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

How to Be So Successful You Can Afford to Turn Clients Away

Ever wonder what it would feel like to turn down work? That’s exactly what my client, Matthew Arndt, CEO of Turbo Medical Marketing is able to do with his business. In this episode of The Smart Agency Master Class, Matt shares exactly what he has done to get to his agency to that point.

3 Ways to Accelerate Your Business Right Now…

1. Be Super Specific:  It Will Draw In the Right Clients

Turbo Medical Marketing is a digital agency specializing in medical aesthetics (ie. cash pay medicine such a: plastic surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology, medical spas and their related industry partners who work with the same practitioners). Wow. Super specific, right?

Matt says he’s seen huge benefit from really laser focusing on a very specific market. Because the medical field is so huge, he had to pinpoint a particular audience to gear all his marketing efforts. He understands the challenges and issues they face and knows exactly who/how he can help.  Also, since business today is about belonging, he has become a servant to the medical aesthetics community. Turbo has built a reputation of being the go-to agency with proven results.

2. Be Patient:  Nurturing Your Leads is Key for Growth

A key turning point in Turbo Medical Marketing’s business was the development of an automated email campaign used to warm up leads. They already had a ton of content but getting into the right hands at the right time has made a huge impact on their business.

Don’t be tempted to go in for the kill right away. Nurturing leads is so key to long term relationships and agency growth. It starts conversations and provides the opportunity to understand which of your core offerings are the right fit for a particular client.

3. Be a Partner:  It Triangulates a Win

Partnering with a third-party who has mutual interest can reap huge rewards and score a win for everyone involved. Matt was able to cultivate relationships with medical equipment and non-prescription drug reps who sell high ticket products to his clients in the medical aesthetics field. These reps also have marketing budgets allocated to value added campaigns. That means these reps actually give doctors marketing dollars to spend on promoting the equipment or drug they just purchased. Triple win…. The rep scores a win by giving something back to their customer. It sets up the doctors for a win by bringing in new patients to offset the cost of their investment. And, of course Matt wins by bringing in new agency business… Win – Win – Win.

Ask yourself what kind of partners can help propel your business? What can you do for them? Find mutual benefit and go after it.

Why Even Consider Turning Down Business?

It’s counterintuitive to turn down work, isn’t it? Matt struggled with it for awhile too, but when he took the time to identify what his ideal clients looked like he realized the opportunity cost of taking on the wrong ones was too big to ignore. Sure, the wrong clients will bring in a small amount of revenue and but they’ll also bring a huge amount of headaches. The tradeoff is just not worth it.

As a business owner you’re watching the bills roll in and may even be worried about payroll. It’s tempting to take on a project that isn’t quite the right fit or to work with a borderline bad client just to pay the bills. Before you do it, weigh the costs and long term effects on your business. If a client or project isn’t going to get you where you want to go – just don’t.

Stop ‘Getting Ready to Get Ready’ and Take Action!

Matt credits podcasts as his main source of inspiration for accelerating his agency and clients’ business. He has incorporated podcast listening into his daily routine as a way to learn passively and find new ways to accelerate his agency and/or h...

How to Be So Successful You Can Accelerate Business and Turn Clients Away

Ever wonder what it would feel like to accelerate business to such a level you can turn down work? That's exactly what my client, Matthew Arndt, CEO of Turbo Medical Marketing is able to do with his business. In this episode of The Smart Agency Master Class, Matt shares exactly what he has done to get to his agency to that point.

3 Ways to Accelerate Business Right Now... 1. Be Super Specific: It Will Draw In the Right Clients

Turbo Medical Marketing is a digital agency specializing in medical aesthetics (ie. cash pay medicine such a: plastic surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology, medical spas and their related industry partners who work with the same practitioners). Wow. Super specific, right?

Matt says he's seen huge benefit from really laser focusing on a very specific market. Because the medical field is so huge, he had to pinpoint a particular audience to gear all his marketing efforts. He understands the challenges and issues they face and knows exactly who/how he can help. Also, since business today is about belonging, he has become a servant to the medical aesthetics community. Turbo has built a reputation of being the go-to agency with proven results which has helped to accelerate business.

