Smart Agency Masterclass With Jason Swenk: Podcast For Digital Marketing Agencies

Does your agency location determine its growth potential? How important is the location of your digital marketing agency? Do location and culture impact the talent you're trying to attract for your team? Can your clients expect better service if you're "local"? In today's episode, we'll cover: Why clients like a local agency. Why culture matters to your agency team. Tips for relocating your agency. The explosion of digital options has clearly changed the world, taking in everything from how you get your news to where you buy your products. However, in spite of all of the changes from digitizing the world, some things remain the same. One of those things is the old adage about location, location, location. I sat down to talk to Kaushal Kakadia, Partner and CTO of Birmingham-based marketing agency, SociallyIn, about the importance of your agency's location, for your clients as well as your team. 3 Reasons Why Clients Like Having a Local Agency SociallyIn started in a small Mississippi town, Kaushal explained.

Are you questioning whether you should choose a niche? Do you know your why and your passion? Have you gotten some great agency advice but rather go with your gut? Sometimes you just have to disregard the advice in front of you and answer to your true purpose in order to succeed. Even if it means ignoring your agency advisor. In this episode, we'll cover: How can an agency survive an owner's personal tragedy? When is ignoring your agency advisor OK to do? Is it time for an agency rebrand? Does your agency have Clark Griswold complex? This week, I had the opportunity to chat with Brantley Payne, Partner/Creative Director at Uncommon a rebranded version of the agency where he started his career in 1999. Over time and a series of life-altering events, Brantley’s role at the agency evolved from art director to copywriter to creative director and eventually owner. He’s on the show to share what he’s learned about finding the agency’s North Star and why he chose to totally ignore his agency advisor’s advice. (Don

Are you worried you can't grow a successful agency without a large team? Are you looking for a way to provide a better, more efficient experience for your clients? When it comes to running an agency, bigger isn't always better. In today's episode, we'll cover: Does agency team size matter? How to grow profits without growing your team. Why project-based agencies shouldn't take retainers. Today I sat down with Jon Paley, owner of The Vault, an ad agency/production company based out of New York City. Jon's agency runs off a fairly small team (10 people), yet manages to bring in 8-figures. He's here to discuss why he chooses to keep a smaller team and how he has used it to his advantage. Does Agency Team Size Matter? When I talk to agency owners, there are usually two metrics they use to measure success — profits and the number of people on their team. There's a common misconception that as you grow, you need to increase the size of your team. But if you've been listening to me for a while, you've probably hea

Do you know what brands want from an agency? What do they look for when deciding to work with an agency? Are you looking for a way to stand out in a world of "me too" agencies? Often, the best way to get noticed is to embrace who you are. In today's episode, we'll cover: The biggest disconnect between brands and agencies. #1 reason brands prefer working with niche agencies. 3 ways your agency can stand out. Today I sat down for an enlightening conversation with Robby Berthume, CEO of Bull & Beard, an agency collective based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Robby works with agencies and brands to help them come together to find the perfect fit. He's here to discuss what brands are looking for in an agency, and what you can do to win brand contracts. The Biggest Disconnect Between Brands and Agencies There's a lot of disconnect between brands and agencies. While the end game is the same, typically, there is a lot of disagreement about how to get there. Robby says, one of the biggest disconnects he sees i

Do you have a plan to protect your agency and team in the event of illness, injury, or death?? What would you do if your partner died? What if you were hurt or sick and unable to work? How much of your agency is dependent upon you for the day-to-day operations? As agency owners, we often think about our exit plan, but it's also important to plan for the unexpected. In today's episode, we'll cover: 2 things to protect your agency from the unexpected. The key to protecting your agency's acquisition. Today I sat down for an interesting chat with Eric Meyers, former CEO of a $40 million digital marketing agency. Back then, Eric found himself trying to navigate a pending merger as well as a transfer of ownership after the sudden death of his agency's founder. He's here to talk about what he learned through the process and what you can do to protect your agency from the unexpected. 2 Things to Protect Your Agency from the Unexpected Take a minute to think about what your agency's future looks like. Where do you w

