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

By Jason SwenkBusiness Entrepreneurship Marketing

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

March 17, 2015 How Do I Overcome the NO MONEY Objection?

5 min
March 10, 2015The Best Lead Generating Agency Website Ever with Zach Johnson | Ep #55
What's the Best Website Homepage for Converting Leads?
Well, today you're in luck because we are going to talk about the best lead generation agency website ever. Their home page converts 60%! The optimum guy in funnel optimization, Zach Johnson - founder of GameChanger Profits, talks with me about his unique approach to converting leads. This is a must-listen episode.

Would you like to have your home page convert 30% or better yet... 60%?
We've all seen those agency websites that brag on their own capabilities and show off an impressive client list. Not GameChangerProfits.com. Their visitors land on a webinar registration page. It's all about giving value and converting a visitor into a lead by attending a webinar. That's it. No bragging, no bells, no whistles.

The coolest thing about this home page... It is a templated webinar registration page from Leadpages. It took them zero design hours, so they could focus on closing all those leads :)

Why A Webinar?
According to Zach, the cost of converting a prospect from a paid Facebook ad is increasingly more expensive, so he uses his ad spending to convert his leads to a webinar where he can control the selling. The results? GameChanger Profits is seeing a 60% conversion rate from warm prospects and 30% from paid traffic. No joke.

As you pick your jaw up off the floor, I'll walk you through a funnel that is working extremely well for an agency:

Offer free, content-based webinar (30-60% conversion rate!)

Pre-webinar warm-up email sequence

Webinar with high-value content

Consultation (some are free / some are paid - this in in test)

Close 90-day commitment

Biggest Funneling Challenge
Zach sees a lot of clients who have an existing funnel and know what is working and what's not. The biggest challenge he sees is that his clients don't know what to do with the pieces that aren't working. Knowing what to fix can be the biggest hurdle. He suggests looking at the big picture utilizing a dashboard tool to pinpoint the weaknesses and guide you toward a fix.
Most Common Funnel Mistake
When it comes to mistakes, the biggest Zach sees is overly aggressive tactics that scare away clients. You may have a great, higher price point product but strong-arming a client to get there is a big turnoff and a major deal killer.
Need Help Generating Leads?
I am getting ready to relaunch my program, Generate Leads Every Day, to the public as a self-course rather than a live program.

The program has been earning my clients 25+ new leads every day.

If you want to start generating leads, you need to check out Generate Leads Every Day.
Want More about How You Can Improve Your Agency and Yourself as an Agency Owner?
You can read our blogs that cover a wide variety of topics or if videos are more your thing, visit my Youtube channel!
27 min
March 10, 2015 The Best Lead Generating Agency Website Ever
Well today you’re in luck, because we are going to talk about the best lead generation agency website ever. Their home page converts 60%! The optimum guy in funnel optimization, Zach Johnson – founder of GameChanger Profits, talks with me about his unique approach in converting leads. This is a must listen episode.
Would you like to have your home page convert 30% or better yet… 60%?
We’ve all seen those agency websites that brag on their own capabilities and show off an impressive client list. Not GameChangerProfits.com. Their visitors land on a webinar registration page. It’s all about giving value and converting a visitor in to a lead by attending a webinar. That’s it. No bragging, no bells, no whistles.
The coolest thing about this home page… It is a templated webinar registration page from Leadpages. It took them zero design hours, so they could focus on closing all those leads
27 min
February 26, 2015 How Hiring the Right Team is Like Buying a New Toy | Ep #54
In this episode, learn how to get over burn out by being intentional with your activities outside of work. Reset and recharge your brain so that you can be more focused. Also, how can you hire the right people that believe in your vision and help your agency grow.
27 min
February 23, 2015 Do You Struggle With DOING? Find Out What is Missing and Get UNSTUCK | AskSwenk | Ep #53
Do You Struggle With DOING? Find Out What is Missing and Get UNSTUCK

If you are having issues getting things done so you can grow your agency it's not about hustling harder.... it's identifying what's missing.

In this AskSwenk episode, learn how you can gain clarity in order to get unstuck and stop being stalled out on just doing so you can start growing.
4 min
February 23, 2015 How to Overcome the NO MONEY or NO BUDGET Objection | AskSwenk | Ep #52
How to Overcome the NO MONEY or NO BUDGET Objection | AskSwenk | Ep #52

I get asked this all the time... many clients or prospects say they want to invest in their marketing but there isn't any money. But think of it this way -- if you needed emergency surgery you wouldn't say "I don't have the money." Instead, you would have the surgery and find the money for it later... because there is a sense of urgency.