2. Be Patient: Nurturing Your Leads is Key for Growth

A key turning point in Turbo Medical Marketing's business was the development of an automated email campaign used to warm up leads. They already had a ton of content but getting into the right hands at the right time has made a huge impact on their business.

Don't be tempted to go in for the kill right away. Nurturing leads is so key to long term relationships and agency growth. It starts conversations and provides the opportunity to understand which of your core offerings are the right fit for a particular client.

3. Be a Partner: It Triangulates a Win

Partnering with a third-party who has mutual interest can reap huge rewards and score a win for everyone involved. Matt was able to cultivate relationships with medical equipment and non-prescription drug reps who sell high ticket products to his clients in the medical aesthetics field. These reps also have marketing budgets allocated to value added campaigns. That means these reps actually give doctors marketing dollars to spend on promoting the equipment or drug they just purchased. Triple win…. The rep scores a win by giving something back to their customer. It sets up the doctors for a win by bringing in new patients to offset the cost of their investment. And, of course Matt wins by bringing in new agency business... Win - Win - Win.

Ask yourself what kind of partners can help propel your business? What can you do for them? Find mutual benefit and go after it.

Why Even Consider Turning Down Business?

It's counterintuitive to turn down work, isn't it? Matt struggled with it for awhile too, but when he took the time to identify what his ideal clients looked like he realized the opportunity cost of taking on the wrong ones was too big to ignore. Sure, the wrong clients will bring in a small amount of revenue and but they'll also bring a huge amount of headaches. The tradeoff is just not worth it.

As a business owner you're watching the bills roll in and may even be worried about payroll. It's tempting to take on a project that isn't quite the right fit or to work with a borderline bad client just to pay the bills. Before you do it, weigh the costs and long term effects on your business. If a client or project isn't going to get you where you want to go - just don't.

Stop 'Getting Ready to Get Ready' and Take Action!

Matt credits podcasts as his main source of inspiration for accelerating his agency and clients' business. He has incorporated podcast listening into his daily routine as a way to learn passively and find new ways to accelerate his agency and/or his clients' business. But it's not just the listening that important -- its the implementation. As business owners we have a million little reasons not to take action, but one really BIG reason why we should. Actions lead to transactions.

Check out this approach.... I've created a FREE video on Generating More Leads. It talks about the 5 Systems my clients and I use to generate 25 or more leads every day. I use this strategy as a goodwill offering and as a way to get new conversations started. Check it out here.

Growing Your Digital Agency

I've now shared my advice with you on how you can accelerate business for your digital agency but what other issues are within your agency that needs your attention?

Take a step back, look for weak spots in your business and then think of how you can fix them. No matter what challenge your agency is facing, I can help you get through all of it.

From my experience in the industry, there are many topics I can offer guidance from the different phases of growth you will experience to how you can build authority for your agency.

Growing your agency can be a major struggle for any agency owner and I can show from knowing when it's time to hire a sales manager or expand your sales team, creating a process for performance based pricing which can be the best pricing strategy for your business and learning 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.

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

Grow Your Agency By Rescuing Your Clients from Mobilegeddon

Absolutely! It’s the end of the search world as we know it and a HUGE opportunity for digital agencies. So, heck yeah you can capitalize on it!

Google is officially adding “mobile-friendliness” as a worldwide ranking factor. This is your chance to play the superhero and save your clients from impending doom. Hit up your list, blast social media and create content around it… You can offer site audits which can lead to new conversations about lead generation, conversion rates, lifetime value, etc.

Sounds a bit crazy but today’s guest, Chris Brogan, says not only should you find your niche but also really drill down to a particular person to exert your marketing efforts.

Chris is CEO of Owner Media Group as well as a long time blogger, professional speaker, author and consultant on using media and engagement to build a better marketplace. He’s worked with brands like Coke, Google, Comcast, and Pepsi but he’s also been consulting with smaller businesses as well.

