Build a Better Agency Podcast

Latest Episodes:

EP 413: The "why" mindset strategy for better agency communication with Linda Perry Sep 04, 2023

Show notes

Do you know the "why" behind the work you do? If not, it might be time to find out. Understanding the motivation behind why we show up and feel connected to our work is key to personal happiness and effective interpersonal communication.

As it turns out, there are nine "whys" that we could categorize ourselves into that affect agency communication and connectivity. Knowing where we fall on that spectrum, especially as agency owners, can remove blocks and help your agency reach its goals faster and more effectively than doing things the same old way we always do them.

If your agency has a lot of goals, but the team sometimes struggles to execute them, it might be time for the "why" mindset strategy that our guest, Linda Perry, is teaching us about in this episode. Because at the end of the day, your people are your greatest asset, and knowing how to communicate with them how they receive it best is a recipe for success.

A big thank you to our podcast's presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They're an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

The mindset perspective that helps agencies reach their goals faster
Getting to the bottom of limiting beliefs that prevent us from growing
The what, the why, and the how for better agency communication
Creating connectivity between agency owners, leadership, and team members
The agency owner's responsibility is to create moments of connection
How to navigate different "whys" and assign tasks accordingly
How the "why" mindset strategy aligns with the agency's mission, vision, and values
Understanding a client's "why" for better sales strategies

EP 412: Speed is the fast pass to client happiness with Jay Baer Aug 28, 2023

Show notes

When you think about how you do business, do you find that you're purposefully taking longer to respond to inquiries because you don't want a client to believe you're not busy enough? Or do you hesitate to answer right away because you don't want that to be their new expectation of your agency?

Unfortunately, this is where many agencies get it backward. Clients already expect quick responses, regardless of how fast or slow you were the first time. In fact, speed is one of the most important factors for client happiness, and it will only go higher on the priority list from here.

Jay Baer has done intense research on this very topic and is sharing his findings with us. As many of you know, he's always ahead of the curve when it comes to agency trends. And he's passionately confident that agencies need to get faster so they're first in line when a prospect calls them up. Because if he's learned anything, it's that speed will beat out price almost every time.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

The generational differences in patience in business settings
Speed is the most important factor for client happiness
The psychology of speed and how it equates to caring
Closing uncertainty gaps with clients
Creating a "fast pass" lane for impatient clients
The "Got it Audit" for the customer journey
When fast is too fast
The hierarchy of when speed is most important for client satisfaction
Where we get speed wrong in business decisions

EP 411: Knowing when it's time to bring a COO onto the leadership team with Carolyn Lodge Aug 21, 2023

Show notes

As your agency grows, your leadership team must grow alongside it. You'll notice as your team gets bigger, the day-to-day operations become more complicated, and you might want to start taking a step back from certain tasks altogether.

That's where a COO comes in to save the day. A successful, growing agency must have someone to handle day-to-day operations and implement systems and processes properly. And if you have the right person to take some tasks off your plate, that opens you up to focus on the parts of the business you're most passionate about, like being a visionary.

This week, I'm talking with Carolyn Lodge about the signs and symptoms of when it's time to grow your leadership team and hire a COO. We discuss how to identify the right person for the job, their roles and expectations, how to integrate them with the rest of your team to build trust, and what traits are most commonly needed in the COO position.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

The clues that show it might be time to hire a COO
What size agency is too small to have a COO role
The skills and traits of a good COO
Implementing the founder's or owner's vision
Building trust within your leadership team as you bring on new team members
Ensuring your COO is a good culture fit for the job
How a COO changes the day-to-day of a CEO
Go-to questions to vet a potential COO

EP 409: The how-to guide for getting started in thought leadership and public speaking with Katy Boos Aug 14, 2023

Show notes

One of the most powerful new business tools to establish credibility as an agency is right at our fingertips. Finding speaking opportunities at conferences, trade shows, and even as a podcast guest is a great first step to entering the world of thought leadership.

While it may seem daunting initially, especially if you're new to this, thought leadership is about as easy as simple networking. Your network can get you into spaces you've never dreamed of if you have the right tools to navigate it.

