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

Is billing a headache for your marketing agency? Do you wish you could quit hour-based pricing and actually get paid what you're worth? Good news! You can. By removing the time barrier, you will see increased profitability and improve client relationships for your agency. In this episode, we'll cover: 3 reasons to bill by value instead of time. What does it mean to break the time barrier? Today, I talked with Mike McDerment, co-founder and CEO of FreshBooks —  invoicing and accounting software with over 24 million users. Mike talked about his recent free eBook called Breaking the Time Barrier and why agencies need to drop time-based billing and start to use a more value-centric model. 3 Reasons To Bill by Value Instead of Time Most agencies bill by-the-hour or by-the-project, but, time-based pricing may be doing your agency more harm than good. Mike explains 3 reasons value-based pricing is a better approach. It removes incentive-based agency-client friction. You're incentivized to take longer on a project

How can your agency create compelling YouTube ads? How can you get the most ROI from YouTube ads? YouTube ads are a strange beast, and the creative landscape of YouTube is continually shifting. But, if you stick to your buyer's persona and chase your ideal customer, YouTube ads can help grow your agency fast. In this episode, we'll cover: Why you may need 2 YouTube channels. The difference between YouTube and Facebook ads. 3 steps for making better YouTube ads. Why 5 seconds could make-or-break your ad. #1 most important tip for the future of YouTube ads. Today, I talked with Tom Breeze (A.K.A the king of YouTube ads) who runs Viewability — the highest spending performance campaign agency on YouTube! Tom has been on the podcast before, and he dropped some great insight into performance-based models. I urge you to check out that episode if you haven't already; it's one of my favorites. Tom went over some of the most critical YouTube ad strategies, and how he and his agency position YouTube ads that engage an

Is your marketing agency taking advantage of every possible tax break? Did you know you could get up to $250K in tax credits? A lot of agencies are actually leaving money on the table in the form of an R&D tax credit. So, let's dive in, and break down some actionable steps that any agency can take to cash in. In this episode, we'll cover: Tax credits vs. tax write-offs. #1 tax credit agencies can take advantage of. 4 steps to claim the R&D tax credit. When to claim the credit and when not to. Today, I talked with Jim Morrow from AATDM where he does tax consulting and CFO reporting for digital media companies. I actually met Jim after a conference; he gave me a ride to the airport. After figuring out he was an accountant, we talked shop for the entire trip and I just knew I had to get him on the podcast. Tax credits are one of those things that too many agencies just aren't taking advantage of, which is just like throwing money away. Jim is here to tell us how you can take full advantage of tax credi

Does your agency struggle with an outbound sales strategy? Do you even have an outbound strategy? You can build a scalable outbound strategy using LinkedIn by making connections and delivering those prospects critical content. If your LinkedIn profile isn't getting you the results that you need, or if you're looking for a way to boost your sales, check this out. You don't need a big budget to grow your agency using outbound marketing. With a solid plan, an ideal client in mind, and a little finesse, you can use LinkedIn to dominate outbound! In today's episode, we'll cover: Does your agency really need a LinkedIn outbound strategy? #1 biggest mistake you're making on LinkedIn. How to create a LinkedIn job story. Why getting rid of connections will land more new business. Bonus: Joey's super-secret growth hack! Today I chatted with Joey Gilkey founder of Tribe Prospecting; his agency which provides done-for-you prospecting and marketing solutions. Joey comes with a solid sales background that eventually turn

Do you want to find a niche that you can carve out? Do you want to dominate a specific gap in the marketplace? This week we talked to one agency that picked a niche and is dominating their market. They have hyper-specific goals, achievements, and clients, and that exclusivity is propelling them forward as aggressors in their market space. Today, we'll cover: 4 benefits of operating within a niche. Overcoming the obstacles of niching down. How to dominate your competition. The #1 pain-point of operating within a niche. Today I chatted with Adam Draper CEO/Owner of Gladiator Law Marketing. Adam's digital agency operates deep within the law firm niche, and, recently, he's been crushing it. His agency is rapidly growing, focused on small to medium sized law firms. He's here to share some of his keys to success, specifically how his niche is propelling his agency forward. 4 Benefits of Operating Within a Niche Why would an agency want to specialize? Doesn't working in a niche limit you from reaching clients outs

The creative landscape is changing. Is your agency keeping up? Are your creative people struggling to stay fresh? It's easy to become overwhelmed with change and uncertainty. Learning new trends and technologies can be challenging. However, there are massive opportunities available in our day and age. It's good to be a creative right now, and there's no excuse not to create! In this episode, we'll cover: Why it's never been a better time to be a creative. Why you're out of excuses not to create. Today I chatted with Sean Womack, founder, and CEO of Smack, a media agency, and author of the novel, The Six Sides of the Black Box. That's right, Sean wrote a fiction novel (not a business book!) which provides a glimpse into agency life and illustrates 6 lessons learned. Sean's interesting and extensive background a creative in the agency space speaks for itself. On today's show, Sean shares his interesting backstory and the excitement of being an agency creative in today's landscape. He also touches on the evolu

