call - If you're looking to make a change today schedule your profitability accelerator call to define what is possible for your agency in the next 90 days.

How do you process-orient to avoid project issues and quality decrease? Do you know that the only way to scale is to have a process? Having a centralized system in place is the only way to ensure you have an operational creative process.  In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Juliana Marulanda, a business operation expert, speaker, and the founder of ScaleTime. She has over 13 years of experience across Wall Street, the non-profit sector, technology startups, and family-owned businesses; she now helps service-based businesses.  Listen in to learn how to correctly scope a project and onboard a client in a way that aligns to avoid any potential background project issues. You will also learn about the different systems to bring together to ensure you maintain your service quality and reputation as you grow.  Key Questions:   [01:30] What would you say is happening in the background and the typical root cause of project issues? [23:40] How do you go about getting team buy-in and getting the team to follow the new process?  What You’ll Discover:  [02:00] How to correctly scope a project and onboard a client to align and avoid potential background project issues.  [10:52] The benefits of including clients in the project process and educating them about the project.   [17:05] The importance of having a process and centralizing everything in place to ensure you stick to what you’ve agreed with a client.  [24:30] Power and change – how to get the team to follow a new working process without resistance. Connect with Juliana: WebsiteLinkedInFree GiftFree Copy of The Practical Agency Book.Real Life Agency Success StoriesWeekly agency tactics YouTube ChannelProfitability Accelerator Call - If you're looking to make a change today schedule your profitability accelerator call to define what is possible for your agency in the next 90 days.