Build a Better Agency Podcast

As agency owners and leaders, we have 90 days to put 2020 to bed and get ready for 2021. To help you prepare, I've created a To Do list for every agency owner to work through in the 4th quarter. Use this checklist to dodge the landmines and give your agency a leg up for the new year. In this episode of Build A Better Agency, I'll walk you through the To Do list I've built out based on what I call the four critical components of a profitable and growing agency. They are leadership, biz dev, getting it done and managing the money. With some focus in each of these four areas, you can go into the new year with confidence that your agency is ready. The To Dos won't cost you a dime, but they will cost you some time and attention. Don't wait until December to start executing on this list. Start today! 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: https://www.whitelabeliq.com/ami/ What You Will Learn in This Episode: What agency owners should be doing between now and the end of the year The four critical components of a profitable and growing agency What we can do to replenish ourselves and our teams after all that has happened since March Why this crisis is a great opportunity to level-up our teams How to get our finances in check so our agencies are profitable going into 2021 What we can do to improve our project and client management processes How to incorporate our new biz dev tactics as permanent pieces of our biz dev strategy

Ongoing professional development is a challenge in most agencies. It's tough to gather the right tools/resources, some agency owners aren't sure about how to make it happen and for most the biggest challenge is making the time. And yet we know that one of the critical elements of our agency's ongoing success is that our team has to keep getting better. I am a firm believer that professional development is a shared responsibility, which means your employees should do some of it on their own time and on their own dime. However, creating a culture of ongoing skills development and contextual learning is vital to stay ahead of the pack. And it's not as hard as we might think. My guest for this episode is a longtime veteran of the advertising industry. From print production and creative services to leading employee development within HR, Cecilia Gorman earned her stripes at agencies and brands large and small – most notably Y&R, Oakley, and Innocean. She currently consults on manager development, helping creative-minded companies strengthen the communication, leadership, and effectiveness of managers at all levels. In this episode of Build a Better Agency, Cecilia joins me to talk about what it actually looks like to build a team of lifelong learners. She explains how agency owners can integrate professional development into their culture and create an active learning environment that impacts their clients and their team members alike. That not only serves your clients well but dramatically impacts retention and employee satisfaction. Everyone wins. 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 number one thing that gets in the way of professional development Why agency owners need to make professional development a part of the culture How some agencies are carving out time for professional development, and when is the best time to invest in employee growth and development What managers can do to create an active learning environment How we can use storytelling to get more buy-in to our culture The importance of developing self-awareness on top of technical skills Four key skills that agencies should never neglect Cecilia's background in the agency world, and how she transitioned into professional development coaching

Many of us have earned our MBAs in leadership over this past year. As we wrap up 2020, we have some ground to make up and we can't do that alone. We need to inspire our teammates to rise to the occasion, overcome their personal speed bumps, and build momentum as we drive to the end of the year. Elise Mitchell's experience running agencies and coaching business owners provides actionable clarity on how we get there. Elise Mitchell started Mitchell, her PR firm back in the nineties grew it to a seventy-person shop before selling it to Dentsu in 2013. What she loved most about the agency business was building young leaders so she built a leadership training program over the last several years. She works with emerging leaders, business owners, entrepreneurs, agency leaders, and a variety of others. In this episode of Build a Better Agency, I pick Elise's brain about how we, as agency leaders, can get the most from our teams during these critical months. Elise's wide range of expertise can help us inspire and coach our team to a new level of greatness. 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: Elise's transition from agency owner to leadership coach/consultant How agency leaders can better lead their teams through change Why agency owners should acknowledge that it's okay not to have all the answers Critical mindset shifts that enable us to find opportunities in times of uncertainty How to bring your team through change when everybody is not on board How to empower your employees by helping them discover their own insights How to become a more mindful leader and avoid succumbing to burnout