Are you self-sabotaging your agency's sales? Do you lack trust or confidence in your team to deliver results? Worried they aren't going to live up to expectations and make you look bad? You probably have felt this way at one time or another. You might even be causing the problem and not realize it! Your agency is a reflection of you and it's natural to have these concerns. Once you're super honest and self-aware you can get out of your own way to grow your agency. In today's episode, we'll cover: How niching down builds trust. Avoiding 2 major pitfalls of growing an agency team. 2 questions the guest has for Jason when she puts Swenk on the Spot Today I chatted with Cat Howell, founder, and CEO of Eight Loop Social, a successful Facebook ads agency.  Cat faced some serious lows in the beginning and shares with us what she learned and how she overcame them to become a six-figure per month agency. Growing an agency can be hard, but you can make it even harder if you are self-sabotaging your agency sales... an

Looking for ways to generate more new agency business? Tired of watching your competition grow and want to set your agency apart from the pack? Now is the time to be a front runner with the cutting edge technology of chatbots. You can use chatbots to generate new business and as an add-on service for your clients. It's easier than you might think to build and use a chatbot. Chatbot technology helps you engage with your ideal prospects and keep the conversation going in order to convert them into a client. In this episode, we'll cover: Why chatbots are better than other methods of prospecting. #1 mistake agencies make using chatbots. Should you add chatbot building as a service? 2 easy steps to get start using chatbots. Today I talked with Andrew Warner, Founder and CEO of Mixergy, a development resource for entrepreneurs. He's also the founder of Bot Academy. Andrew built his first company to over $30 million in sales and sold it. He started Mixergy to help business owners, by interviewing successful entrep

When is the right time to bring on freelancers or contractors? How can you stop doing everything yourself so you can grow your agency? If you're overwhelmed at the thought of building your agency team and nervous about how to find the right people, check this out. Great freelancers are out there. You can find and onboard them easier than you think! Learn some suggestions and easy tips to make freelancers work for you, so you can build your team and grow your agency. In today's episode, we'll cover: 2 reasons to bring on freelancers. How to find & onboard freelancers. #1 biggest mistake to avoid when using freelancers. Why it's time to pay attention to the gig economy.   Today I chatted with Nathan Hirsch, founder and CEO of Freeeup.com, an optimized freelance marketplace. Freeeup.com vets and trains all potential candidates, so you don't have to. After running a successful e-commerce business, Nathan quickly felt the frustration of trying to find and hire reliable freelancers. He realized the need for a

Want to grow your agency to 8-figure revenue? Thinking of growing your team but worried about the overhead? Hoping for a moment of clarity, where it'll all come together? Then it's time to put your foot on the gas and push through. Acquiring quick agency growth is achievable when you're focused. Find out how one agency owner got to $1 million in under 6 months and 8-figures in under 5 years! In this episode, we'll cover: A different agency structure. 2 attributes for quick agency growth. #1 thing to achieve constant agency growth. The 8-figure revenue a-ha moment. Overcoming the small agency hump. Today I talked with Jake Baadsgaard, founder and CEO of Disruptive Advertising, an agency built on results-based relationships. Jake grew his agency to the $1 million mark, run-rate, in six months and was able to exceed 8-figure revenue in under five years. Today, Disruptive Advertising boasts over 100 employees and continues to grow. He shares some thoughts on agency growth, pivotal moments for his company and ad

Are you looking for better ways grow your agency? Tired of the status quo? Missing easy targets and low hanging fruit opportunities? Then take some lessons from an agency owner who's doubled revenue every year for five consecutive years and growing at a crazy fast rate! In today's episode, we'll cover: Finding your agency's share of the market. What to expect in your agency's first year. 4 simple actions to grow your agency. 3 easy ways to maintain agency growth. Today I chatted with Tony Delmercado, co-founder and CEO of Hawke Media. With only five years in business, Hawke Media has grown from a 5 person team to 100+ employees and has doubled it's revenue every year, looking to hit the $18 million mark this year. With that kind of success, I couldn't wait to pick Tony's brain on how he was able to start and maintain growth of his agency. From his start to present day, Tony walks us through some simple tips and strategies he found successful. Finding Your Agency's Share of the Market Tony says you need to f