This week, Katy Boos is giving us those tools to show us how practical and valuable thought leadership and public speaking can be for agency owners and leaders. With in-person events making a huge comeback post-Covid, the need for the best and brightest speakers is on the rise, too. Tune in to learn how to get your ideas in front of the right audience and establish yourself and your agency as one of the next great thought leaders.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

The top most beneficial reasons for speaking at an event
Speaking at a big event vs. the right event
Looking beyond the room you're speaking in
Determining who's the right person to put on the stage
Narrowing down your topic and finding the right-fit audience
The post-Covid trade show and conference outlook
How to get conference organizers hyped up on your thought leadership
Getting in front of the right podcast audience
Creating content from your speaking event
Common mistakes that get us a "no" from conference organizers
Getting your foot in the door

EP 410: Tracking metrics to boost biz dev and client satisfaction with Drew McLellan Aug 07, 2023

Show notes

Lately, agency owners and leaders have been hitting their heads against a biz dev brick wall. With increased sales cycles, difficulty getting clients to start projects, tightened budgets, and more, it seems like we're in a cycle of never-ending struggle.

Even if the future looks bleak, there are always more things that can be done and new strategies to try to help push through a difficult time. That's why now more than ever, it's critical for agency owners and leaders to track certain metrics to ensure you'll end 2023 in the black, even as everyone is seemingly tightening their belts.

This week, I'm sharing five metrics you should be tracking with your teams to ensure you're making the right strategic decisions during heightened hardship. From taking a closer look at your numbers to ensuring client satisfaction, we have the tools to help you end the year in the black against all odds.

For 30+ years, Drew McLellan has been in the advertising industry. He started his career at Y&R, worked in boutique-sized agencies, and then started his own (which he still owns and runs) agency in 1995. Additionally, Drew owns and leads the Agency Management Institute, which advises hundreds of small to mid-sized agencies on how to grow their agency and its profitability through agency owner peer groups, consulting, coaching, workshops and more.

In This Episode:

Tracking your 55-25-20 AGI metrics more closely
Deciding where to move money around to keep good employees
Doubling down on biz dev efforts
Getting your existing clients to spend more money on you
Why AEs should be helping to grow the existing client base
Why client satisfaction scores are more critical than ever
Good employee retention sends a positive message to customers

EP 408: The power of in-person networking and client-agency relationships with Hank Blank Jul 31, 2023

Show notes

In-person networking and relationship building are not dead. For agencies, it remains one of the most important methods of building your client base. And unfortunately, odds are you're not doing it enough.

Showing up is a huge part of the biz dev battle that a Zoom call or Slack channel just can't fix. And in a time when many of us have to rely on current clients to keep ourselves afloat, cutting corners on new business opportunities won't get us very far.

For Hank Blank, some of the biggest red flags from the clients' perspective directly result from our increasingly virtual ways of doing business. In his eyes, you will struggle to find new clients if you're not attending events, doing in-person networking, inviting people into your agency's space, or making philanthropic efforts in your community.

If you want to learn what always stands the test of time for agencies battling it out for new clients, don't miss this conversation with one of the best in the business.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

How smaller agencies can stand out against large agencies with in-house teams
The biggest mistakes agencies make when searching for new business
How agencies make themselves look unavailable or uninterested in new clients
Why in-person networking is still imperative for growing a client base
How agencies can develop a meaningful brand for themselves
Letting creativity guide you in your networking and biz dev
The 3 things that win new business
Making working at an agency fun again
Getting ahead of the competition to educate clients on new technology

EP 407: Facilitating change and navigating change fatigue with agency employees with Jenny Magic Jul 24, 2023

Show notes

The workforce has changed forever, which has brought change fatigue along with it. This means how we navigate problem-solving and facilitate change amongst our teams has to change, too. This week, I'm chatting with Jenny Magic, an expert in all things change and team morale. For almost 20 years, she's been working with agency leaders and their teams to help implement strategies. She noticed that there were often major disconnects between agency leaders and their team's opinions on new strategies and changes to SOPs. She set out to discover what makes teams get on board with change without getting burnt out.

