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

Wondering how you can get PR and media coverage a for your agency? Afraid your agency isn't newsworthy? Then it's time to learn some simple tips to get your agency the media coverage it deserve so you can generate interest and leads organically, plus amplify your brand. Today's show guest is talking ways to jump-start your agency's publicity.

In this episode, we'll cover:

• 3 tips to achieve media coverage.
• The #1 thing to do for a media interview.

Today I chatted with Emily Richett, founder and owner of Richett Media. In 2013, Emily left her job as a TV news reporter to start a new venture and naturally leaned towards publicity. Over the past five years her agency has grown from a solo act, to now 5 full time employees. Emily shares some great advice on working with different media outlets and how to start getting your agency in the news.

3 Tips To Achieve Media Coverage

Your agency is newsworthy, even if you don't think so. There are always ways to be newsworthy if you understands what the media outlets are targeting, what they care about and the natural ebb and flow of the news cycle. Emily shared 3 big tips for getting noticed by the media:

1. Make it easy for the media to want to cover your story.
   • The media is going to cover seasonal and holiday trends, based on their annual calendar. If you can connect the dots for them and align with a season or time-sensitive current trend you're more likely to get noticed.
   • Create the hook for the media. Often times reporters are too busy, so if you do some of the leg work for them it's a much easier sell.
2. Tie into what the media outlet's viewers care about.
   • People care about people (not businesses) and their impact on society.
   • Outline how your agency is making an impact, whether on a local or national level.
3. Utilize social media as a media lead generation tool.
   • On Twitter search #journalrequest, where journalists request information and quotes for stories.
   • On LinkedIn, use Dux Soup as a lead generation tool to leverage for media lead generation.
   • Check out other resources, like H.A.R.O. ("Help a Reporter Out")

The #1 Thing To Do For a Media Interview

Prepare in advance!

You want to leverage this media opportunity, so you MUST do your homework in order to make your media coverage great.

• See if you can find out what questions they will ask. A great way to do this is to study past interviews.
• Create a list of questions you want to be asked in order to touch on the important topics; provide the list to the media outlet.
• If your agency will be in print, provide professional pictures and /or headshots.
• If you agency will be on TV, shoot a hi-res B-roll and provide it.

Remember to be yourself. Find your agency's voice.

[clickToTweet tweet="Fifty-percent of a great PR opportunity is getting the press. The other 50% is leveraging the media exposure." quote="Fifty-percent of a great PR opportunity is getting the press. The other 50% is leveraging the media exposure."]

Always have a call to action with media coverage. Make sure the viewers can find your agency or your client.

For Emily's free entrepreneur's publicity guide, click here.

Ready to Discover the Best Agency Strategies Working Today? [Invitation-Only Group for Digital Agency Owners]

Most agency owners struggle to scale. We've developed a process that will guide you through the journey of implementing the right systems so you can scale your agency — instead of feeling overwhelmed by it.

We do this by bringing together agency thought leaders to share strategies, offer advice, and reveal what's working (and what's not working) in their agency. The truth is, whatever you want to accomplish in life, nothing will help you go further, faster than getting the right advisor in the context of motivated peers. If you want to GROW fast and smart, here's how Agency University™ Mastermind will HELP. Request your personal invite here.

You know video marketing is where it's at right now, but are you struggling to get started? Do you want to generate leads using video but not sure how to get the right viewers? Wondering how to grow a YouTube channel and leverage it for your new business pipeline? It's time to learn how to utilize YouTube to grow new relationships, make connections, and build your authority.

In this episode, we'll cover:

• #1 thing to grow your YouTube Channel.
• How to leverage YouTube as a search engine.
• How is YouTube ranking videos?
• 3 steps to a successful video.

Today I chatted with Sean Cannell, YouTuber at Think Media and Video Influencers, international speaker and coach. Sean spends his time helping entrepreneurs build their influence through online video. Today he is providing us with insight and tips on building a YouTube channel and generating leads with video.

#1 Thing To Grow Your YouTube Channel

Clarity - your agency needs to know:

• Where your agency wants to go.
• Who your agency is, in the marketplace.
• Who your agency wants to reach.

To find this clarity, answer these 2 questions before posting videos:

1- Who is your target audience?

• Remember, broader is not better
• The riches are in the niches (yes, really!).

2- What is your value proposition to the target audience?

• What consistent value are you going to deliver?
  • Articulated messages to get viewers to think: "Wow, this is exactly what I am looking for!"
• How often will your agency deliver content?
  • Start out with at least a weekly video, then increase from there.