You need to create a sense of urgency for those clients. When you identify the problem and a sense of urgency, they'll find the money.
5 min
February 17, 2015 How Can Your Agency Become Focused and Win Your Ideal Clients?
In this segment of The Agency Master Class I’ve got Spencer Gallagher as my guest. He’s talking today about why and how you should select a niche for your agency. In 1999, Spencer created one of the UK’s top digital agencies leading it to a successful acquisition in 2008.
Afraid To Specialize and Turn Off Potential Clients?
You aren’t alone. Most agency owners feel the need to market their services across the board and accept any work thrown at them. They fear the implications of turning down work and worry that having a specialization will result in less consideration by potential clients. They try to model the big guys who seem to be able to do everything.
Truth is, you can’t do it all and your ideal clients will respect you for it.
[ctt title=”If you want to have big brands knocking on your door you need to establish yourself as an authority. You can’t do that if you’re afraid to specialize. ” tweet=”If you want to have big brands knocking on your door, you need to establish yourself as an authority. You can’t do that if you’re afraid to specialize. http://ctt.ec/J3blU+ via @jswenk” coverup=”J3blU”]
In Spencer’s case, he was spending his limited marketing budget casting a wide net. He was pitching many different types of jobs in many different disciplines. (Sound familiar?) Taking a step back, he decided to try a more targeted marketing approach. He directed his attention to sports marketing. Not only did this move give him focus, he became a respected authority in the field and had an edge against the generalists who were pitching the same clients. Declaring a specialization and becoming laser-focused resulted in 300% growth in the first 24 months.
So, How Do You Select A Niche?
You can start by asking yourself: “Who, how, why, and where do I do what I do?” Which one or two of these areas will help you narrow your proposition? Consider a horizontal or vertical niche… choose a service and/or a market area you can dominate. Use marketing intel to be sure it’s an area with growing service needs and be certain it’s something you are passionate about.
There is a Direct Correlation Between Focus and Winning Large Brands
Big brands attract better talent. As you bring in more talent, you can open to new niches and appoint specialized account teams who are experts in the category. This level of service will position your agency as an authority. Once that’s established, your ideal clients will be knocking on your door! And remember, declaring a niche doesn’t mean you have to turn down work – it’s just a marketing focus and positioning statement.
Need Help Identifying Your Focus Area?
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.
24 min
February 16, 2015 How Do I Get Off the Hamster Wheel and GROW MY AGENCY? | AskSwenk | Ep #51
How Do I Get Off the Hamster Wheel and GROW MY AGENCY? | AskSwenk | Ep #51

If you're constantly stuck going around and around the hamster wheel waiting for things to change, you're going about it all wrong. Things aren't going to change but YOUR MINDSET is what needs to change.

Instead of a hamster wheel, you need to think about it like a mountain. Climb the mountain but going into it knowing there are switchbacks and setbacks along the way.

How can you power your agency in order to climb the mountain easier and faster? Who do you need to help you get to the top? Do you know your vision? What does the summit look like?