We'll discuss the best ways to facilitate change with your teams, get employees on board with your ideas and strategies, and the importance of psychological safety for employees to share openly. When you know how to facilitate change effectively, you'll be surprised how much easier it is to get your teams on board with new ideas and strategies.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

How the world of change has changed
How to line up change so that it actually gets implemented
The cost of change
The real roots of change fatigue
Why so many employees start "treading water" when you try a new strategy
The value of co-creating change with your team
Utilizing confidential inquiries to get honest responses from employees
There is no "one-size fits all" training model that actually works
Creating psychological safety among team members

EP 406: The peaks and pitfalls of AI innovation with Paul Roetzer Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

AI has been at the top of everyone's minds this year, particularly with the birth of ChatGPT in November 2022. We're currently in a renaissance where AI innovation and creativity are fusing to push the limits of what we ever thought was previously possible.

With these new AI tools comes a lot to look forward to, but also a lot of fear and uncertainty. Many of you are worried about job security, work expectations, and getting left behind in favor of faster, newer technology. In this episode, we'll address these valid concerns with AI expert Paul Roetzer.

Paul has been at the forefront of AI innovation for most of his career and has some ideas to share with us about how this all started, where it's at now, and what's possible for the future. While the uncertainty is scary, one certainty is that we must lean into the AI movement with an open mind and be ready to adapt alongside it.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

How clients are starting to wise up to AI use for projects
Copyright concerns for agencies using AI
The real threats agencies should be looking out for with AI innovation
The move to client-agency co-creation
Always be testing
Helping clients pilot AI tools in their strategy and operations
The evolution of agencies that utilize AI innovation
How to vet new AI tools in a sea of uncertainty
The future of AI integrations

EP 405: The four pillars of healthy agency culture with Drew McLellan Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

The idea of agency culture has been on my mind a lot lately, especially now that we're all settling into new post-covid workplace structures. Without as much face time in an office, many of you are starting to wonder how to continue cultivating a healthy workplace environment for your employees over video calls and Slack channels.

For this week's solocast, I'm sharing what research shows are the four core pillars of a healthy agency culture that will ensure your employees feel seen, heard, safe, and valued. It's not just about proximity and having office parties or team outings anymore. And as agency leaders, it's essential that we lead by example in creating the right environment for our teams to thrive.

If you can weave these four concepts into how you run your agency and build up your teams, your agency will be set up for success, no matter if you're in the office, fully remote, or somewhere in between.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

Thinking about agency culture differently
Why agency owners must lead the charge in creating a healthy agency culture
Creating an environment of inclusivity for all team members
Leading with love and being curious about your people
Creating learning opportunities for yourself and the team
Encouraging quarterly growth goals for employees
Celebrating contributions and identifying employee strengths
Leaving space for employees to challenge the status quo
Making it ok for people to disagree respectfully

EP 404: Weaving values, missions, and goals into agency culture with Chad Kearns Jul 03, 2023

Show notes

Agency culture has encountered a massive shift post-pandemic. With hybrid and remote work more common than ever, weaving our missions, goals, values, and purpose into our teams requires a different approach than before.

This week, we're talking to Chad Kearns, an agency culture expert, to discuss how agency leaders are at the forefront of agency culture and should run their agency according to their core values. If you don't align yourself with your own mission and values, your team won't be operating at its peak, which can throw the whole agency off balance.

If it sounds high-stakes, it's because it is. Everything starts with agency culture — from screening a potential new hire to your employee retention rate. Tune in to learn how to align your agency to your core values and discover what people value the most when choosing to work for an agency.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

People are at the core of the agency world
How cultural concerns have changed post-pandemic
Challenges that clients face today with agency culture
Finding right-fit employees who will embody your agency culture
Aligning yourself and exemplifying your mission, values, and goals to your team
Where agencies often fail to uphold their core values and missions
Culture goes beyond social interaction
How to attract better talent aligned with your agency values
Why good onboarding is imperative for healthy agency culture

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