How To Leverage YouTube As A Search Engine

YouTube is less crowded than Google, as a search engine, so there is a lot of white space and opportunity.

Just like with Google, the search bar in YouTube will predict phrases, based on common searches. So position your agency videos on the other side of people's questions. This will set your agency up to get "views while you snooze."

How do you do this? It's simple:

Take the top 20-30 FAQ's your agency gets and make a video answering each question. Position the videos to leverage search by embedding them in your agency blog or linking to your agency website. Create a library within YouTube, for easy linking access. By pushing people to YouTube, this encourages 'likes' and subscribers.

Video content is powerful. It builds the important Know, Like, and Trust Factor. And Sean says it is 53% more likely to rank on the first page of Google (than written content is). Video is most people's preferred content format, which leads to a higher level of engagement and can help grow your agency!

How is YouTube Ranking Videos?

Minutes Matter Most!

Originally YouTube would track views as a success metric. But, as click-bait started popping up, YouTube started to see the benefit of measuring minutes. YouTube learned that just because viewers where clicking on a video, it didn't mean that they were actually viewing the content. Impressions don't necessarily mean impact. However, a minute of someone's time, is a big deal. So, when you go into the metrics on your agency's YouTube channel, you will see analytics of minutes, views, and subscribers.

YouTube values these metrics because, first and foremost, it is a business and makes money from advertising. So, they reward people and businesses that create lengthy content that get viewers to linger longer on their platform.

3 Steps To A Successful Video

Step 1- The beginning. There are 3 parts to the beginning and should all work in unison.

1. Title - this is what gets viewers to stop scrolling. Keep it straightforward. Having numbers is powerful, so consider things like: 5 Tips, 3 Reasons, etc.
2. Thumbnail - this is what gets viewers to click on your video. The biggest mistake Sean sees is thumbnails with too much text.
3. Hook - this is what gets viewers to stay and watch. The first couple minutes of your video should make them want to keep watching. Another great tactic is to include a teaser for a "bonus tip" at the end, to ensure longevity.

Remember: online interaction is linear and progressive.

Step 2 - the middle. Videos should be as long as they need to be, but as short as possible.

Data has shown that the ideal video length is between 7-16 minutes. A video within this length performs 50% better than videos shorter or longer. But remember, minutes matter, so you want to get viewers to watch to the end. (That's where those "bonus" teasers become helpful.)

If your agency wants to use "i" cards, you will not be penalized if you link away. On the other hand, YouTube will note the end of the viewing session. So be sure this use is intentional and strategic. Don't link away in every video.

If viewers watch your videos to the end and increase the amount of minutes in your channel's metrics, YouTube will help grow your channel by suggesting it more often.

YouTube analyzes the ultimate impact of what your agency's channel is putting out, but also understands that some viewing is programmatic (like with a TV network). It will not penalize if one "show" performs better than another.

YouTube also rewards for an additional metric. This one is hard to achieve, but...

When you get over 50% of your audience watching to the end of your videos (the "end" is considered to be anything >80%), YouTube will provide an algorithmic advantage to your channel.

Step 3 - the end. Every video should include a call-to-action that keeps the viewer engaged.

There are 2 ways you can approach your CTA.

1. Create a call-to-action, such as a lead magnet, that takes the viewer off platform but grows your agency email list.
2. Utilize YouTube's free end cards to create clickable buttons that link to other relevant videos. Hint: Create 2 clickable buttons... the first birst button links the viewer to a relevant video of your choice and the second button uses a back-end feature that lets YouTube decide what video the viewer should watch next based on viewing habits and relevancy.

To learn more strategies, check out Sean's Tube Influence masterclass replay.

Related: https://jasonswenk.com/video-marketing/

Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster?

Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster? Are you overwhelmed by all the information out there on various ways to grow your agency? Do you want direction on how you can grow your agency faster and easier?

Then you're in luck! I've created an innovative agency owner mastermind called Agency University.

Agency University is a program which provides 1-on-1 mentorship, coupled with the ongoing group support that is crucial to the success of your agency. Click here to see if it's the right fit for you!

Are you ready for GDPR? Wondering how it will affect your agency and/or your clients? Even if you're not in Europe, you are required to be in compliance with these new data privacy regulations. In this episode, learn what you need to do to protect your agency and stay in compliance with GDPR.

In this episode, we'll cover:

• What is GDPR?
• What does GDPR mean for agencies?
• 3 Steps to GDPR compliance.
• What happens if your agency is non-compliant?