Have you ever stopped to really think about what is really driving growth? What inspires you to keep doing what you do? Do you know your agency's purpose?  Are you driven by something more than just profit? Research shows businesses with a purpose often fair better than those that don't.  In today's episode, we'll cover: How to determine your agency's purpose.  The value of authenticity.  2 tips to become a trusted partner. Today I talked with Brian Powell, managing partner at Matchfire, a brand design and digital agency. Matchfire focuses on purpose-driven marketing and helping brands embrace who they are. Brian's here today to discuss why all agencies should have a purpose and how your agency can find its own.  How to Determine Your Agency's Purpose Open up a book or turn on the TV and chances are, you'll find something about purpose. There's a growing movement to do everything with intention and create with meaning. From an agency standpoint, having a purpose doesn't just help your clients understand who

Are you looking for an efficient way to attract more leads? Do you want to get to a place where you can pick and choose your clients? Content is a great way to generate leads with your ideal clients. When you generate the right content you will find the perfect prospects seek you out. In today's episode, we'll cover: #1 way to increase organic traffic. How to get over your content creation fears. How to create more content right now. Today I sat down for a really fun chat with Jason Sirotin, co-founder of Brain Bytes Creative, a digital marketing agency. Jason spends a lot of his time creating fun, highly-opinionated content. He's here to discuss the value of content for digital agencies and how you can use content to see results right away. #1 Way to Increase Organic Traffic As agency owners, we all hope to get to a point where we can pick and choose who we work with. Work becomes more enjoyable when you do what you love for the people and brands you actually want to work with. But often, we limit ourselve

Looking for a creative way to rapidly grow your agency? Wondering how to structure an agency acquisition without getting screwed on the other side? Whether you want to grow your agency through acquisition or are considering selling to lessen your risk liability, acquisition is one of the best strategies. And that’s exactly how one agency soared to $15 Million in under one year. In this episode, we’ll cover: 3 myths about agency acquisition. What motivates an agency owner to sell? 7 criteria of a good agency acquisition. How to avoid getting burned on an earnout. How to structure the best agency acquisition. On today’s show, you’ll get to hear from one of my business partners, Thomas LeMaguer CEO of Republics which is the agency we started about 10 months ago. The goal of the agency is to be the leading platform for growth as a service. In that short time, we’ve worked to rapidly grow the agency to $15 million through acquisition. He’s here to talk about how you can grow your agency through acquisitions, or

Are you a small agency worried your size might be holding you back? Afraid you might not have what it takes to compete with the big agencies? The more you put yourself out there, the sooner you'll realize it's not the size of your agency that makes a difference, but rather, what you bring to the table. In today's episode, we'll cover: #1 reason you should hire people smarter than you.  How to turn your agency's weakness into its strength.  Why agencies need to build authentic relationships. Today I sat down with Valerie Moizel, executive creative director and co-founder at The Woo, a digital marketing agency. Valerie started her agency almost 23 years ago with a little bit of naivety and a whole lot of drive. Today she's here to discuss key connections she made to make her agency successful and the number one thing her agency has done to see continued growth. #1 Reason You Should Hire People Smarter Than You There's a certain level of confidence required to start an agency. A lot of us get into the agency b

Do you find that no matter how hard you work, you're just not profitable? Are you spending too much time on the wrong things? If you want to be successful, you need to evaluate your priorities and get rid of the stuff that's dragging you down.  In today's episode, we'll cover: 2 Lessons on reinvesting agency profits.  Why investing in the right team is the key to growth. Why your agency must embrace change.  Today I sat down for a really informative chat with Mark Bower, managing director of Woven, a brand engagement agency. After 20 years in the industry, Mark recently had to close shop on the agency he started. Now, with a new agency, he's here to share what he's learned and what he would have done differently to put his last agency in a better position.  2 Lessons on Reinvesting Agency Profits When you're in the thick of building an agency, it's far too easy to become fixated on growth, growth, growth. You get so consumed with getting bigger and more successful you justify putting everything back in the

