Smart Agency Masterclass with Jason Swenk: Podcast for Digital Marketing Agencies

In this session of The Smart Agency Master Class, I chat with Peter Caputa, VP of Sales for Hubspot, the king of inbound marketing. We chat about how you should stop relying solely on referrals, and how you can use strategic partners get your business to the next level.

Strategic partners are awesome.

You can get a lot out of having a strategic partner. Here are just a few benefits:

* Steady stream of referrals

* Marketing opportunities

* They can help you grow from small agency to large agency

* There will be many chances to learn from partners

How you can you become one of the top strategic partners for a company like Hubspot?

Unlike some, a strategic partnership with Hubspot cannot be bought. Peter says being a Hubspot strategic partner is earned, not purchased..

In order to become one of Hubspot’s top strategic partners, you need to:

* Have the ability to make your clients successful on Hubspot.

* Be able to sell and acquire new clients.

* Communicate your goals and successes with the strategic partner.

* Do something unique with the your new client using the strategic partner.

What your agency is probably doing wrong.

According to Peter, agencies are failing at creating the right relationship with their clients. Going in and selling tactics is the wrong approach. You need to be selling long-term value because you want a lasting relationship with the client that focuses on success.

It’s not just about what you’re doing. You need to be showing the value of it.

And remember – know your audience! A lot of agencies are afraid of committing to a niche for fear of losing out on an opportunity.

It’s time to raise your prices.

Stop worrying about what other agencies are charging. You’re worth more! Take time to figure out how much value you’re providing the client. If you’re helping them earn a million dollars, then you should rethink your $4k per month retainer.

You need to find out the prospect’s goal, and explain to them the value that you can deliver. Their answers will help you determine what to charge.

Also, make sure you don’t lose the prospect in all the bells and whistles. Sure, you love the software, but the client just loves the outcomes. Keep the business conversation upfront, and explain the methodology in a way they can understand.

I asked Peter what the biggest retainer per month was for inbound marketing services…and it’s $25,000! Per month!

The art and science behind hiring salespeople.

The first sales hire is key. Peter is a fan of the Objective Management Group, which is an assessment tool that includes an assessment for salespeople. Peter also warns that you need to be ruthless in finding the right fit, not just hiring someone because you like them.

Once you’ve hired someone, don’t just tell them to “go sell.” That’s setting everyone up for failure. You need to be sure you’ve put objectives in place to hold the salesperson accountable (how much, by when, etc).

You also need to be sure you are motivating and empowering them. Salespeople need praise as much as they need to want to make money. Give them lots of incentives and high-fives.

AGENCY MASTERMIND for agency owners that want to GROW PROFITS

It can be very isolating running your own agency. Wouldn’t you like to join a community of other agency owners that will hold you accountable for growing beyond yourself, all while supporting your journey to get there? That is exactly what the AGENCY Mastermind is all about.  Learn more…

In this episode of The Smart Agency Master Class I have my first ever three way:)  For the first time ever, I have two guests – Jim Hohl and Lucas Gavin of Visify. Jim and Lucas are going to share with us how you can use events to build your authority and grow your business.

Where do you start with generating more leads for your agency?

Jim and Lucas knew that they didn’t just want to do business as usual. Chasing after projects and pitching all the time is exhausting. The duo decided to begin speaking at events and hosting webinars, which allowed them the chance to get their message out to a lot of people at once.

Bonus: you automatically earn some street cred by being an event speaker. It’s instant authority!

No events in your area?

Make one! It’ll be a great opportunity for you to get your feet wet.

It’s fairly simple to throw together a 2-3 hour weeknight event. For something larger, consider hiring an event planner. Jim and Lucas hired an event company, allowing them to focus on work and let the professionals handle event stuff.

Or you can create a mini-event around a bigger industry event. This way you can invite a select group to take part in a lunch-and-learn without having to do too much organizating.

Start small.

The event doesn’t have to be a huge crowd. No one expects you to start out at a TED Talk. Start smaller and work your way up.