I'm super excited to talk to today's guest, Suzanne Dibble the small business law expert based in The UK. She's got 20+ years experience and has worked some big time entrepreneurs, like Richard Branson. She has been living, breathing, and consuming everything related to GDPR and how it affect small businesses for the past 3 months. Suzanne is on the show today to explain the ins and outs of GDPR so you can keep your agency in compliance and continue to generate leads despite stricter guidelines.

What is GDPR?

The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a set of rules imposed by the European Union (EU) who seek to create a harmonized data protection law framework across the EU and aims to give back to data subjects, control of their personal data. GDPR imposes strict rules on businesses hosting and processing this type of data, anywhere in the world.

Suzanne says GDPR comes from a place of good intention, and isn't just a new set of regulations to make our lives miserable. The good news is that there's just a few steps to take that will keep you compliant by May 25, 2018. And the really good news is that there's no enforcement agency waiting to haul you off to prison for non-compliance. :)

What Does GDPR Mean for Agencies?

Basically, this will affect your lead magnets and automated marketing campaign sequences. It's all about transparency. Under these regulations, when people opt-in for something (like a lead magnet) that's the only thing you can send them. If you want to continue to use their email address for marketing purposes, this will require additional consent.

3 Steps to GDPR Compliance

Compliance does not have to be an overwhelming process. Suzanne top lined the three steps we can take to make sure we stay compliant:

1. Decide whether GDPR is relevant to your agency.

It affects businesses who either (A.) process data of people in the EU with the intent to offer goods or services, and (B.) businesses monitoring the behaviors of those in the EU. If you've answered yes to either of these criteria, then you need to send a re-consent email to your lists to those recipients in the EU.

2. Determine if you have lawful grounds of processing data.

There are 6 criteria that fall under the definition of being lawful under GDPR, though most small businesses will fall under one of the first four.

1. Consent. The real issue is obtaining re-consent after May 25. With that, you have lawful grounds.
2. Contractual agreement. If you're already under contract with a client, you're all set and new consent is not required.
3. Compliance with the law. Record keeping or maintaining data on clients, employees, and contractors is consensual and therefore no new consent is required.
4. Legitimate interest. Many of us will fall into this category, where you're marketing to someone with legitimate interest in your service you can lawfully process their data with consent to do so.
5. Vital interest.
6. Public interest.

3. Write a new privacy policy and a cookies notice.

Under GDPR you must be completely transparent about what you data you're holding and why. Additionally, you must rationalize what you're doing with any data, where it comes from, where you're transferring it to, etc. GDPR has 13 points that must be addressed in your privacy policy so be sure you're fully covered.

Cookies are considered an extension of personal data. Therefore, businesses are also required to be transparent with their use and handling of cookie data with a cookies policy.

What Happens If You're Non-Compliant?

As Suzanne explained, there's no governing agency that's enforcing these regulations or hunting down offenders. Basically, it just all comes down to a risk analysis.

The real risks are to your brand reputation. Breaking compliance may upset people who are knowledgable on the subject. They may choose to take direct action and make a legal claim. And even if they don't take action, you risk losing their trust and respect.

There are over 250 pages to the Articles and Recitals of GDPR. If you are unsure whether this relates to you, or you'd like to dig in deeper you can learn more in Suzanne's exclusive GDPR for Online Entrepreneurs Facebook group. She also has a ton of information on her website here: SuzanneDibble.com/GDPR

Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster?

Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster? Are you overwhelmed by all the information out there on various ways to grow your agency? Do you want direction on how you can grow your agency faster and easier?

Then you're in luck! I've created an innovative agency owner mastermind called Agency University.

Agency University is a program which provides 1-on-1 mentorship, coupled with the ongoing group support that is crucial to the success of your agency. Click here to see if it's the right fit for you!

When you think of Artificial Intelligence, do you think of sci-fi movies? Do you wonder or worry if AI can take over some of the data driven work your agency does for it's client? Don't let Artificial Intelligence scare you! AI can be your competitive advantage when you learn how it really works and what it can do for your agency growth.

In this episode, we'll cover:

• What exactly is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
• The two types of AI.
• How your agency can embrace AI and use it to grow.