Is an acquisition in your agency's future but you're not sure how to find a potential buyer? Does your agency have incredible strategic partnerships? Sometimes, the best merger and acquisition deals come out of existing relationships with partners and businesses that offer complementary services. The key is to structure a beneficial and fair deal for both parties while avoiding the biggest acquisition pitfall. In today's episode, we'll cover: Why agencies need to lead with data. Agency acquisition mistake to avoid. How to structure an agency owner's buyout. Today I sat down for a discussion with Tim Curtis, President, and CEO of CohereOne, a direct-to-consumer marketing agency. Tim recently sold his agency to a strategic partner and took a little different approach. He's here to discuss what he did and why this option was the best choice for his agency. Why Agencies Need to Lead with Data We all have biases. It's human nature. So, of course, you think your agency provides the best solutions and services.  B

Are you tired of working for an agency? Do you feel like you could do things better yourself? Are you ready to start your own digital agency but afraid of the unknowns? You can spend all your time worrying about the uncertainty or you can get busy turning your dreams into reality.   In today's episode, we'll cover: 2 things to set your agency up for success.  3 things to know about landing new agency clients.  Can starting an agency be a side-hustle? Today I sat down for a fun talk with George Ippolito, President, and Creative Director of IMA, a B2B digital agency. Unlike many agency owners, George didn't become an accident agency owner, he walked away from his job as an employee and made the conscious decision to branch out on his own. He's here to talk about why he made the jump and what he's learned along the way.  2 Things to Set Your Agency Up for Success Whether you fell into the agency world or have over 20 years in the business like Greg, starting out can be a challenge. Unless you have an establish

Do you struggle to get clients to view you as an authority? Do you have a difficult time communicating value to your prospects and clients? Are you concerned about losing work to machine learning or AI? When you position your agency in the context of strategy, you bring value to clients and outlast computer intelligence. In today's episode, we'll cover: How to grow your agency team the right way.  3 ways to set your agency apart from AI. Do your clients view your agency as a trusted advisor? Today I sat down for an interesting talk with Dan Golden, co-founder and president of BFO, a digital marketing agency with over 60 employees globally. Over the past 10 years, Dan and his partner have grown their agency across the globe and learned what it takes to be successful in today's changing market. He's here to talk about what he's learned about growing a team and evolving his agency with changing technology over the past decade.   How to Grow Your Agency Team the Right Way When you're first starting an agency, i

Are you thinking about selling your agency, but aren't sure where to start? Are you going through an acquisition and want to make sure you get it right? Selling an agency can seem overwhelming to someone who has never done it, but the more you know, the easier it will be.  In today's episode, we'll cover: Why you need to enter an acquisition with a clear vision.  2 things to include in agency valuation.  #1 reason to take your time during your acquisition. Today I sat down for an enlightening chat with Jack Burris, CEO of 54 Brands. After over 20 years in the business, Jack recently closed on an acquisition. He's here to talk about what the process looked like and how he made sure the whole process went seamlessly.  Why You Need to Enter An Acquisition with a Clear Vision If you're thinking about selling your agency, it's easy to become distracted. Far too often we spend so much time worrying about the money, we forget about why we got in the business in the first place. But when you evaluate your prioritie

Have you struggled to build relationships and connections for your agency? Are you looking for a way to increase your agency's authority and become a leader in your niche? A podcast is a great tool to get your agency voice out there and strike up meaningful and productive conversations. In today's episode, we'll cover: 2 reasons your agency should start a podcast. 2 mistakes to avoid when you start a podcast. #1 Way to grow your agency. Today I sat down with Jeremy Weisz, co-founder of Rise 25, a B2B podcast consulting agency. Jeremy is a strong believer podcasts are the number one thing you should do to grow your agency. In his role, he works with agencies to help them see a return on investment from their podcast. He's here to share a few tips on how to leverage your podcast to gain referrals and create greater connections in your marketing space. 2 Reasons Your Agency Should Start a Podcast You've heard me say it over and over again — if you run an agency, you need to have a podcast. It's the number one