Jim, Lucas, and I are all huge fans of webinars. Not only are they easy to setup, they’re an excellent first step in getting to be comfortable with speaking in front of people.

But first, you need to come up with what you want to say. The simplest way to do that is to think about what you find yourself saying to most of your clients. What’s some common advice that you give? Or, what is some aspect of your business that you are really passionate about? Use these as starting points for creating webinar content.

Tech to use: Try GoToWebinar or Google Hangouts for simple, effective setup.

Save the sales pitch.

You will attract a lot more people if you don’t make the event a sales pitch. Seriously, you don’t need to be pitching all the time, and no one wants to hear it. Instead, focus on creating quality content that delivers something of value to the audience.  Have a genuine conversation.

[ctt title=”You will find that people will remember you better if you give them something valuable rather than trying to sell to them.” tweet=”You will find that people will remember you better if you give them something valuable rather than trying to sell to them. http://ctt.ec/f_Eg9+ via @jswenk #generateleads #salespitch” coverup=”f_Eg9″]Offer a free download of a tool or white paper that they can actually use. They are guaranteed to remember you for it.

Don’t forget to include a CTA.

You want to keep the conversation going, so make sure you include a call to action. Not the lame “buy my stuff” CTA, but something like “comment on my blog to join the discussion.” You want to create a thoughtful and engaged community around your events.

So whether you’re doing a webinar, or an in-person event, make certain that you have some sort of call to action.

Success Story

We had our first Agency Mastermind event last week and one of our members has already generated over $20,000 in extra income from one thing we have covered. If you would like to have a similar story, click here

 

In this session of The Smart Agency Master Class, I chat with Peter Caputa, VP of Sales for Hubspot, the king of inbound marketing. We chat about how you should stop relying solely on referrals, and how you can use strategic partners get your business to the next level.

Strategic partners are awesome.

You can get a lot out of having a strategic partner. Here are just a few benefits:

• Steady stream of referrals
• Marketing opportunities
• They can help you grow from small agency to large agency
• There will be many chances to learn from partners

How you can you become one of the top strategic partners for a company like Hubspot?

Unlike some, a strategic partnership with Hubspot cannot be bought. Peter says being a Hubspot strategic partner is earned, not purchased.

In order to become one of Hubspot's top strategic partners, you need to:

1. Have the ability to make your clients successful on Hubspot.
2. Be able to sell and acquire new clients.
3. Communicate your goals and successes with the strategic partner.
4. Do something unique with your new client using the strategic partner.

What your agency is probably doing wrong.

According to Peter, agencies are failing to create the right relationship with their clients. Going in and selling tactics is the wrong approach. You need to be selling long-term value because you want a lasting relationship with the client that focuses on success.

It's not just about what you're doing. You need to be showing the value of it.

And remember - know your audience! A lot of agencies are afraid of committing to a niche for fear of losing out on an opportunity.

It's time to raise your prices.

Stop worrying about what other agencies are charging. You're worth more! Take time to figure out how much value you're providing the client. If you're helping them earn a million dollars, then you should rethink your $4k per month retainer.

You need to find out the prospect's goal and explain to them the value that you can deliver. Their answers will help you determine what to charge.

Also, make sure you don't lose the prospect in all the bells and whistles. Sure, you love the software, but the client just loves the outcomes. Keep the business conversation upfront, and explain the methodology in a way they can understand.

I asked Peter what the biggest retainer per month was for inbound marketing services...and it's $25,000! Per month!

The art and science behind hiring salespeople.

The first sales hire is key. Peter is a fan of the Objective Management Group, which is an assessment tool that includes an assessment for salespeople. Peter also warns that you need to be ruthless in finding the right fit, not just hiring someone because you like them.

Once you've hired someone, don't just tell them to "go sell." That's setting everyone up for failure. You need to be sure you've put objectives in place to hold the salesperson accountable (how much, by when, etc).

You also need to be sure you are motivating and empowering them. Salespeople need praise as much as they need to want to make money. Give them lots of incentives and high-fives.