Today I got to talk with Paul Roetzer, author, CEO and founder of the inbound marketing agency, PR20/20. He is also founder of the Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute. Paul got his start in PR, but started questioning the agency model, specifically billable hours. His goal was to figure out ways to achieve economics of scale and profitability, so he set up shop with PR20/20 and created standardized services with set prices. Paul's interest in AI first piqued when he watched the Jeopardy episode featuring IBM's Watson supercomputer which beat out the humans. He has been researching and writing about AI, ever since.

What Exactly is Artificial Intelligence?

It's easy to go to images of science fiction movies and Will Smith, when thinking of Artificial Intelligence (AI), but that's not accurate. AI is the science of teaching machines to be smart.

It's more like when Netflix suggests another show or movie for you to watch after learning what other shows/movies you like. The machine's abilities revolve around very narrow tasks that are data driven, such as what time to send an e-mail, what content to write about, A/B testing of landing pages and predicting conversions, to name a few. They excel at things that are hard or time consuming for humans to do.

When used within data driven areas, AI helps your agency make better decisions.

[clickToTweet tweet="'80% of what we do as an agency will be intelligently automated within five years.' Says @paulroetzer, found of Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute" quote="80% of what we do as an agency will be intelligently automated within five years. ~ Paul Roetzer, found of Marketing Artificial Intelligence Institute"]

The Two Types Of AI

1. Machine Learning - This is the AI that we are talking about. This is where your agency uses machines to solve data driven problems with superhuman skill.
2. Deep Learning - This is the AI that falls in the sci-fi realm. This involves getting machines to think like a human brain works, by processing through neurons. Facebook has a hand in this type of AI with the facial recognition feature they're developing.

How Your Agency Can Embrace AI

Don't let it overwhelm you, AI is happening.

It's time that your agency starts learning and understanding he capabilities of AI. Then look for ways you can apply it to your business and use it to grow.

For example, Paul says you can utilize AI when automating e-mails. If your agency wants to send emails at a certain time, does it take into account different time zones or the receiver's opening habits? AI can make adjustments to automated sending habits, based on predicative information. As the data comes in from the email blasts, the AI tool gets smarter on it's own and will make the necessary adjustments, based on it's learning. If your receiver usually opens emails at local time of 9AM, there's no sense in sending the email at 3AM, right?

Another great application to use AI for your agency growth is with chatbots. You can let chatbot AI engage with your prospects until a human can take over.

AI is currently all around us, it is present in much of the technology we use every day.

So be aware. Don't define your agency on one little thing. Now that you can see this coming, it's time to pivot, use AI to support and build upon the systems your agency already has so you can grow easier and faster.

Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster?

Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster? Are you overwhelmed by all the information out there on various ways to grow your agency? Do you want direction on how you can grow your agency faster and easier?

Then you're in luck! I've created an innovative agency owner mastermind called Agency University.

Agency University is a program which provides 1-on-1 mentorship, coupled with the ongoing group support that is crucial to the success of your agency. Click here to see if it's the right fit for you!

Are you looking to become the authority in your agency's niche? Writing a book can have a tremendous affect on your business by helping you build authority. You can also use your book to start conversations with potential clients and generate new agency business. Check out this simple strategy that is getting one digital agency owner some amazing results.

In this episode, we'll cover:

• Who has time to write a book?
• 3 easy steps to writing a book.
• 4 tips for using your book to generate new business.

I had the opportunity to chat with Marty McDonald, co-founder and CEO of the full-service social media marketing agency, Bad Rhino. Marty has also authored the book, Great Beer Is NOT Enough. With over 12 years industry experience Marty found his agency's niche at a speaking engagement, where he realized the craft beer industry was underserved in the marketing arena. After building relationships (and a craft beer brand himself which he used as a testing ground), Marty found that he had acquired a ton of information. He decided to use this information to build authority within the niche by simply writing a book. On today's show he shares how he tackled this seemingly daunting task and how he uses it for lead generation, and relationship building. (P.S. It's not as daunting as you might think!)

Who Has Time To Write A Book?

The quick answer is, you do. (Yes, you!)

Does your agency already produce e-books, and you think that's good enough? It's not.

Using an e-book as a lead magnet is crap. No one digests them and they are easily overlooked or avoided. BUT an actual book, that a potential client can hold in their hands, that is something. It brings with it a sense of credibility and authority that no e-book can give you or your agency.

3 Easy Steps to Writing A Book

The process can be broken down in a few easy steps:

1. The longest part of the process comes in the front end, answering lots of questions in order to acquire enough content. Marty did his on audio, that he broke up into two hour chunks.
2. If writing isn't your thing, then get yourself a ghostwriter. Determine what size of book you are looking to create and hand over the audio with an outline to your writer.
3. Edit the ghostwriter's copy making sure it matches your style and voice after each chapter, until your book is complete.

