Build a Better Agency Podcast

If you’re tired of assessing your agency’s project values based on an average hourly rate and having your team constantly updating timesheets, you’ll want to take some notes on this episode. Today’s topic is all about restructuring pricing models to focus more on the scope value rather than an average billable hourly rate. Our guest, Jonathan Stark, is a former software developer on a mission to rid the world of hourly billing. He’ll teach us to reevaluate the work scopes we’re pitching to prospects and customize it so you can focus on their actual needs rather than what they think they need.   By using this method, you will not only remove the headache of hourly billing but also have better conversations with prospects, establish yourself as a thought leader, and have the potential to increase your profit exponentially — just by changing this small aspect of your sales and discovery calls. A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How and why Jonathan became so passionate about eliminating hourly billing from his agency structure Why fixed pricing models based on scope value are both easier and more profitable Asking the right questions to get to the bottom of your prospect’s actual needs and weed out bad clients Talking about the value of the outcome of the work you’re going to do for clients Building proposals with 3 budget options based on a fixed-price value How to engage with a prospect to discover what they need and how to price it out The pros and cons of changing your pricing strategy Productizing some of your services as “off-the-shelf offerings” How to implement this strategy as a smaller agency without too much risk

One of the most common traps we fall into as agency owners is making decisions based on our fears. Every day we have to make hard choices, and it’s easy to fall victim to a fear-based narrative when trying to make everyone happy while keeping a business afloat. But fear not — I have some advice for you that will help you see the bigger picture of where you are likely making fear-based decisions for your agency. This week, my goal is to help you identify the most common fear-based business decisions, understand why this happens almost universally, and learn some tricks to rewire our thinking around these decisions. As you listen to this episode, take stock of when you’ve made decisions out of fear. Fear of losing a good employee, fear of losing money, fear of missing out on a good project or client — and see if you can find a better approach to tackling even just one of these examples. For 30+ years, Drew McLellan has been in the advertising industry. He started his career at Y&R, worked in boutique-sized agencies, and then started his own (which he still owns and runs) agency in 1995. Additionally, Drew owns and leads the Agency Management Institute, which advises hundreds of small to mid-sized agencies on how to grow their agency and its profitability through agency owner peer groups, consulting, coaching, workshops and more. A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: The biggest, worst fear-based decision agency owners often make Acknowledging the truths behind our fears and putting action behind them Financial decisions (and mistakes) we make when we’re afraid How we hand over control to our clients when we’re acting out of fear The vital role of client and employee satisfaction surveys The psychology behind fear-based decisions Why you should step away from a problem and ask for help How to rewire our thinking around decisions and get out of the fear narrative

Entrepreneur and sales leader Corey Quinn shares strategies for agency growth and client retention, emphasizing the power of niching and word-of-mouth connections. He discusses the common mistakes people make when trying to increase sales and the benefits of specializing in specific customers. The podcast also explores the sales process and the importance of setting clients up for success in the SEO industry. Additionally, it highlights the significance of agency owners dedicating a significant amount of time to business development and growth.

Sales — the dreaded word that most of us cringe when we think about it. It brings up thoughts of manipulation, forced conversations, and fear of rejection. It’s one of those necessary evils that come with being a business owner that’s essential if you want to keep growing. For many of us, we fear hearing the word “no.” Once it’s out there, we drop the conversation, take the loss, and move on. But if you want to sell effectively AND create a pleasant sales experience for yourself and your prospects, you must rethink your sales strategy.   Today, I’m talking with Richard Fenton, a seasoned expert in all things sales prospecting, selling styles, and getting to the other side of the “no.” It didn’t always come naturally to him, but after a long time in the business, he’s learned that an initial rejection can be a huge win later in the sales process. Whether you like sales or not, you have to get better at it to keep new clients coming through the door. So join us to learn how you can rethink your sales process and become a better salesperson, even if it doesn’t come naturally. A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Richard’s “aha” moment that made him rethink sales forever Why “no” isn’t the end of the sales process The four types of salespeople and the one we should all strive to be The intersection of caring about relationships and caring about results Why you need to ask better questions in the sale process Getting a prospect to know, like, and trust you Staying in touch even after an initial rejection The reason sales has gained such a bad reputation How to sell without being manipulative or shark-like

It’s no secret the job market has shifted immensely over the past 3–4 years. One minute, we’re hitting the brakes and halting all new hires. The next, we’re kicking things back into gear and going through a hiring frenzy with inflated salaries. And now, we’re entering a recession but still need to hire top talent at an affordable price. How do we keep up? This week, I’m talking with Art Boulay and Sue MacArthur, two experts in talent management and agency staffing. They created a perfect formula for assessing potential new hires’ strengths, weaknesses, and full-on red flags that could save you a lot of time before even starting an interview.   This episode is packed with information about how agencies can optimize their hiring in a job market where you only have a few days — rather than a few weeks — to decide on a candidate. I hope you grab a pen and paper and take some notes on this one because this could change your entire approach to hiring new team members. A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How hiring has changed rapidly in the past 3–4 years What agencies should have in place before they begin looking for a candidate Why you need to try your best to lock in a new hire in under a week Don’t be afraid to make a candidate sweat a little Why trying too hard to sell your agency to a candidate could lose you a great hire Identifying yellow and red flags for in-office, hybrid, or remote positions How to handle and possibly prevent a bad Glassdoor review if you encounter one Pay attention to the little things — body language, demeanor, and even their background in the Zoom call The most critical things to consider to get the right candidate to accept your job offer