Why Focus on an “Audience of One” When There’s So Many People to Reach?

“We live in a world where even a toilet knows you’ve left and automatically flushes but a person in the same room as you can be so absorbed in their phone they hardly notice you,” says Chris. Be the toilet. Help people feel seen and heard.

To do this, identify a very specific target (don’t worry about reaching everyone and don’t worry about scaring people away). There are commonalities among individuals; find those and market to them in that way. Chris uses the example of Napa Auto Parts and Ace Hardware stores. Sure, they’re in completely different industries but the common trait is that they’re retailers for the Do-It-Yourself-er. The principle is the same for both – buy the parts, install them on your own. Find the similarities while treating them uniquely.

And, to REALLY reach your Audience of One:

DON’T try to be the next “Thought Leader”. Flooding media with streams of content streams – which usually ends up just being links to articles – doesn’t help or serve anyone. Don’t add to the chaos.

DO find a way to inform, entertain and equip your prospective clients for success. Make them the hero in their own story. Give away your ideas and the framework. They will still come to your for implementation and adding value. Think about it – even if they have the recipe most people still prefer sitting down to be served at a restaurant.

DON’T think for a minute that everyone is reading everything you put out there. They aren’t able to watch your every move. (But what a great problem to have if they were!)

DO feel free to recycle your content by finding a different way to present it. If you are providing value and serving your audience, it’s OK to repeat yourself or explain it in a different way to reach different people.

* Business is about belonging. People want to be part of something, so make your business a servant to their community.

* Access is the new aloofness. Be available and reach out personally. People buy from people, not from brands or businesses.

* Connect and serve. Community and engagement go a long way. If you can connect people to each other and provide value for both, your extension of goodwill will gain their loyalty and trust.

In terms of terms of tools, Chris believes we are done with multi-billion user platforms. People are trending toward community-based platforms that serve a purpose in their corner of the world. He feels applications like Bonfire and Whatsapp, the smaller group-based community platforms, are going to the upcoming trend.

Above All, Just Be You

Don’t try to be like the big agencies. Chris and I both agree, the key to a successful business is having great relationships. Be personal, be available and take a genuine interest in your clients and community. The big agencies may have tons of clients but that only means they can afford to tick off a few. When you’re being yourself you’ll attract clients who are like-minded. Working with people you would actually hang out with socially makes for smoother, seamless work.

 

How to Grow Your Agency with a Target Audience of One

Sounds a bit crazy but today's guest, Chris Brogan, says not only should you find your niche but why you should really drill down and create a target audience of a particular person to exert your marketing efforts.

Chris is CEO of Owner Media Group as well as a long-time blogger, professional speaker, author and consultant on using media and engagement to build a better marketplace. He's worked with brands like Coke, Google, Comcast, and Pepsi but he's also been consulting with smaller businesses as well.

Why Focus on an "Audience of One" Target Audience When There are So Many People to Reach?

"We live in a world where even a toilet knows you've left and automatically flushes but a person in the same room as you can be so absorbed in their phone they hardly notice you," says Chris. Be the toilet. Help people feel seen and heard.

To do this, identify a very specific target audience (don't worry about reaching everyone and don't worry about scaring people away). There are commonalities among individuals; find those and market to them in that way. Chris uses the example of Napa Auto Parts and Ace Hardware stores. Sure, they're in completely different industries but the common trait is that they're retailers for the Do-It-Yourself-er. The principle is the same for both - buy the parts, install them on your own. Find the similarities while treating them uniquely.

And, to REALLY reach your Audience of One:

DON'T try to be the next "Thought Leader". Flooding media with streams of content streams - which usually ends up just being links to articles - doesn't help or serve anyone. Don't add to the chaos.

DO find a way to inform, entertain and equip your prospective clients for success. Make them the hero in their own story. Give away your ideas and the framework. They will still come to your for implementation and adding value. Think about it - even if they have the recipe most people still prefer sitting down to be served at a restaurant.