4 Tips for Using Your Book To Generate New Business

1. Know your niche. When you find potential clients, send them a copy of your book. Do your mailings in short, little bursts.
2. Do your research. Learn about the company your agency is going after and let them know you did your homework. Marty will place his business card in the chapter where he wants the potential client to start reading. The chapter he selects is based on the information he gathers beforehand.
3. Build relationships. Use your book to start a conversation and be sure to add a personal touch. Marty includes a Bad Rhino branded thank you card in the book, with a hand written note. He also very rarely sends a book out if he isn't familiar with the targeted prospect.
4. Be reachable. Consider including your cell phone number on your business cards, if you don't already, so book recipients can shoot you a text, if they are more comfortable. (Because even a text message can open up a conversation - and that's all you need :) )

These three easy tips has netted Marty with an approx. 70% response rate!

Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster?

Are you overwhelmed by all the information out there on various ways to grow your agency? Do you want direction on how you can grow your agency faster and easier?

Then you're in luck! I created an innovative mentorship called Agency University.

Agency University is a program which provides the 1-on-1 mentorship and ongoing support that is crucial to the success of your agency. Click here to see if it's the right fit for you.

Wondering how you can use Instagram to generate awareness and build your agency's brand? Look, not all social media platforms are the same, so don't treat them all the same. Are you struggling to build a following and find Instagram success for your agency brand? Then it's probably because you're committing some of the biggest Instagram mistakes. In this episode, learn some tips and tricks on how to utilize Instagram to build a culture and drive new business for your agency.

In this episode, we'll cover:

• The #1 mistake agencies make with social media.
• 2 Strategies for Finding Success on Instagram.
• Rules for using direct message on Instagram.
• What to post and share for Instagram success.

Today I chatted with Sue B. Zimmerman, entrepreneur and Instagram expert who consults others on upping their Instagram game. With 18 businesses under her belt and having taught social media, Sue has unlocked and embraced the power of Instagram for your marketing agency. Today she shares with us how your agency can have success in order to start building a culture that cultivates relationships, with both prospective clients and potential employees.

The #1 Mistake Agencies Make With Social Media

Every platform is NOT the same and should not be treated as such. Your agency should be choosing platforms that serve your audience and which you enjoy engaging in.

Social media, as a tool, should not be a "post and dash," scenario. For success with social platforms, your agency must hang out, show up and engage.

Automating posts might seem efficient, but it can be your biggest downfall. Interactions need to be personal in order to start building relationships.

2 Strategies for Finding Success On Instagram

The magic of Instagram are the micro-communities that exist within. When you invest the time to seek out these micro-communities you'll find more and better opportunities to engage.

1- Search Hashtags

Use the explore tab (magnifying glass icon) and type in a word or phrase of relevance for your prospective clients.

Tap on 'People' to see who is using that word and view the profiles of people your agency or client would want to do business with. Check out their posting habits and what hashtags are they using. Find out what they want, not what your agency thinks they want!

2- Follow Hashtags

When you find hashtags that resonate, you should be following them so they show up in your agency newsfeed. Tap on the hashtag and then hit 'Follow.' Event or conference hashtags are important because it opens a door to connecting ahead of time. You can then use Instagram's direct message to make personal connections prior to an event.

Rules for Using Direct Message On Instagram

Direct message used to have a bad reputation with people thinking it was spammy, but not anymore. Instagram direct message is an intimate way to connect to people. But, it shouldn't be the first place you go.

First, engage. Tap 'Photos' and then like photos and comment on photos. Be sure that your agency is interacting with relevant content you enjoy. Start the conversation in the feed. Then, if you've earned trust and can provide something of value, then engage via direct message. Direct message is where you can get personal by sharing links or sending a video. Add a personal message and, most important, no automated messages!

There are two ways your agency can share a video via direct message:

1. On the Left - Record a video message using the camera icon, from 8 seconds up to 1 minute. This video can be viewed once or twice and then it goes away
2. On the Right- Upload a video using the picture icon, from a camera roll. The person receiving the video can then download the video to their camera roll.

What To Post and Share For Instagram Success

If your agency has built a solid reputation on another platform and is an authority or thought leader, then you have more freedom on what you can share. There still needs to be consistency and the content should align with your core values. The benefit is your agency can reference the account, and what to expect from the content, from the other platforms, where you have credibility.