One of the biggest sticking points with agencies is establishing tried and true onboarding and training SOPs. Over and over, we find that new hires aren’t pleased with how their onboarding process went, despite agencies and larger companies investing billions into this one area. Poor training and onboarding experiences can result in disaster and influence how long your new hire will want to stick around after the fact. It can be even more challenging for remote agencies to establish cohesion in SOPs when a team is remote or hybrid. That’s why it’s essential to have well-established training SOPs that are easy to follow and help your new hires understand their purpose within your agency. In this episode, I’m interviewing Jennifer Smith from Scribe to teach us how to make SOPs that are quick, painless, transferable, and digestible. She knows what remote teams need to get everyone on the same page quickly, and she has a lot of knowledge on how to make that happen. Tune in to listen and learn great ideas from Jennifer to make a typically painful process seamless and much more organized. A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: The importance of having tribal knowledge in an agency Where agencies often fail to have proper documentation Establishing the why, the who, and the how of your agency to new hires Creating proper SOP documentation to onboard new team members Where agencies can improve on building a remote team How to demonstrate skills and tasks to new hires with training SOPs How to make SOPs and documentation pain-free and easy to share amongst your team

With a heavy heart, I’m recording this week’s solocast to commemorate the life of a cherished and respected team member of AMI, Craig Barnes. I have known Craig for 25 years, and we became great friends and colleagues over our time together as fellow agency owners. I want to use this solocast as an opportunity to honor the legacy Craig left behind and share with you all some of the core values he taught me over our long time working together, the most important one being to lead with love. Whether you were part of his family, community, colleague, or client, Craig always made sure that people knew he loved them. He was never afraid to shower others with love and celebrate their wins in life, no matter how big or small. He did everything in a big way, whether that was making a huge business decision or taking up a new hobby — and he wasn’t afraid to go after it with genuine, whole-hearted passion. I’m heartbroken to be recording this episode. Still, I hope this allows everyone the chance to reflect on his incredible life and legacy and encapsulate everything that Craig taught us in the AMI community. A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. In This Episode: How Craig Barnes became a part of my life and the AMI community What we can learn from Craig’s life and professional life Keep evolving If you’re going to do it, do it big Strategy is critical There is no substitute for integrity The more you teach, the more you learn Lead with love

As agency owners, we’re always looking for ways to get great customers that increase our profitability while decreasing the length of the typical sales cycle. That’s the dream, right? This week, I have Tom Schwab on to talk about one of the best ways to make that dream a reality — being a great guest on other people’s podcasts. As a great guest himself, Tom has a gold mine of valuable information to share with us about getting featured as a guest on podcasts, the ROI that it brings to your agency, and how to track the results you’re getting from being a podcast guest.   Great conversations lead to great customers, and Tom will teach us exactly how to turn all that talking into gold. Don’t miss out on this information-packed episode so you can start your year right by setting the stage for increased profitability in 2023. A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Why you don’t need to host your own podcast to get your name out there How to use podcast guesting as a way to achieve your goals Why podfade is such a common occurrence How to identify which podcasts need your voice as a guest Leveraging a podcast to attract great clients, not more leads in the sales funnel How to be a great podcast guest and get the host to sell you to the audience Pre- and post-interview podcast guest best practices The importance of having a tracking mechanism for performance and conversion rates

Diversity in the workplace is the cornerstone of running a modern and successful agency. Without it, you’re not only selling your agency short, but you’re also passing up on an immense pool of talent and ideas that you won’t find by staying in a comfort zone. This week, we have Dr. Ella Washington, a professor, organizational psychologist, and DEI expert, on the podcast to share the purpose, pitfalls, and progress behind effective and measurable DEI work. Whether your agency has fallen behind the times or you just need a fresh perspective, we all have work to do in this area.   So, take this episode with an open mind, actively listen to it, and use it as a guide for refocusing your DEI efforts in 2023. A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here. What You Will Learn in This Episode: The metrics for tracking DEI work progress The three P’s of starting DEI work How hybrid work environments promote diversity in the workplace Inviting more diversity into your organization Why diverse backgrounds of all kinds matter at work Inclusive leadership Acknowledging and addressing microaggressions How to create a safe space as a leader and invite conversations about DEI

With agency ownership comes big ideas, a lot of creative energy, and infinite passion for your work. Chances are you have a million ideas floating around your head with nowhere to put them. Why not compile them into a book? We’ve talked about why creative thought leadership matters for finding right-fit clients and aids in biz dev for your agency. This week, I’m bringing back Henry DeVries to discuss finally putting all those ideas into action and writing your book. We have a fun episode planned today with tons of advice for creating the blueprint for your book, how to finally get started with writing (and get help doing it), and some of the common roadblocks we create for ourselves when it’s time to finally go to the printer. A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.   What You Will Learn in This Episode: Building the blueprint of your book 7 questions to answer when creating the book outline Why writing is a team sport How to solo write a book in a way that’s manageable (if you choose to go it alone) The best approach to co-authoring a book Discovering your hidden assets and turning them into content The roadblocks we create for ourselves in the final stages of publishing