DON'T think for a minute that everyone is reading everything you put out there. They aren't able to watch your every move. (But what a great problem to have if they were!)

DO feel free to recycle your content by finding a different way to present it. If you are providing value and serving your audience, it's OK to repeat yourself or explain it in a different way to reach different people.

[clickToTweet tweet="3 NEW Golden Rules of Business to Know Right Now: " quote="3 NEW Golden Rules of Business to Know Right Now: "]

1. Business is about belonging. People want to be part of something, so make your business a servant to their community.
2. Access is the new aloofness. Be available and reach out personally. People buy from people, not from brands or businesses.
3. Connect and serve. Community and engagement go a long way. If you can connect people to each other and provide value for both, your extension of goodwill will gain their loyalty and trust.

In terms of terms of tools, Chris believes we are done with multi-billion user platforms. People are trending toward community-based platforms that serve a purpose in their corner of the world. He feels applications like Bonfire and Whatsapp, the smaller group-based community platforms, are going to the upcoming trend.

Above All, Just Be You

Don't try to be like the big agencies. Chris and I both agree the key to a successful business is having great relationships. Be personal, be available, and take a genuine interest in your clients and community. The big agencies may have tons of clients but that only means they can afford to tick off a few. When you're being yourself you'll attract clients who are like-minded. Working with people you would actually hang out with socially makes for smoother, seamless work.

Improve Your Agency and Become a Better Agency Owner!

Want extra help in taking your agency to the next level and becoming a better agency owner? You can find lots of tips, tricks, and insights by reading our blogs that cover a wide variety of topics or if videos are more your thing, visit my YouTube channel!

4 Simple Steps to Generating More Leads Immediately

First, if you’re reading these show notes without checking out the video, you’re totally missing out. Take four minutes to check out The Smart Agency Master Class’s NEW digs and our video podcast.

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Leads – we need them and they need us!

* Take a look at Google Analytics and find out which are your best performing blog posts. What content are you putting out there that is getting the most hits?

* Now, knowing what information your leads are seeking via your blog posts, revise your call to action on them… No more “Contact Me Now” crap. That is not a call to action, that is a passive cop out.

* Come up with a worksheet or template people can use to solve the problem or combat the issue that made them read your blog post in the first place. This should be something useful that you send after they opt-in with their email address ~ A.K.A. your lead magnet. Use the lead magnet as your call to action.

* Also, take another look at the headlines you’re using. Add words that will get immediate attention, such as: “How to Do Something COOL and Not Do Stuff That SUCKS.”  Then get specific, like:  “How to Do Something COOL and Not Do Stuff that SUCKS, If You’re a Digital Agency.

Take action like this and your leads will skyrocket right away.

This is just a sneak peek at the advice in my Generate Leads Everyday program. This was once a live event but I’m releasing it now on video. My clients are seeing success by immediately implementing my strategies to generate 25+ leads every single day.

If you want in on the action, head over to GenerateLeadsEveryday.com or click here to check it out.

4 Simple Steps to Generating More Agency Leads Immediately

Ever find yourself churning out content but never seem to bring in more leads? In this episode of Ask Swenk, I show you how you can generate more agency leads without the need for more content from your team.

Leads - we need them and they need us!

1. Take a look at Google Analytics and find out which are your best performing blog posts. What content are you putting out there that is getting the most hits?
2. Now, knowing what information your leads are seeking via your blog posts, revise your call to action on them… No more "Contact Me Now" crap. That is not a call to action, that is a passive cop out.
3. Come up with a worksheet or template people can use to solve the problem or combat the issue that made them read your blog post in the first place. This should be something useful that you send after they opt-in with their email address ~ A.K.A. your lead magnet. Use the lead magnet as your call to action.
4. Also, take another look at the headlines you're using. Add words that will get immediate attention, such as: "How to Do Something COOL and Not Do Stuff That SUCKS." Then get specific, like: "How to Do Something COOL and Not Do Stuff that SUCKS, If You're a Digital Agency.