If your agency wants to have Instagram success and doesn't have another platform where you're crushing it, then you will need to start with a more polished look and feel. Build the account around content that showcases your agency and it's point of differentiation. Think of buckets and put what people say about your agency into separate buckets, like: customer service, your processes, and even your culture or humor. Then show all of this on Instagram so followers can get a taste of who you are and what you do.

Remember, the photos don't have to be a literal match to the description. Get creative. The images you share need to capture attention and be relevant to the description. And don't forget about the description, if relevant, it can be treated as a micro-blog.

Use the hashtag search function for agencies, and check out what other businesses are doing, get inspiration. Figure out what is and isn't working or what your agency likes or doesn't like. The search function is a great place to do market research. Remember, there is SEO on Instagram, in your bio, so be sure you are using "agency" in your name. Your agency can use its Instagram account to build a culture.

If your agency has a physical location, this is an advantage. Be sure you're using geotags in your stories and Instagram posts. Use geolocations can score up to 72% more engagement... and social media success is all about engagement.

Speaking of engagement, hit me on on Instagram @jswenk

Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster?

Are you overwhelmed by all the information out there on various ways to grow your agency? Do you want direction on how you can grow your agency faster and easier?

Then you're in luck! I've created an innovative agency owner mastermind called Agency University.

Agency University is a program which provides 1-on-1 mentorship, coupled with the ongoing group support that is crucial to the success of your agency. Click here to see if it's the right fit for you!

Wondering how you can use LinkedIn to generate new business? Are you sending out generic connection requests that lead with a pitch? Disappointed that you're not getting the results you expected? LinkedIn can be an amazing platform for capturing the attention of your ideal clients if you do it right. Here's what your agency is probably doing wrong and the three simple steps to turn-it around right away.

In this episode, we'll cover:

• 3 step strategy to LinkedIn success.
• One simple lead generation hack for gaining new prospects.

Today I chatted with Dennis Brown founder of Ask Dennis Brown, a LinkedIn marketing and social selling agency. As a serial entrepreneur, Dennis was admittedly a social media naysayer. While starting his third company he decided to try out LinkedIn and with some persistence, he landed a 6-figure client and became a believer. Today he shares his simple and successful strategy for LinkedIn that you can implement for marketing agency immediately.

3 Step Strategy To LinkedIn Success

The most important thing with any social media strategy is to have a system and be consistent with it. Dennis's strategy is simple: The 3 C's: Create, Connect and Convert.

1- CREATE

First create a profile or customer avatar for the perfect prospect. Then, create a compelling LinkedIn profile. Don't treat this like a resume, instead this should be built like a personal or agency branding page. Follow these 5 steps for creating your agency's LinkedIn profile.

2- CONNECT

Use your agency's customer avatar to find new clients and then use the advanced search options in LinkedIn. Research, research, research. Compile sales intelligence, such as personal information, what are their ping points, where do they get their information? Use this sales intelligence to create a customized connection request and make it personal. The key here, is in customizing this connection request, which can double or triple the response rate vs. a blind, automated connection request.

3- CONVERT

Do not think of this as converting to a sale but instead convert them into a fan. Get the prospective clients to engage with you, either through content your agency is publishing or through LinkedIn messenger. Put together hyper-focused content and remember, this is not a sales pitch. Your agency wants to create content relative to the prospect, or directly related to that market, so use language the client speaks, and provide information they care about. Think of it in the lines of a drip sequence, without the automation. Lastly, provide value and offer to connect your prospect with someone of value to them and their business. Leverage your agency's network, while ultimately giving value to both parties.

Remember: It's not about you, it's about them.

One Simple Lead Gen Hack For Gaining New Prospects

Do you find when you ask for referrals they don't usually pan out? This can be for one of two reason. Either the client is uncomfortable because you put them on the spot. Or, they are not ready to start referring your agency because you haven't proved yourself yet. That's OK because referrals are not scalable! But, if you have a premium LinkedIn account try this simple lead generation hack.

With a premium account:

Take a look at your clients LinkedIn connections and see who they know, that you wish you knew :) Search for decision makers of other brands, based on what your agency is looking for and who you hope to work with.

Next, create a list of prospects you're interested in and share the list with your client. Then, ask for an intro/referral. By doing the work for them and bringing them specifics it increases your chances of your client passing along the referral or helping make the connection.

Mine for the connections --> Create relevance --> Ask for the introduction

Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster?