AGENCY MASTERMIND for agency owners that want to GROW PROFITS

It can be very isolating running your own agency. Wouldn't you like to join a community of other agency owners that will hold you accountable for growing beyond yourself, all while supporting your journey to get there? That is exactly what the AGENCY Mastermind is all about. Learn more...

Become an Agency Mastermind

Creating leverage to bring in strategic partners for your agency can bring your digital agency to a whole new level but this can cause issues if you don't work on the other challenges you have within your business. Don't worry, I can help you get through all of it.

I can give you advice on recognizing new client opportunities to different ways of building authority to improve your agency.

If you are having issues with growing your agency, I've the different phases of growth within your agency and how performance-based pricing can be the best pricing strategy for your business as well as the three questions you need to ask yourself to sell more!

Learn all about my career and different experiences as well as lots of tips, tricks, and insights by checking out my blogs that cover a wide variety of topics.

Check out more from my Ask Swenk series and more of my videos on my YouTube channel. There you will find advice from me and other agency experts.

In this episode of The Smart Agency Master Class I have my first ever three way:) For the first time ever, I have two guests - Jim Hohl and Lucas Gavin of Visify. Jim and Lucas are going to share with us how you can use events to build your authority and grow your business by creating leads.

Where do you start with creating leads for your agency?

Jim and Lucas knew that they didn't just want to do business as usual. Chasing after projects and pitching all the time is exhausting. The duo decided to begin speaking at events and hosting webinars, which allowed them the chance to get their message out to a lot of people at once.

Bonus: you automatically earn some street cred by being an event speaker. It's instant authority!

No events in your area?

Make one! It'll be a great opportunity for you to get your feet wet.

It's fairly simple to throw together a 2-3 hour weeknight event. For something larger, consider hiring an event planner. Jim and Lucas hired an event company, allowing them to focus on work and let the professionals handle event stuff.

Or you can create a mini-event around a bigger industry event. This way you can invite a select group to take part in a lunch-and-learn without having to do too much organizing.

Start small.

The event doesn't have to be a huge crowd. No one expects you to start out at a TED Talk. Start smaller and work your way up.

Jim, Lucas, and I are all huge fans of webinars. Not only are they easy to set up, but they're an excellent first step in getting comfortable with speaking in front of people.

But first, you need to come up with what you want to say. The simplest way to do that is to think about what you find yourself saying to most of your clients. What's some common advice that you give? Or, what is some aspect of your business that you are really passionate about? Use these as starting points for creating webinar content.

Tech to use: Try GoToWebinar or Google Hangouts for a simple, effective setup.

Save the sales pitch.

You will attract a lot more people to create leads if you don't make the event a sales pitch. Seriously, you don't need to be pitching all the time, and no one wants to hear it. Instead, focus on creating quality content that delivers something of value to the audience. Have a genuine conversation.

Offer a free download of a tool or white paper that they can actually use. They are guaranteed to remember you for it.

Don't forget to include a CTA.

You want to keep the conversation going, so make sure you include a call to action. Not the lame "buy my stuff" CTA, but something like "comment on my blog to join the discussion." You want to create a thoughtful and engaged community around your events.

So whether you're doing a webinar or an in-person event, make certain that you have some sort of call to action.

Success Story

We had our first Agency Mastermind event last week and one of our members has already generated over $20,000 in extra income from one thing we have covered. If you would like to have a similar story, click here

Discover the best Digital Agency Strategies today. Get Online Training to help you set up the right systems and strategies to help you grow faster.

Improving Your Agency

So now you know where to start in creating leads for your agency but is this your only struggle right now?

My years of experience have allowed me to provide advice on many topics from the struggles you may face with failing economies and recessions to how accepting a speaking opportunity can create business and the four phases of growth you may experience within your agency.

Learn more about me and my experience or all my tips, tricks, and everything you need to know in my blogs. I have covered a wide variety of topics!

If videos are more your thing, don't worry, I've got you covered! Check out my Ask Swenk series and more of my videos on my YouTube channel for advice from myself and other agency experts.