Is pride standing your way of growing your agency? It's easy to get in your own way sometimes as an entrepreneur. I had something in my personal life that made me step back and reflect on this lesson. In this video, I'll talk about progress vs. pride. Sometimes pride holds us back. Whether it's our desire to be right or just a matter of principles, we lead with our pride and sometimes do things that prevent growth. As I think back over the 12 years I owned my agency, I remember many occasions where this was true (even though I didn't realize it at the time). Choose progress over pride. It's easier said than done, right? But here's the secret and something I tell my agency-owner clients all the time... remove emotion from the decision. Don't lead with your feelings on a certain matter but instead eliminate those emotions and make a level-headed decision. When you take away the emotion you're left with facts and that will lead you to progress. Is pride standing in your way? If not pride, what IS standing in you

Does your current agency business strategy support long term sustainability? Are you looking for some simple strategies to be a more effective leader? It probably comes as no surprise the two issues often go hand-in-hand. In today's episode, we'll cover: 3 elements to any successful agency. What is the key to agency client retention? How to be a more effective agency leader. Today I had an informative talk with Ryan Cote, digital services director at Ballentine, a direct mail and digital marketing agency founded by his great-uncle over 50 years ago. Ryan's here to share how his family's agency has sustained success for over five decades, and how he has become a better leader. 3 Elements to Any Successful Agency If you want to know the secret to success, there's no better place to start than with an agency that's been around since the mid-1960s. During a time in which many agencies have started and failed, Ballentine has not only survived, they've thrived. I asked Ryan why he thinks his family's agency has b

Are you struggling in a partnership that is no longer working? Are you anxious about sitting down and have that conversation? As agency owners, we often get into partnerships because we want someone to bounce ideas off of and take on some of the burden of leadership. But sometimes, a partnership is just not a good fit. In today's episode, we'll cover: Is your partnership holding you back? The #1 discussion any agency owner should have before bringing on a partner. Why the important conversations should always include risk. Today I sat down with David Valentine, CEO of Avadel, a Facebook advertising agency. In 2017, David made the difficult decision to step away from his partner and run the agency they had started together, on his own. He's here to discuss what brought him to this decision and what he would do differently if he could go back. Is Your Partnership is Holding You Back? As humans, we tend to avoid confrontation at all costs. Who wants to have a difficult conversation when we can just ignore it a

Does it feel like no matter how hard you work, you just keep running around in circles? Are you ignoring all the signs that your agency's crying out for help? When you get to a point where it seems like your agency is out of your control, often, the best solution is a simple change of perspective. In today's episode, we'll cover: 3 signs your agency needs more attention. 2 steps get a stalled agency back on track. Do you have your priorities all wrong? Today I sat down for an engaging chat with Brad Martineau, repeat podcast guest and owner of Sixth Division, a digital marketing agency. Like so many of us, Brad saw success early on but quickly stalled out. He's here to talk about why he found himself in this position and how he scaled back to scale up. 3 Signs Your Agency Needs More Attention As agency owners, we have a tendency to set our sights high. We go into the business with a lofty goal in mind and won't stop until we get there. When this happens, it's easy to gloss over (or even purposely ignore) si

Are you starting an agency and debating whether you need a partner? Is your agency growing, but you're not sure where to go from here? It doesn't matter what kind of work you produce or how motivated you are if you don't have everything aligned behind the scenes. In today's episode, we'll cover: Why do so many agency partnerships fail? 2 key stages of growing a successful agency. Why your agency should always invest in culture first. Today I had an engaging talk with Francisco Serrano, president and CEO of 121, a digital implementation agency. In the last 16 years, Francisco has grown his agency to a team of 90 employees and just recently hired a COO. He's here to talk about the stages his agency went through to get to where they're at and why you should always put your agency employees first. Why Do So Many Agency Partnerships Fail? I've talked to many agency owners over the years who have started with a partner and eventually dissolved the partnership. It isn't because either partner is bad or not putting