Are you overwhelmed by all the information out there on various ways to grow your agency? Do you want direction on how you can grow your agency faster and easier?

Then you're in luck! I created an innovative mentorship called Agency University.

Agency University is a program which provides the 1-on-1 mentorship and ongoing support that is crucial to the success of your agency. Click here to see if it's the right fit for you.

Are you avoiding third party apps for social media posting? Do you want a better, faster, and easier way to schedule your social media marketing? Do you feel automated social post scheduling negatively affects your reach? Then it's time to hear some surprising and encouraging results from the guy who knows all the ins and outs. Don't stop scheduling, reposting, and automating until you hear all about it.

In today's episode, we'll cover:

• Should your agency repost your content marketing?
• 3 tests on the big 3: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
• Does automating your posts hurt your agency's reach?

Today I chatted with Emeric Ernoult, Co-founder and CEO of Agorapulse, an international social media management software company, serving over 3500 clients around the world. With over 17 years experience working within communities and social media, as well as SAAS, Emeric brings interesting data and insight into how we should be managing our agency's and/or clients social media accounts.

Should Your Agency Repost Your Content Marketing?

That is the question, and you're going to hear arguments on both sides of the discussion. Some say reposting content makes sense and keeps a more recent engagement. Some say it is totally worthless and not the point of social media. So what's the right answer? There isn't one.

But, that doesn't mean there aren't tests that can be done and data to be had, so that's what Emeric and his team at Agorapulse did, they tested.

3 Tests On The Big 3 Social Media Platforms Facebook

Test: Repeat a specific piece of content, 7 times across a 6-7 week period.

Findings: The level of engagement on the posts in weeks 6 and 7, were the same as the posts in weeks 1, 2 and 3.

Twitter

Test: Analyze 3 months worth of data on a Twitter user, who has an extensive schedule of tweeting every 15 minutes and repeating those tweets, every 4 days.

Findings: The average number of impressions, the average number for engagement and the average amount of link links were very steady, so much so, that if you look at the data over the span of a year, there was no decrease and the variations being minimal.

LinkedIn

Test: Take an insightful post, written by Emeric, and repeat the content at the exact same time every 5 days.

Findings: The amount of engagement was small at first, but over the course of weeks, the numbers for engagement would spike. The post could go from 139 clicks on day 2, to 1995 clicks on day 5. This just reinforced that you never know when someone will bump into your agency's post on LinkedIn.

Do Third Party Posting Applications Hurt Your Agency's Reach?

After getting feedback from a group of social media managers, and having 80% of them confirm their fears of utilizing third party vendors for posting, it was time to run another test:

Emeric decided to run a test through the Social Media Lab by Agorapulse, with the end result being that a third party management application does NOT affect reach. You can read about his findings here and here.

Knowing that kind of information definitely helps put a mind at ease and allows you to start exploring a third party application, like Agorapulse, to help simplify your social media posting needs and so much more.

Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster?

Are you overwhelmed by all the information out there on various ways to grow your agency? Do you want direction on how you can grow your agency faster and easier?

Then you're in luck! I created an innovative mentorship called Agency University.

Agency University is a program which provides the 1-on-1 mentorship and ongoing support that is crucial to the success of your agency. Click here to see if it's the right fit for you.

Wondering how you can use Instagram to drum up new business? Want to break through social media clutter and build your agency's brand and authority? Then it's not too late to get on the Instagram train. This is one simple, easy inbound marketing strategy you can start implementing right now to build your community and fill your new business pipeline.

In this episode, we'll cover:

• One easy approach to niching down.
• Can Instagram work for marketing agencies?
• A simple Instagram content formula.

Today I chatted with Steve Larosiliere, founder and president of the non-profit, Stoked, as well as founder and owner of SawmillBusiness.com, a super-niched marketing agency. With an extremely focused industry specialization, Steve has been able to become the authority in the portable sawmill, wood and lumber industry. He has an easy tactic to find the niche for his agency and a simple Instagram strategy to build a community that comes to him for their marketing needs. Steve shares tips with us on building authority, community and brand through Instagram.

One Easy Approach to Niching Down

We've discussed niches before and we'll probably discuss this again. Does your agency have a niche? Do you know why you need one? Is your agency holding out, because you just don't know where to start?

Steve has an easy approach:

• Think about an industry that is important to you or your family/friends - something you can relate to.
  • Pick a niche that people are fanatically obsessed with.
  • Encourage great user-generated content.
• Start calling people, lots of people, in that industry, CEO's, marketing directors, etc
• Gather information about the #1 problem they are facing.
• Build your agency's business around solving that problem.
• Stay super focused on the industry - learn their special nuances, terms of the trade, etc.

