Agency Blueprint

How do you approach mentoring and investing in your team? If you want to grow and be better, you have to invest in your team. Your team is your pathway to a successful business – they are your product, service, and the core of your agency.   

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss mentorship and how to approach investing in your team so you can grow in many areas of your agency. We also explain the importance of taking a genuine interest in your team members and clearly communicating your expectations.  

Listen in to learn how to humanize your team, have an open line of communication, make training tangible, and more.  

Key Questions:   

• [00:47] How do you grow and improve your agency by improving your team and investing in them? 
• [11:01] How do you go about setting time aside to invest in your team? 

What You’ll Discover: 

• [01:40] How to set clear expectations by having the core fundamental responsibilities to allow your team to meet them.  
• [03:25] Understanding how communicating your expectations as a manager makes things easier. 
• [07:04] The importance of taking a genuine interest in your team members, which plays into the overall team performance.  
• [11:01] Humanize your team and invite them to be part of your journey by sharing the lessons, issues, and failures you’ve faced. 
• [14:12] How to have an open line of communication where your team sees you as a supportive mentor.  
• [18:26] The importance of making training tangible and easier for people to understand expectations.  
• [20:02] How to make available tools, resources, and knowledge your team needs to do their jobs.

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What are you doing to show others that women can lead without being labeled a certain way? Women who lean into their strength and tap into what matters when leading achieve success and bring about much-needed change.  

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Carmen Reed-Gilkison to discuss women’s empowerment in business and marketing and our role in making it happen. Carmen is a Certified Online Business Manager and Whole Person Certified Coach with over 25 years of marketing experience. She works with female entrepreneurs to assess, develop, and optimize their businesses for sustainable profitability. 

Don’t miss the episode to learn more about fostering your path, creating a successful sales system for your agency, stepping into a CEO mindset as a woman leader, and more.  

Key Questions:   

• [02:36] What are your thoughts about women being labeled bitchy, and what’s your experience and your clients’ experiences in this dynamic? 
• [06:49] What advice would you give to a client or team member in a situation where the word bitch is being used?  
• [16:37] What common issues do women agency owners face when getting involved in the sales and marketing aspect of a business?  
• [21:57] What mindset tactics can women use to maintain their power and confidence?  

What You’ll Discover:  

• [02:45] Carmen shares her thoughts on why ambitious women are labeled bitchy and how we can do better as we know better. 
• [05:24] The responsibility of women leaders to show others what’s possible to bring much-needed change. 
• [07:23] How to lean into your strength to de-escalate a situation where the word bitch is being used in a workplace environment.  
• [10:58] The personal strength and fortitude it requires to tap into what matters to you as a woman leader. 
• [14:09] Understanding how women are fostering their own paths using their experiences and the benefits of that. 
• [16:59] How to build confidence and own your expertise as a woman agency owner to create a successful sales system.  
• [20:59] The importance of prequalifying your leads to ensure you’re speaking to the right people and not just anyone.  
• [22:20] How to step into a CEO mindset and start looking at things analytically and setting aside time to plan for your business.  
• [26:35] Carmen’s Master Your Mindset in Business and Life class, plus a tip on overcoming difficulties.  

Connect with Carmen: 

• Website
• LinkedIn

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How can you help your ideal client make the best possible choice they can for themselves during the sales process? Your responsibility as a salesperson in your agency is to have your prospective clients make the best possible decision they can, well informed, clear direction so that they can feel affirmed venturing into a new relationship with your agency.  

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I discuss sales touchpoints to include in your sales process to make sales work better for you and your prospective clients. I also explain how to avoid the mistake of appearing too eager in a sales conversation, which gives off a scarcity mindset and hence gives your prospective client the upper hand. 

Listen in to learn how to get prospective clients to show up to a qualification call, help them evaluate their potential direction, present a proposal, and more.   

Key Question:   

• [01:10] What things can you think about or do to allow sales to work better for you? 

What You’ll Discover: 

• [02:03] Don’t bring a scarcity mindset into a sales conversation; instead, bring an abundant mindset to make a sale effectively.  
• [02:33] Slow down and share the information they need to make the best buying decision possible.  
• [03:10] The importance of recognizing people’s buying criteria to help them facilitate that buying decision. 
• [06:56] How to get prospective clients to show up to a qualification call by getting them a piece of collateral. 
• [08:08] How to build upon the conversation you’ve already had for them to evaluate their potential direction. 
• [09:36] Have the strategy conversation to evaluate what they have going on that leads to a proposal. 
• [10:52] Share a testimonial video of another client’s experience after presenting a proposal.

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Do you present yourself authentically during sales? Unlike presenting your curative version, authenticity will bring out the real you and attract the people you want to work with.  

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss what makes authenticity attractive to your potential prospects and a real game-changer. We also explain how to change your sales perspective by seeing the actual value you’re providing, learning to articulate your ideas effectively, and being authentic.  

Listen in to learn how to connect and build trust with your leads by having fun during a sales call and providing appropriate advice.  