8 min
February 10, 2015 What’s the Recipe for Building a $3 Million Dollar Agency With NO Employees?
Today’s Agency Master Class guest is Julian Stubbs, Co-Founder and CEO of Up There, Everywhere. He and his partner are the innovators that dreamt up the concept of a global, cloud-based agency and made it a reality.
Wait, There Aren’t Any Employees?
That’s right. Instead of employees, Up There, Everywhere has 160 MEMBERS in 20 countries. Members are freelance contractors who go through a series of interviews and if accepted, sign a confidentiality agreement. They are compensated by project value and have the benefit of flexibility to help balance work and life. The screening process is important because this work style is not for everyone.
Members work remotely and all work is backed up in the cloud. There are no offices, but recently Up There, Everywhere has opened creative space in both New York and Stockholm with a third opening later this year in Amsterdam. This space is available for members to meet with clients as well as for internal collaboration as needed.
[ctt title=”In just a few years they’ve grown to a 3 million dollar agency with NO employees and NO office space.” tweet=”A $3 million agency with NO employees and NO office space. http://ctt.ec/cHawe+ via @jswenk” coverup=”cHawe”]
How Was This Business Model Born?
Walking through Central Park, Julian was inspired by seeing so many professionals working remotely… He thought about his 90 minute round-trip commute to the office everyday and calculated that his commute was taking the equivalent of 2 ½ weeks of his time every year. Together, Julian in Stockholm and his partner in New York created Up There, Everywhere in 2010.
As new business was won and help was required they were faced with the challenges of bringing on new hires, such as: “How can we do more with less?”… “Would the work always be there?”… Their solution was to bring our cloud-based society to the professional world. They started talking to highly qualified professionals and developed a system for collaborating on work anytime, anywhere.
Don’t Clients Balk At This Arrangement?
Not at all. In fact, most clients are extremely receptive to it. Typically, new clients just need to understand how their work is backed up and that it’s accessible to other members if necessary. There’s also a structured account team for each client, so there’s built-in reliability and accountability that clients have come to expect from a more traditional agency. And Julian stresses the importance of the legally binding confidentiality agreement as well. Once clients understand the systems in place, the vast majority are open to this work style.
Take a step back and evaluate your business. Run the numbers to see what’s working and what’s not. Figure out how can you accomplish the same work in a different way. Don’t be afraid to turn things upside down and see where it takes you. If you’re inspired by Julian’s story, check out his books E-Ployment and Wish You Were Here. You can also check Amazon for his new book, Wish You Were Here 2, coming in March 2015.
[ctt title=”What Can You Do To Create Efficiencies In Your Business Model?” tweet=”What Can You Do To Create Efficiencies In Your Business Model? http://ctt.ec/i27sJ+ via @jswenk ” coverup=”i27sJ”]
Want Help Finding New Efficiencies In Your Business Model?
25 min
February 04, 2015 How Can Your Agency Become Focused and Win Your Ideal Clients? with Spencer Gallagher | Ep #50
In this segment of The Agency Master Class, I've got Spencer Gallagher as my guest. He's talking today about why and how you should select a niche for your agency to find your ideal clients. In 1999, Spencer created one of the UK's top digital agencies leading it to a successful acquisition in 2008.

Afraid To Specialize and Turn Off Potential Clients?
You aren't alone. Most agency owners feel the need to market their services across the board and accept any work thrown at them. They fear the implications of turning down work and worry that having a specialization will result in less consideration by potential clients. They try to model the big guys who seem to be able to do everything.

Truth is, you can't do it all and your ideal clients will respect you for it.

In Spencer's case, he was spending his limited marketing budget casting a wide net. He was pitching many different types of jobs in many different disciplines. (Sound familiar?) Taking a step back, he decided to try a more targeted marketing approach. He directed his attention to sports marketing. Not only did this move give him focus, he became a respected authority in the field and had an edge against the generalists who were pitching the same clients. Declaring a specialization and becoming laser-focused resulted in 300% growth in the first 24 months.
So, How Do You Select A Niche?
You can start by asking yourself: "Who, how, why, and where do I do what I do?" Which one or two of these areas will help you narrow your proposition? Consider a horizontal or vertical niche… choose a service and/or a market area you can dominate. Use marketing intel to be sure it's an area with growing service needs and be certain it's something you are passionate about.
There is a Direct Correlation Between Focus and Winning Large Brands
Big brands attract better talent. As you bring in more talent, you can open to new niches and appoint specialized account teams who are experts in the category. This level of service will position your agency as an authority. Once that's established, your ideal clients will be knocking on your door! And remember, declaring a niche doesn't mean you have to turn down work - it's just a marketing focus and positioning statement.
Need Help Identifying Your Focus Area?
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.
What Do You Do When You Have Your Ideal Clients?
Are there other areas of your business you want to improve? By evaluating other areas of weakness within your agency, you can create a better business and improve as an agency owner. And the best thing about it is, I can help you get through all of it.

I can give you support and advice on many topics from what to do when you want to speed up sales processes, ways to increase your business profit margins, or how you can build an authority for your agency.

Growing your agency can be a major struggle for any agency owner and I can show you the different phases of growth you will experience, how placing a process for performance-based pricing can be the best pricing strategy for your business, and the three questions you need to ask yourself to sell more!

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.

Find 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.
24 min

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

From the publisher's feed

Growing an agency is very difficult, and you might feel unclear what to do next in order to grow and scale your agency. The Smart Agency Masterclass is a weekly podcast for agencies that are wanting…