In this week’s session of The Smart Agency Master Class, I sit down with Tom Fishburne to talk about how you can spice up those boring newsletters you’re sending out, and how you can invest in your audience to get a better open rate.

 

Tom is Founder and CEO of Marketoon Studios, a content marketing studio that helps businesses reach their audiences with cartoons. He started cartooning at Harvard Business School, and was putting out a weekly cartoon about marketing for several years before finally building it into a business model. For Tom, it was all about connecting his passion with his business.

Cartooning is a great tool to increase engagement.

Cartoons have been described as the best involvement tool out there. Plus, you can fit a lot of information in a small space.

Best of all, you don’t even have to be a good cartoonist to draw one. In fact, one of the most successful web comics out there is XKCD, which is done entirely in stick figures, but has over a million unique visitors to the site every day.

And cartooning has given Tom a 50% open rate on his email blasts, but more on that in a bit.

What you shouldn’t do with your boring agency newsletter.

People tend to automatically think, “I want to make something that will go viral.” You should most definitely avoid this approach.

Tom says it’s all about continuity. Make a commitment to producing weekly, and stick to putting out quality content every single week. Don’t worry about whether or not it goes viral, just worry about whether or not your audience will find value in it. The more valuable it is to them, the more they’ll share it, and the more the audience will grow.

Remember, you’re making an investment in the audience. Don’t feel rushed to make a sale. People hate that, and you’ll end up turning them off. It’s not about people who are ready to buy now, those people will probably find you anyway. What you’re trying to do is invest in people who will want to buy from you in the future. Gain them as fans, and they’ll come to you when the time is right.

And yes, it does need to be weekly. Monthly is just too sparse. Sure, weekly is a lot of work, but it’ll pay off in spades over time. Just make sure you’re putting out thoughtful content that the audience wants.

How to get your email open rates to 50%.

It’s true, Tom has a fifty percent open rate. His email list of 20,000 is read by about 100,000 people a week through social shares. And he doesn’t do any outbound marketing!

Take a moment to collect your jaw from off the floor.

Most agencies have an open rate of 12-15%, maybe 20% (if you’re really lucky). How does one get to this magical 50%?

It’s all about interesting, relevant content. Tom has an audience that wants to be there, and they expect his email every Monday morning. They look forward to it, which has a lot to do with the fact that he doesn’t stuff it full with sales pitches and useless facts about his agency. The cartoon is relevant to his audience and he uses it to start a conversation.

Seriously, no one cares about your new VP of Operations. Don’t put that kind of stuff in your email blasts. It needs to include things that the audience wants to see. No thought provoking conversation is going to spring up around the newest award your agency won.

Would you like me to help you with your biggest challenge?

I’ve set aside some time to talk to you, personally. And during that time, I’ll evaluate your business and work with you collaboratively to create an immediately actionable plan to increase your sales and profits. 

In this week's session of The Smart Agency Master Class, I sit down with Tom Fishburne to talk about how you can spice up those boring newsletters you're sending out, and how you can invest in your audience to get better email open rates.

Tom is Founder and CEO of Marketoon Studios, a content marketing studio that helps businesses reach their audiences with cartoons. He started cartooning at Harvard Business School, and was putting out a weekly cartoon about marketing for several years before finally building it into a business model. For Tom, it was all about connecting his passion with his business.

Cartooning is a great tool to increase engagement.

Cartoons have been described as the best involvement tool out there. Plus, you can fit a lot of information in a small space.

Best of all, you don't even have to be a good cartoonist to draw one. In fact, one of the most successful web comics out there is XKCD, which is done entirely in stick figures, but has over a million unique visitors to the site every day.

And cartooning has given Tom a 50% increase in email open rates on his email blasts, but more on that in a bit.

What you shouldn't do with your boring agency newsletter.

People tend to automatically think, "I want to make something that will go viral." You should most definitely avoid this approach.

Tom says it's all about continuity. Make a commitment to producing weekly, and stick to putting out quality content every single week. Don't worry about whether or not it goes viral, just worry about whether or not your audience will find value in it. The more valuable it is to them, the more they'll share it, and the more the audience will grow.