Key Questions:   

• [00:46] What’s your perception of what sales is supposed to be?  
• [03:50] What’s your experience with your idea of being an authentic salesperson and making sales?  

What You’ll Discover: 

• [01:53] Why the number one mistake agencies make is hiring a salesperson too early and why it doesn’t work.  
• [04:08] How to change your sales perspective by seeing the actual value you’re providing, learning to articulate your ideas effectively, and being authentic.  
• [12:14] The importance of having fun during a sales call in an authentic way to connect and build trust with a prospect.  
• [16:50] The importance of including all the stakeholders in a call to explain your process without leaving anyone out. 
• [18:05] Understand that lying and overpromising aren’t fun and instead set the right expectation for everyone to win. 
• [19:28] Avoid overselling what your prospects don’t need and instead sell what will help them accomplish their goals.  
• [20:38] How to build trust with your prospects by acting as an advisor for what is right for them.

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Is your agency news newsworthy? How interesting, immersive, compelling, and targeted is your news to give you results? Making your agency newsworthy takes expertise and an understanding of what works for you and your goals. 

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Amanda Proscia & Mickie Kennedy to discuss PR and how to make your press releases newsworthy. Amanda is the co-founder of Lightspeed Public Relations and Marketing, a New York City-based agency focused on promoting innovation in areas like healthcare, financial services, and consumer electronics. Mickie is the founder of eReleases, a press release distribution service for startups & small businesses. He founded eReleases 24 years ago to help small businesses, authors, and startups increase visibility and credibility through press release marketing.  

Don’t miss this episode to learn the importance of having a target audience, why you should be well-prepared before inviting PR, and more.  

Key Questions:   

• [02:13] How do you know whether the news your agency plans to release is newsworthy? 
• [07:50] What can be done in preparation for a press release and after?  
• [10:53] Mickie, can you walk us through the trends and types of things that are working right now that didn’t work before and things that were working before but aren’t working right now? 
• [16:00] When should an agency consider the timing considerations for both PR and some earned media? 
• [21:16] How can creativity come into PR and press releases in a way that allows for a little engagement with the journalists?  

What You’ll Discover:   

• [02:27] Amanda explains the expertise required to find opportunities that make agency news newsworthy. 
• [04:05] How to target a specific audience and accomplish your goals by being at the right place with the right story. 
• [05:24] How to make PR relevant to the media, taking into account what their audience would find interesting. 
• [08:05] Questions to ask and strategies to apply before a press release and the pitching to do afterward. 
• [11:21] The power of authenticity and owning your story in PR and why they worked before and in modern times.  
• [16:19] Why you should be well prepared before considering it time to invite media attention to your agency. 
• [18:49] The evolution of media recently and why it hasn’t changed the value of newswires and PR professionals.  
• [21:46] Creativity and tech tools to use to tell stories in the most immersive and compelling ways.  
• [23:51] Mickie and Amanda share tips on where to start with PR as an agency considering PR.  

Connect with Amanda& Mickie: 

• Amanda’s LinkedIn
• Amanda’s Website & Book
• Mickie’s Website

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Do you listen to your internal monologue? What stories do you tell yourself, and how are they impacting you? It’s so easy to get in your own way and tell yourself stories that distract and stagnate your growth.   

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I explain how to avoid being your worst enemy and instead become a believer in yourself as the first step to growth. I also describe how anxiety affects my decision-making and how I’ve learned to deal with it. 

Don’t miss this episode to learn more about the importance of leaning into the lessons you learned from failed experiences.  

Key Questions:   

• [01:35] What situations that have happened in the past impact the way you make decisions?  
• [05:35] What are the potential opportunities and risks associated with your decision-making? 
• [12:20] What do you do when your confidence is low? 

What You’ll Discover: 

• [01:00] The importance of recognizing that you won't make the right decision at the point of anxiety, fear, and scarcity.  
• [02:09] How not to allow anxiety to overcome you by placing it first to better understand yourself and your decision-making.  
• [05:13] The two directions to think about when making a decision to make it ahead of time rather than from an emotional place.  
• [08:05] Understanding that failing at something doesn’t equal failure but an invaluable lesson.  
• [11:57] How to recognize your progress and success to boost your confidence and power through low moments in your journey.

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What are the existing issues that you have in your agency today? How are they preventing you from reaching the next stage of your growth? 

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I explain how rapid growth can be achieved with the right structure. I also explain why rapid growth and success take deeper focus on what you’re doing instead of spreading your focus thin.   

Listen in to learn how to identify your ideal clients, build a network that gets you referrals, create alignment, and more.  

Key Questions:   

• [03:04] What issues are preventing you from reaching the next stage of your growth, and can you solve them today?  
• [04:19] How do you build a network and position your agency incredibly well? 
• [10:46] How do you take your ideal client on an emotional journey?  