Are you looking to get your agency revenue to the $1 million mark? Already at $1 million and struggle to get beyond it? What got you where you are now, isn't what's going to get your agency to the next level. Have you lost focus or just don't know where to look? Then it's time your agency explored the power of content and started making investments into it's future. In this episode, we'll cover: Growing your agency from the first million to the next million. One growth strategy often forgotten. 5 simple tips to help scale your agency. #1 Technology your agency should be using. How to find your agency's focus. Know yourself and build a solid team. Today I got to talk to John Hall, CEO and co-founder of the content marketing agency, Influence & Co. He's also a keynote speaker and author of the best-selling business book, Top of Mind. Considered a content marketing guru, John shares with us tips and tricks he has learned along the way, as he grew his company from just 2 people in 2007 up to 130 employees i

Thinking of vlogging but doesn't know where to start? Don't think you're any good on camera? Afraid you don't have the right equipment? With these simple tips and tricks you'll be able to  get started right away. You will become an authority in the marketplace and build trust with your ideal clients so you can win more new agency business. In this episode, we'll cover: #1 reason your agency should be vlogging. More benefits of vlogging. Why video views and subscriber numbers don't matter. How to get started and what equipment you need. Today I got to talk with Cody Wanner, daily vlogger and co-founder of the video production company CAP Collective. After watching and being inspired by another vlogger, Cody thought about creating his own daily video series. Over a year of thinking about it, he finally decided to just do it and it's been a major game-changer for his video agency. With Cody's simple tips and easy style, he shares how your agency can start vlogging immediately. #1 Reason Your Agency Should Be V

Are you great at creating but seem to fail with execution? Do you have a hard time delegating tasks and get lost in the day-to-day of working in your agency instead of on it? Then it's time your agency makes a marketing plan for your agency! When you get your team on board and delegate to a lead in charge of the execution, you are freed up to create the longterm vision. Learn how to step away from being the Agency Owner and become the Agency CEO. In this episode, we'll cover: Simple lessons to grow and scale a business. 3 easy mindset shifts to grow your agency. How to stay consistent and treat your agency like a client. 3 buckets to have in your agency's marketing plan. The importance of implementing your agency's core values. Today I got to chat with Derek Champagne, founder and CEO of the full-service marketing agency, The Artist Evolution and author of Don't Buy A Duck: Stop Wasting Money & Only Do Marketing That Works!. With a mantra of "without fail," a vision and some failures in his pocket, Dere

It's tough making decisions as an agency owner! From your first hire to knowing when it's time to sell. Here's advice from an 11-year agency owner veteran on some of the key attributes to look for in your agency's first hire as well as some simple considerations to help you know if it's time to sell your agency. In this episode, we'll cover: The #1 thing to look for in a first hire. Is it time to sell your agency? Today I chatted up Kathleen Booth, VP of Marketing at Impact, a resource for inbound marketers, and host of the Inbound Success podcast. After growing her own digital marketing agency for 11 years, from startup to a HubSpot platinum level partner, Kathleen read the signs that it was time to move on and sold her agency in a merger. She shares with us how she made big agency leadership decisions, from her first hire to selling the agency. The #1 Thing To Look For In a First Hire A burning, insatiable desire to learn and figure things out! The digital marketing landscape is ever-evolving and your age

Thinking about doing a podcast, but don't know where to start? Overwhelmed by the prep work like booking guests and developing questions? Here's some insight, helpful tips and actionable strategies to have your agency stay top-of-mind and build relationships. In this episode, we'll cover: Why your agency needs to start a podcast. How to get over the first hurdle. 2 easy steps to secure great podcast guests. #1 tip to develop strong podcast questions. Tips and tools to build relationships after the episode airs. Today I talked with social dynamics expert, Jordan Harbinger. As host of the podcast, The Jordan Harbinger Show and contributor to the website Advanced Human Dynamics, Jordan uses his great questioning skills to delve into strategies, techniques and habits of some of the most successful people on the planet. He's had the opportunity to interview huge guests like Larry King, a CIA agency, a military General, even Shaquille O'Neal! Jordan understands the influence of podcasting and shares some great nu

Wondering how to adapt to all the Facebook changes? Upset your Facebook ads aren't getting the ROI you expect? Wondering if Facebook is a dying platform for lead generation? Facebook is evolving with the demands of it's users and we know Facebook isn't going away anytime soon. Learn from an expert on the best way to position your Facebook ads as well as utilizing Facebook live and videos to build relationships. In this episode, we'll cover: Is Facebook a dying platform for lead gen? How to use Facebook ads to generate leads. 3 strategies for using video on Facebook. Today I chatted with Curt Maly, CBDO at Black Box Social Media, speaker and primary voice of Social Media Ad Genius. With over 8 years experience working with Facebook Ads, Curt shares some insight on the current Facebook landscape and how your agency can adapt. With the focus being on building relationships, Curt shares some tips on Facebook Live and videos that will help your agency achieve a like, know and trust factor that is so important fo

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

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

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 rul