Take action like this and your leads will skyrocket right away.

This is just a sneak peek at the advice in my Generate Leads Everyday program. This was once a live event but I'm releasing it now on video. My clients are seeing success by immediately implementing my strategies to generate 25+ leads every single day.

If you want in on the action, head over to GenerateLeadsEveryday.com or click here to check it out.

Be the Best Agency Owner

You now know how generating agency leads without increasing your content is possible but what else do you need to do to become the best agency owner? You should take a step back and really look at areas you haven't explored yet as well as struggles you need to focus on to improve your business and then check out how I have all you need to get through these obstacles.

I have advice to share with you from how to implement Facebook in your marketing strategy, ways of building authority to improve your agency or the best way to pitch to big brand clients. If growth is your focus, I've discussed the different phases of growth within your agency and how bad website issues could be holding your business back from reach your potential.

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

If videos are more your thing, did you know I have a Youtube channel?

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 myself and other agency experts.

This is a great question and one I get asked a lot. I get it – retainers are reliable and stable agency income so you wanna score lots of ’em. I have two pieces of advice on this one…

First, think about changing your terminology. Really put thought into your word choices. If, for example, you’re trying to sell clients a “support retainer” they interpret that as “someone to can call when there’s an issue” or a reactive solution to their potential needs. Instead, I called this a “continuous improvement”. Now you’ve put a proactive spin on the wording. Think from the client’s perspective. Think from your own consumer behavior… do you pay for “support”?

Next, STOP trying to sell the retainer first. I know, I know… you’ve got your blog and you’re putting out all this goodwill content so you think you should go in for the kill off the bat. DON’T DO IT.

[ctt title=”As I always say, you’ve got to court before proposing marriage. ” tweet=”You’ve got to court before proposing marriage. http://ctt.ec/CDa0j+ via @jswenk #agencyretainers #agencygrowth” coverup=”CDa0j”]

Start slow. Sell a paid discovery first, where you roadmap the ways in which you’d be able to help this client. Then, convert that into a paid project over a few months. When you’ve knocked that out of the park, then propose a retainer.

Your content established trust and authority. Your proven work on the discovery and project(s) will score the retainer.

Need help generating more leads?

If you want to generate 25+ leads everyday now might be the time for you to try our new Generate Leads Every Day program.

Click Here. It could be just what you’re looking for.

In this podcast, you’ll get a peek into the habits, thoughts and actions of self-made millionaires as I talk with Jaime Tardy whose website, podcast and book all titled Eventual Millionaire have been guiding and inspiring entrepreneurs for years. She shares insights into what makes them tick and how you can position yourself into millionaire status.

What Are Some Common Habits of Millionaires?

After interviewing over 200 millionaires Jaime says there are three common habits among them. Surprisingly, none of them have anything to do with daily routine such as diet or exercise however, she does find that they rarely watch much TV or movies – although, I am definitely the exception to the rule

In this podcast, you'll get a peek into the habits, thoughts, and actions of a self-made millionaire as I talk with Jaime Tardy whose website, podcast and book all titled Eventual Millionaire have been guiding and inspiring entrepreneurs for years. She shares insights into what makes them tick and how you can position yourself into millionaire status.

What Are Some Common Habits of a Millionaire?

After interviewing over 200 millionaires Jaime says there are three common habits among them. Surprisingly, none of them have anything to do with daily routine such as diet or exercise however, she does find that they rarely watch much TV or movies - although, I am definitely the exception to the rule :)

Instead, she has found common themes in their approach to business (and life):

1. No Excuses Approach - To be prosperous you can't let your excuses stand in your way. We all have our reasons not to do something (no money, no time, etc.) but these are solvable. The millionaire gets it done despite their reasons or excuses.
2. Continuous Forward Motion - Successful people aren't afraid to make a move - even if it's the wrong move. A lot of us are afraid to fail and let that hold us back. Some millionaires have had success right away but many fail 3 or 4 times before reaching success.
3. Well, Jaime didn't actually get to divulge the third habit but you can read about it on her site.