Remember, you're making an investment in the audience. Don't feel rushed to make a sale. People hate that, and you'll end up turning them off. It's not about people who are ready to buy now, those people will probably find you anyway. What you're trying to do is invest in people who will want to buy from you in the future. Gain them as fans, and they'll come to you when the time is right.

And yes, it does need to be weekly. Monthly is just too sparse. Sure, weekly is a lot of work, but it'll pay off in spades over time. Just make sure you're putting out thoughtful content that the audience wants.

How to get your email open rates to 50%.

It's true, Tom has a fifty percent open rate. His email list of 20,000 is read by about 100,000 people a week through social shares. And he doesn't do any outbound marketing!

Take a moment to collect your jaw from off the floor.

Most agencies have an open rate of 12-15%, maybe 20% (if you're really lucky). How does one get to this magical 50%?

It's all about interesting, relevant content. Tom has an audience that wants to be there, and they expect his email every Monday morning. They look forward to it, which has a lot to do with the fact that he doesn't stuff it full with sales pitches and useless facts about his agency. The cartoon is relevant to his audience and he uses it to start a conversation.

Seriously, no one cares about your new VP of Operations. Don't put that kind of stuff in your email blasts. It needs to include things that the audience wants to see. No thought-provoking conversation is going to spring up around the newest award your agency won.

Would you like me to help you with your biggest challenge?

I've set aside some time to talk to you, personally. During that time, I'll evaluate your business and work with you collaboratively to create an immediately actionable plan to increase your sales and profits. Click here to get my help

Keep Improving Your Business

Now that you know how to increase and improve your email open rates, take a look at the bigger picture of your agency. Are there other challenges you are facing in your agency?

From my experience, I have covered topics from how to handle a recession or how to increase your profits without losing customers for your agency. Or maybe you want to know the four phases of growth within your agency and want extra help in taking your agency to the next level and selling your agency for a larger profit. I have all the information you need to help you through it.

You can learn more about my life and my experience as well as lots of tips, tricks, and insights by reading our blogs that cover a wide variety of topics.

If videos are more your thing, don't worry, I've got you covered! You can check out more from my Ask Swenk series and more of my videos on my YouTube channel. There you will find advice from me and other agency experts.

In today’s session of The Smart Agency Master Class, I chat with Hannah Paramore, president of Paramore Digital. Hannah is going to talk about the five jobs of an agency owner, and how to handle those roles.

The 5 Roles of an Agency Owner.

As the agency owner, it is your job to:

* Grow and mentor the leadership team.

* To be the face of the company.

* To set vision and direction.

* Manage the financials.

* Be available for key relationships.

Whatever you’re doing, make sure they are part of these five roles. If it’s something outside of these, you need to assess whether or not you are the one that should be doing it.

Being comfortable as the agency CEO.

No doubt you started out as the smartest person in the room. You were consumed with passion and drive. You were the best at everything, from account management to writing to sales.

But as you started to grow from a one-person agency, you probably realized you need to hire people to help you. Suddenly, you’re not the smartest. And that’s a good thing! You want to hire people smarter and better than you to do the work you don’t have time for anymore.

Who to hire for your agency.

It may take some trial and error to find the right person. You need to clearly define what it is that you need, and how you envision working with someone.

Think about what you want your team to look like. Try using a personality profile to find the right fit.

If you hire someone, and it goes poorly, don’t be disheartened. Remember, it’s trial and error. Maybe you need to redefine what you need, or how you want to work with someone. Maybe that person was just an awful fit for your agency. It’s okay. There are lots of wonderful people out there.

If Hannah had to do it all over again, her first hire would be a Director of Client Services. According to her, [ctt title=”Good work doesn’t keep the clients. You’re hired for your creative and technical abilities but you’re fired for your service.” tweet=”“Good work doesn’t keep the clients. You’re hired for your creative and technical abilities, but you’re fired for your service.” http://ctt.ec/c1528+ via @jswenk #agencyleadership ” coverup=”c1528″]

How to motivate and inspire your team.

