When it comes to the agency world, there are many niches to cater to - but who would have thought fabric and yarn could net close to a seven-figure business?

Leanne Pressly, that’s who. 

The agency founder and CEO of Stitchcraft has, according to her own words, spent a small mortgage on sewing equipment, so offering marketing services to fabric, yarn, and craft companies was a no-brainer.

Since 2009, this Colorado-based, full-service marketing agency has been serving crafting companies all over the US. While the team is nimble, comprising six employees and a few contractors, Stitchcraft serves over 40 retainer clients in the craft industry, and is growing.

Leanne joins the show to share how her agency, which impressively owns 2% of its market share, came to be, and how she gets things done.

Leanne is a prolific speaker and has leveraged this skill to build domain authority in her space, a strategy that has netted her awareness and new business alike. What’s more, Leanne has built a bespoke consulting program to attract clients that aren’t ready to buy retainer services just yet. Impressively, that program ultimately converts 100% of its participants into clients.

She joins the show to share her learnings in thought leadership, and how to lean into original research to produce compelling outbound messaging that converts.

Here’s what Corey and Leanne talk about in this episode:

• Transitioning a side hustle into a full-time business.
• How Leanne initially grew her agency through her network and through trade shows.
• How sales and prospecting evolved from the early years to today.
• How investing in thought leadership drives speaking opportunities, and ultimately, sales.
• Tips and tricks to creating original thought leadership.

Here are some actionable key takeaways for agency founders:

• Name your ICP and persona to really understand who you are serving.
• Sometimes, offering a trial for free can help bring in new clients.
• As a founder, be ready to do a lot of the prospecting yourself starting out.
• Establishing yourself as a thought leader opens doors to more industry visibility.
• Original research is the best way to build domain authority.

The resources mentioned in this episode are:

- Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn Here

- Learn About Stitchcraft Marketing Here

- Listen to Leanne’s Podcast, Business of Craft, Here

Join us as we dissect what