What You’ll Discover: 

• [01:38] How having less inputs results in better results and less distraction and chaos. 
• [04:19] The importance of clearly understanding who you’re targeting to build a network that gets you referrals. 
• [07:46] How to build a story around your brand and ideal client by creating alignment.  
• [09:26] How to create a pricing model that allows you to price things easily and put scopes in front of clients.  
• [10:46] How to come up with a flexible and structured sales script that makes the emotional journey the same across clients. 
• [12:51] How to build a framework focusing on leadership and management teams and structure the recruiting process.  
• [14:48] How to manage agency growth by managing the financial components and building down on the KPIs. 
• [17:04] The importance of working with the account management team to focus on cross-selling and upselling. 

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Are your decisions guiding you to where you want to take your business? As an agency owner, you should focus your decisions on data to increase revenue, improve profits, and ultimately improve cash flow.  

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, Jon joins me to discuss the science of agency decision-making and why all decisions should be guided by data. Jon Morris is the Founder and CEO of Ramsay Innovations, a tech-enabled finance and strategic planning company that helps marketing agencies drive success. He was also the Founder and CEO of Rise Interactive, an award-winning full-service digital marketing agency. 

Don’t miss this episode to learn more about the importance of having an operational account, savings account, and media account as a general rule for any agency.  

Key Questions:   

• [02:22] What key decisions did you make at Rise that allowed you to scale your agency?  
• [14:54] What’s your typical advice to clients about how much cash they should have as it reflects in their operational expenses? 
• [21:48] If you were to select one or two things in each category to grow revenue and cash, what would you advise?  

What You’ll Discover:  

• [02:32] Jon explains why scaling an agency should be primarily based on revenue, profit, and cash. 
• [05:13] How to increase the percent of your revenue on sales and marketing as a key metric in scaling your business.  
• [10:21] Strategies to make revenue/profit and invest it back to the sales and marketing piece of your agency.  
• [15:05] Why you should have at least two to three bank accounts as a general rule to manage operations, savings, and media expenses. 
• [18:52] The advantages of having available cash/resources in your agency to support strategic business operations.  
• [22:12] The three metrics that matter when you think about growing revenue, plus recommendations on how to best deliver revenue.  

Connect with Jon: 

• LinkedIn

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What is the productization of agency services, and how can it be done? Productization can be defined as solving a problem you know people have, following a similar identical process for each client. The easiest transition to productization is when it’s derived from things you’ve already been doing for your existing clients, which doesn’t change your agency’s entire process.  

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Greg Hickman to discuss agency productization and how to design productization correctly. Greg is the Founder and CEO of AltAgency™. Over the last 4 years, Greg and his team have transformed AltAgency™ from an automation consultancy serving many well-known entrepreneurs and growth experts into one of the top coaching and training companies for agencies looking to grow and scale by packaging their expertise, installing systems for growth and leveraging automation to save time. 

Don’t miss this episode to learn what happens when agency owners decide to productize and systemize. 

Key Questions:   

• [01:05] What do you define as productization or to productize services for an agency? 
• [08:28] What have you seen with non-productized and non-systemized agencies after they’ve done the work to create process?  
• [14:37] What are your thoughts about monetizing expertise properly for agency owners?  
• [24:56] What’s your advice to an agency owner wanting to productize beyond the process-oriented aspects? 

What You’ll Discover:  

• [01:19] Greg describes productization as solving a problem you know people have following a similar identical process for each client. 
• [04:10] The difference between the “done for you” and “done with you” modalities and the opportunities layered with the latter. 
• [07:10] How to design productization to include customization and creativity to streamline processes. 
• [08:51] Greg explains what happens when agency owners decide to productize and systemize.  
• [15:03] How to monetize your expertise by identifying your strategic component that allows for your process.  
• [19:03] Understanding that clients have a shelf-life and how to extend a lifetime value to them as an advantage to you. 
• [23:17] How to clearly articulate your process to remain unique instead of selling on price.  
• [25:16] Greg on how to productize the right way beyond the process-oriented pieces.  

Connect with Greg: 

• Website
• YouTube
• LinkedIn

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Where is your agency’s focus on, efficiency or effectiveness? Is your focus creating the outcome you’re looking for? Maybe it’s time you open up to changing your mindset from efficiency to effectiveness.  

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss the key differences between efficiency and effectiveness in a creative agency. We also explain why, as a businessowner, you should focus on developing an effectiveness mindset to create a larger impact on client deliverables and agency processes. 

Don’t miss this episode to learn more about how to refocus the idea of efficiency vs. effectiveness, plus measure effectiveness in your agency.  

Key Questions:   

• [01:56] What are the main differences between what would be considered efficiency and effectiveness? 
• [08:31] How do you measure your agency's effectiveness?  

What You’ll Discover: 

• [02:14] The main differences between efficiency and effectiveness and why the idea of efficiency is a short-sighted mindset.  
• [04:36] Understanding that effectiveness is about the larger impact on client deliverables and agency processes.  
• [08:31] How having an effective team allows you to produce client results in less amount of time.  
• [10:48] Effectiveness indicators – on-time completion, frequent SOP updates, and the number of revisions. 
• [14:43] The importance of managing your business by the numbers to measure how you’re making profits and providing impact.  
• [15:38] How to refocus the idea of efficiency vs. effectiveness because agency effectiveness leads to efficiency.

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Profitability 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.