Every agency owner should know the importance of a happy team. There is no magic formula, but here’s a darn good one:

Great clients + Great office space + Great culture + Ownership of work

These factors, when combined with the right people, make for happy employees. Happy employees motivate and inspire each other, and that’s how awesome agencies thrive.

(Note: giving out employee bonuses doesn’t hurt either!)

The “too busy” excuse.

Sometimes also known as the “too poor” excuse, and it’s just that – an excuse.

If you want your business to grow, you’re going to have to make time for it. Hire people organically as you grow. Don’t think you can afford them? Then you’re not charging enough. Your team is part of the billable hours, don’t be afraid to include them in the costs.

Going from Agency Owners to Agency CEOs

In today's session of The Smart Agency Master Class, I chat with Hannah Paramore, president of Paramore Digital. Hannah is going to talk about the five jobs of an agency owner, how to handle those roles and transition from agency owners into an agency CEOs.

The 5 Roles of an Agency Owner.

As the agency owner, it is your job to:

1. Grow and mentor the leadership team.
2. To be the face of the company.
3. To set vision and direction.
4. Manage the financials.
5. Be available for key relationships.

Whatever you're doing, make sure they are part of these five roles. If it's something outside of these, you need to assess whether or not you are the one that should be doing it.

Being comfortable as the agency CEO.

No doubt you started out as the smartest person in the room. You were consumed with passion and drive. You were the best at everything, from account management to writing to sales.

But as you started to grow from a one-person agency, you probably realized you need to hire people to help you. Suddenly, you're not the smartest. And that's a good thing! You want to hire people smarter and better than you to do the work you don't have time for anymore.

Who to hire for your agency.

It may take some trial and error to find the right person. You need to clearly define what it is that you need, and how you envision working with someone.

Think about what you want your team to look like. Try using a personality profile to find the right fit.

If you hire someone, and it goes poorly, don't be disheartened. Remember, it's trial and error. Maybe you need to redefine what you need, or how you want to work with someone. Maybe that person was just an awful fit for your agency. It's okay. There are lots of wonderful people out there.

If Hannah had to do it all over again, her first hire would be a Director of Client Services. According to her,

"Good work doesn't keep the clients. You're hired for your creative and technical abilities but you're fired for your service."

How to motivate and inspire your team.

All agency CEOs should know the importance of a happy team. There is no magic formula, but here's a darn good one:

Great clients + Great office space + Great culture + Ownership of work

These factors, when combined with the right people, make for happy employees. Happy employees motivate and inspire each other, and that's how awesome agencies thrive.

(Note: giving out employee bonuses doesn't hurt either!)

The "too busy" excuse.

Sometimes also known as the "too poor" excuse, and it's just that - an excuse.

If you want your business to grow, you're going to have to make time for it. Hire people organically as you grow. Don't think you can afford them? Then you're not charging enough. Your team is part of the billable hours, don't be afraid to include them in the costs.

Would you like to get more strategies like this, and be apart of an elite group of agency owners?

It can be very isolating running your own agency. Wouldn't you like to join a community of other agency owners that will hold you accountable for growing beyond yourself, all while supporting your journey to get there? That is exactly what the AGENCY Mastermind is all about. Check it out now.

Find the right Systems and Strategies that will help you grow faster. Check out the Playbook and the exclusive digital agency elite mastermind.

Taking Your Agency to the Next Level

Now that all your business owners know how to transition into agency CEOs, are there weaknesses within your agency that are causing everything to break down? Don't worry, I'm here for all the advice you need.

I have been in the industry for a long time and I have had my own experience running my own digital agency as well as helping other digital agency owners so there are many topics where I can offer guidance. Whether you are experiencing challenges as an established agency or a new agency unsure of what the different phases of growth you will experience will look like, I've got you covered.

As you continue to grow your agency team, I can show you how to recognize when it's time to hire a sales manager or expand your sales team to perfect your business strategy by creating a process for performance-based pricing and how to keep your big name clients happy.