They say that the only thing we fear more than public speaking is death. That's some pretty deep seeded fear! On top of the fear, many agencies want to leverage speaking as part of their biz dev strategy but there are so many questions. How do you get in front of the right audience? How do you capture email addresses from the stage? How do you convince event organizers that you have something of value to offer? The good news is – it's not as scary or as hard as it might appear. We are itching to get in front of our sweet spot clients so we can demonstrate value, step into a position of authority, and walk away with opportunities to make a sale. But results driven public speaking does not happen without a plan. You can get in front of an audience but are they the right ones? When it comes to public speaking as a biz dev tool, Grant is an expert. He is the founder and CEO of TheSpeakerLab.com, a training company for public speakers. He is also the best-selling author of "The Successful Speaker." Grant coaches professionals of all skill levels with the biz dev techniques he uses in his own speaking engagements. He also teaches how to market yourself as a speaker and find the right event and audience for your goals. Listen to the episode, and learn how to get on the right stage, in front of the right people, so you can demonstrate your expertise and walk away with opportunities to land some business. 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: Grant's background in public speaking and how he developed his expertise How to use public speaking as a biz dev tool Why public speaking is a great way to step into a position of authority How a business development mindset can change your approach to public speaking How to identify natural speaking opportunities in your niche How to differentiate yourself and stand out from the other speakers in your vertical The common mistakes speakers make with booking and how to avoid them How to engage promoters and event planners

Agency growth isn't easy and it isn't a given. It's not because agency owners don't want to build their agency to be sustainable, scalable, or sellable down the road. It's because they consciously or unconsciously avoid putting systems and processes into place. Instead of having a "your agency name here" way, every one of your team members has their own way of serving clients and getting the work done. When you're five people, that's tolerable. But once you get past ten employees or so, that breaks and you are stuck. Want to get unstuck? As long you allow everyone to work in their own way and there's no standardization, there's a ceiling for how much growth and scale you can achieve. Systemizing your team's workflow and putting new processes in place can get your agency unstuck. David Jenyns believes deeply in the relationship between systemization and agency growth. After rolling out new systems and processes within his own agency and witnessing the powerful results, he organized the experiences into a new book called Systemology. In this episode of Build a Better Agency, David shares some of the key lessons and techniques from his book so we can apply them in our own agencies and achieve unprecedented growth. 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 agency growth is hindered by a lack of systems and processes How David mastered the application of systems and processes in his own shop What David believes are the mandatory systems and processes for all agencies How to use David's "Critical Client Flow" system Why your systems and processes cannot be dependent on the agency owner How to get your team members to embrace and appreciate new systems and processes What characteristics and personality traits we should be looking for as we look for our system or process champion The outcome and benefits we can expect to see from implementing new systems and processes within our agency

There's no doubt that covid is going to leave its mark. For most of us, it's the most disruptive event of our lifetime. The question is – what are those lasting marks? In this solocast, I'm going to walk you the changes that I think are inevitable. Some of them are short term and others will be around for many years. The good news is – it's not all bad news! We're going to look at changes that will impact your staffing, your pocketbook, the work you do, what clients are demanding, and how your work will be measured. While we're not completely out from under covid's crunch, I am already seeing agencies pivoting into these changes and reaping significant rewards for being out in front of the evolution. I want to make sure you're able to react quickly and fend off the risks and capitalize on the new opportunities. 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: https://www.whitelabeliq.com/ami/ What You Will Learn in This Episode: What we can expect to see in the short and long-term as we sail out of the COVID storm How agency owners should navigate the post-COVID landscape What agency owners can do to address the changes that will impact their cash flow How agency teams can and should change in the post covid world Why the work week as we know it will never look the same How the pandemic's effect on mental health is going to impact your agency How to deal with skittish clients during the recovery period Why COVID is a huge kick in the butt to get out there and sell

We all have experienced the membership economy. Disney+, Dollar Shave Club, and a wide variety of meal prep kits delivered to your door. But, does it work in the B2B or service delivery worlds? When we talk about the membership economy, we are talking about something much deeper than the transactional value of memberships and subscriptions we pay for each month. It's about how we are treated and cared for by the businesses whose programs we join. As we think about how to strategically guide our clients – this is a concept we need to understand. Robbie Baxter is an author and one of the foremost experts on the membership economy. She has written two books including The Forever Transaction and her earlier book, The Membership Economy. In this episode of Build a Better Agency, Robbie explains how the membership mentality benefits a business and its clients, and she walks us through some of the challenges as well. Is it a viable option for your agency or some of your clients? I think the answer might just surprise you! 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 framework of Robbie's books and teachings How the membership economy has changed the way we look at our business model Why the subscription religion is taking over all industries How the membership model translates in the B2B space Why membership is still a viable option if you are an artisanal bakery How to get your clients on board with a membership model if it makes sense for them The common obstacles we may run into while trying to roll out a subscription service within a client's organization