Think of your agency as the media outlet for this specific field. Make it your agency's business to promote, celebrate and highlight that industry.

Can Instagram Work for Marketing Agencies?

YES! Building a brand takes a lot of work. Be patient.

Your agency can build a lot of authority on Instagram. Combine different mediums and cross-promote, such as use posts Instagram to support your podcast. Use that to filter down into the niche and supplement with back channel conversations, either through direct message in order to find out how you can help people. Use DM to build relationships and trust.

Share the best work, the most beautiful things. Repost and use the hashtags your audience is using so they can find you. This will help build a community and a brand.

3 Simple Steps to Growing Instagram Followers

1. To encourage growth, connect with influencers in the niche. Go to a certain set of hashtags and start engaging with the top followed.
2. Put out goodwill content first and foremost. Engage, converse, share/repost.
3. Occasionally drive traffic to a landing page. Grow your lists with a lead magnet to capture the leads you're generating. Put out an offer that solves a problem. A low-ticket foot in the door offer works best.

Remember, with Instagram you're creating a story to share. Create memories. Highlight the things that mean something.

Be where your agency's clients are. Put out good stuff. Be innovative. Don't compare your agency to what others are doing. Instead build upon what you think is right and create your own path to success.

Check out Steve's on Instagram at @stevelaros

Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster?

Are you overwhelmed by all the information out there on various ways to grow your agency? Do you want direction on how you can grow your agency faster and easier?

Then you're in luck! I created an innovative mentorship called Agency University.

Agency University is a program which provides the 1-on-1 mentorship and ongoing support that is crucial to the success of your agency. Click here to see if it's the right fit for you.

Ready for your agency sales to takeoff? Want to drive traffic, generate leads, and create new opportunities that will grow and scale your agency? Digital marketing agency guru Neil Patel shares his #1 outbound strategy for scoring the clients you want to work with.

In this episode, we'll cover:

• 3 Steps to growing new agency business.
• One big growth challenge and advice to overcome it.

Neil Patel is a serial entrepreneur focused on helping businesses grow through digital marketing. He is well-known in the digital marketing space as an author, speaker, and agency co-founder at Neil Patel. I'm honored to have him as a guest on the show so he can share his experience as a startup agency owner. Today Neil shares some really valuable tips on getting scrappy so you can scale your agency.

Beginning as a self-taught marketer at the age of 16, Neil has become one of the best digital marketing. Like many of us, he's an accidental agency owner who knew how to do something cool that people are willing to pay for, and turned it into a business. In Neil's case, he "something cool" is SEO.

3 Steps to Grow New Agency Business #1- Make your hit list.

Make a list of your ideal clients and be specific with who you want to work with. Who can you help that is within your niche and area of expertise? Then use a source like Crunchbase to find out the CEO, investors and decision-makers.

#2 - Do targeted research.

Use industry resources to know what they're spending on the services you provide. Neil suggested tools such as: Google keyword planner, SEMrush, and his own UberSuggest to research spend amounts.

#3 - Reach out.

Once you've done the research on your prospect, then make contact. Neil says it's important not to sell services, but instead sell a solution. To do this, explain what they're doing wrong, what could be done better and how you would fix it. I know it's hard, but go old school and PICK. UP. THE. PHONE. Cold calling as an outbound strategy can be a total game changer.

Advice for Digital Agency Owners

"It's not easy to grow an agency. If you're willing to do the grind, great. If not, you're not going to do well." ~ Neil Patel

It's all about the hard work and the hustle. I always tell agency owners that if you're building an agency just to create a job for yourself, you'll struggle the entire time. You've got to be passionate about the agency space, the niche you're in and the clients you're helping. That's the only way you'll succeed and thrive.

Neil says his biggest challenge in the beginning was knowing how to scale with a team. He felt the entire hiring and training process was completely trial and error. In hindsight he would advise his old self to hire people who know how to fill their role instead of training up.

Need Guidance and Support to Grow Your Agency 3X Faster?

Are you overwhelmed by all the information out there on various ways to grow your agency? Do you want direction on how you can grow your agency faster and easier?

Then you're in luck! I created an innovative mentorship called Agency University.

Agency University is a program which provides the 1-on-1 mentorship and ongoing support that is crucial to the success of your agency. Click here to see if it's the right fit for you.