Are you ready to create something cool and want more advice? Learn about my career and different experiences as well as tips, tricks, and insights by checking out my blogs that cover a wide variety of topics. Or if videos are more your thing, visit my YouTube channel!

In this episode I chat with the master of podcasting, founder and host of Entrepreneur on Fire, John Lee Dumas.

Podcasting is seriously great for agencies.

Here are just some reasons why you need to have a podcast:

* It’s on demand. You don’t have to say no to something else to listen to a podcast. You can’t watch a video and drive a car, just like you can’t run and read a blog. But you can do all of those things (and more!) while listening to a podcast.

* Podcasts are targeted. There are thousands of podcasts out there, specifically tailored to your interests. All you have to do is find one.

* They’re full of free, valuable content. And really, what’s better than free and valuable. 

People listen to podcasts an average of 27 minutes. Compare that to the 45 second average for video and the three minute average for blogs, and you can easily see how podcasts have the advantage. To be in someone’s ear for 20+ minutes is a big way to build credibility. When they have a need, you’re going to be they think to turn to.

How do you pick an audience?

Start by picking your topic. What void will you be filling in the market? What are you truly passionate about? Use these to determine who your audience is.

Don’t be afraid to give stuff away.

It does feel counterintuitive but giving away free content is a good thing.Click To Tweet

You start by doing a podcast and post it on iTunes or Soundcloud. People find it when they search for the keyword associated with your podcast and suddenly, you find yourself being listened to and shared. The podcast starts driving a lot of organic traffic to your website, you’re building credibility, and your business grows.

All because you gave away something for free.

Getting started.

This is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. Make sure you’re committed to it for the long term.

But don’t look at it as being a complicated process, or even your sole focus. If you put the right systems in place, podcasting won’t become a lot of extra work. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: putting the right systems in place will help you work so much better.

Do you have an agency podcast?

In this episode I chat with the master of podcasting, founder and host of Entrepreneur on Fire, John Lee Dumas about why your business needs an agency podcast.

Podcasting is seriously great for agencies.

Here are just some reasons why you need to have an agency podcast:

• It's on demand. You don't have to say no to something else to listen to a podcast. You can't watch a video and drive a car, just like you can't run and read a blog. But you can do all of those things (and more!) while listening to a podcast.
• Podcasts are targeted. There are thousands of podcasts out there, specifically tailored to your interests. All you have to do is find one.
• They're full of free, valuable content. And really, what's better than free and valuable.

People listen to podcasts an average of 27 minutes. Compare that to the 45-second average for video and the three-minute average for blogs, and you can easily see how podcasts have the advantage. To be in someone's ear for 20+ minutes is a big way to build credibility. When they have a need, you're going to be the thing to turn to.

How do you pick an audience?

Start by picking your topic. What void will you be filling in the market? What are you truly passionate about? Use these to determine who your audience is.

Don't be afraid to give stuff away.

[clickToTweet tweet="It does feel counterintuitive but giving away free content is a good thing." quote="It does feel counterintuitive but giving away free content is a good thing."]

You start by doing a podcast and post it on iTunes or Soundcloud. People find it when they search for the keyword associated with your podcast and suddenly, you find yourself being listened to and shared. The podcast starts driving a lot of organic traffic to your website, you're building credibility, and your business grows.

All because you gave away something for free.

Getting started.

This is not a sprint; it's a marathon. Make sure you're committed to it for the long term.

But don't look at it as being a complicated process, or even your sole focus. If you put the right systems in place, podcasting won't become a lot of extra work. I've said it before and I'll say it again: putting the right systems in place will help you work so much better.

What More Can You Do?

If you have more questions, I can help.

It doesn't matter if you have been an agency owner for a while now or have just taken the leap and started a new agency, I have covered topics from the struggles you may face within your agency to leveraging YouTube in your marketing for your agency marketing strategy.

Learn more about me or you can check out all my tips, tricks, and everything you need to know in my blogs. I have covered a wide variety of topics as well as answer your questions in more from my Ask Swenk series.

Are videos more your thing? You can check out my Ask Swenk series and more of my videos on my YouTube channel for advice from myself and other agency experts.