Prior to the economic downturn in '07-'08, I worked with a lot of agency owners who were very adamant that they would never outsource any of their services. Then the recession hit. Agencies were forced to trim their payroll and job-out projects to 1099s and other partners. Today, 99% of the agencies I work with have a hybrid business model that incorporates some type of outsourcing. When done well, this is actually a benefit to your clients so the question becomes how can you make this work in your agency? Brian Gerstner joins us in this episode of Build a Better Agency to explain how we can build and maintain strong partnerships that work well for all concerned. Brian Gerstner has over twenty years of experience working with agency owners across the globe. He currently serves as the Creative Services Director for Huebner Marketing and the presenting sponsor of this podcast, White Label IQ. Brian offers a unique perspective on working with freelancers and outsourced service providers because he understands the nuances that influence these working relationships as both an agency creative director and the guy who heads up an outsourced resource. Like most relationships, making it a rewarding experience for everyone takes work, commitment, and consistent communication. Listen to Brian's tips and learn how to incorporate outsourced labor into your business model in a way that serves everyone well. 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 agency owners can be a good partner to their outsourced partners and vice versa How to pick the right outsource partner for your agency's needs What outsource partners should bring to the table to improve the workflow How to manage communication with your partners under a compressed timeline How White Lable IQ demonstrates technical expertise to people who aren't technical How to know when it's time to pull the plug on a partnership How to set clear expectations with your outsource partners Why outsourcing is a great way to try before you buy How to disclose your outsource partners to your clients

This may be the most unorthodox episode of Build A Better Agency to date. When I met Amira Alverez, who helps agency owners and leaders really harness the power of the subconscious mind, I was intrigued and invited her to be a guest. But then she asked if she could turn the tables on me and do a coaching session with me – live – and we'd let all of you eavesdrop in on the session. I'll admit, I was anxious about it. I didn't want the episode to be about me. But Amira flipped the script and takes us all through a live-action case study using her methodology, with yours truly as the subject. She stops and coaches along the way and in the end, it's a brilliant look at how we are all the biggest detriment to the success we're capable of achieving as agency owners. Amira Alvarez is the founder and CEO of The Unstoppable Woman, a global coaching company helping entrepreneurs, empire builders, athletes, creatives, agency owners, and rising stars in all fields achieve their dreams and goals in record time. Before Amira got clear on her goals, she was making $135k, but only a short while later, she started producing a seven-figure income that she's been able to sustain to this day. Amira helps agency owners figure out what they want, and what's in the way. I encourage you to join in on this unique journey because you might have a breakthrough as well. Follow along and work through Amira's process with us—it may provide you with clarity in areas you have struggled with for years. 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: Amira's entrepreneurial journey A live-action case study using practices from Amira's success methodology How we as agency owners can own the truth about what we really want How to get clear on your big, audacious goal and make a plan to execute it Why a timeline is such a huge factor in your ability to achieve your goal How to understand your subconscious mind and self-image Tactical strategies and mindset shifts you can use to get out of your own way

As agency owners, we are constantly searching for new ways to harness the power of persuasion and trigger an audience's buy-button on behalf of our clients. Understanding what's happening inside the consumer's head and what drives their behavior is where that effort begins. We've always worked to understand how audiences in the past, but what if we could leverage data and science to crack the code and target the decision-making part of a prospect's brain? As a neuroscientist and an agency owner, my guest Patrick Renvoise bridges the gap between science and marketing so agency owners can understand what makes different audiences tick. He has taken an entirely new approach to persuasion that enables agency owners to better recommend marketing solutions to their clients by explaining the science behind them. It is one of the many reasons Patrick co-founded SalesBrain, the world's first neuromarketing agency, where he currently serves as the Chief Persuasion Officer. In this episode, we'll explore the science behind human decision-making and how we can harness that for our agencies and our clients. 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 the brain reacts to persuasion The role of the primal brain in decision making, and how to reach it The six stimuli of the primal brain and how to leverage them in your work Why logical and emotional messaging is not enough to impact your customer's decision How to position your agency against all of the other agencies in the landscape