Fearing the Tall Poppy Syndrome

It happens. When one person does really well people tend to wind up feeling bad about themselves. The typical reaction is resentment and oftentimes colleagues or peers will attack, criticize, or "cut down" the tall poppy among them. Don't let the fear of the tall poppy syndrome stop you. Succeed anyway.

Jaime believes people with integrity should be the ones with money and influence as they're the ones who can do the most good with it. Jaime finds self-made millionaires are appreciative and humble. The stereotype is that the wealthy are also very greedy. However, the vast majority she talks to are some of the most giving and generous people she knows.

Live the Life You Want

Jaime learned the lesson the hard way with her own career. At a very early age she had a six-figure corporate career, expense account, big house and an expensive car. Sounds awesome! But she hated her job and dreaded Sunday nights because they marked the end of a weekend and start of a new work week. In time she changed all that but admits it can be difficult when you don't have much cushion in your budget. She implores us to have the life we want and then consider money.

"I made one decision in my life based on money. And I swore I would never do it again." ~ Brad Pitt as Billy Beane in Moneyball

Never make decisions based on money alone. I know what you're thinking: "Sure, it's easy to turn down money when you already have it." As an agency owner you have responsibilities and pressures like payroll and other fixed costs. You might be tempted to take on some of the wrong clients just to pay the bills. I strongly caution you against this. Bad clients may pay you but the long-term expense of having them will far exceed the short-term fix they give you in your cash flow.

Bad clients drain your time, your resources, and your energy. No one can run a successful business in that state.

Calculate the Opportunity Cost

Instead of taking on the wrong clients, take time to determine the opportunity cost. I looked at my own opportunity cost in January. By eliminating the wrong clients, I brought in an additional $35,000 in revenue. Here's the breakdown:

With my screening process, I turned down 20 "wrong clients" for a $1,000 program. At a 75% close rate, I could have closed 15 of them and made $15,000. I would have spent one hour with each of those 20, but I utilized those 20 hours differently. By reallocating those 20 hours I worked on a program that made $50,000. The difference in how I spent my time brought in an incremental $35,000!

How Highly Successful People Face Challenges

Demands On Your Time: Many business owners get stuck in the daily operations of the business - dealing with challenges and putting out fires. And, in many cases, the owner is also the salesperson. So if their time is focused on operations, sales tend to suffer. Jaime's advice? Hire a salesperson - or if sales is your passion, hire someone to handle the fires!

Measuring Your Monetary Goals: Most CEO's set business goals but often get too busy working the business to check the numbers and measure against the goals. Jaime advises to set monthly goals and then break them down into daily tasks. For example:

Goal: $500,000 annual revenue = $42,000 monthly revenue. Take $42,000 divided by the average sale = the number of clients you need to close each month. If you know your close rate, you'll even be able to determine the number of prospects needed to get you to your goal. Then, go do it!

Staying Focused: Running a business is hard and there are a lot of demands on your time and energy. To overcome demands that distract you from focusing on your business growth, I tell my clients to make 90-day goals and figure out which tasks will get them there. Then, make a list of tasks that will not get them there and commit to making those the secondary priority. These tasks (like needlessly checking and replying to email) make you feel good in the short term but don't get you anywhere in the long term.

"F.O.C.U.S. means Finish One Commitment Until Success" ~ John Lee Dumas of Entrepreneur On Fire

You're an entrepreneur which means you're inspired and motivated. It's easier said than done, but try to harness your idea overload and FOCUS on one great idea at a time.

It doesn't mean you can't pull the trigger on that great idea you just had… only that you should put it on the back burner until you succeed at what you've already started.

Need help identifying ways to make your MILLIONS?

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. Click here to get my help.

Want More?

If you found this helpful but want to know how to grow your agency the best way and reach that millionaire lifestyle goal, I have all the information you need to get you there.

You can find lots of tips, tricks and insights by reading our blogs that cover a wide variety of topics or if videos are more your thing, visit my videos on my YouTube channel!