Could it be that you’re not maximizing your agency’s true value? While many agencies focus solely on tangible outcomes, you can tap into your most valuable offerings by separating and monetizing strategy.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I discuss how to identify strategy as a high-value service and the role of strategy-only models in driving agency success. I explain why implementing structured strategy phases not only aligns client goals with execution but also ensures continuous improvement.

Don’t miss this episode to learn about the different strategy delivery models and how to set clear client communication when using strategy!

Key Questions:

• [01:43] Are you willing to pay for a service but hesitant to charge for it yourself?
• [03:49] Do you treat strategy as a separate deliverable or bundle it within projects?
• [06:27] How can you position your agency as a strategic partner rather than just a service provider?
• [15:05] Are you aligning your pricing with the transformative value your strategies provide clients?

What You’ll Discover:

• [02:30 The importance of recognizing strategy as a high-value service and ensuring it is compensated appropriately.
• [04:00] The value of positioning your agency as a strategic partner rather than a deliverable-focused service provider.
• [06:27] How to structure your strategy deliverables with defined processes, data inputs, and client communication.
• [08:59] Different strategy delivery models—oversight, building blocks, and integrated execution.
• [12:39] How to structure retainer-based strategy engagements using credits and modular deliverables.
• [14:12] The importance of clear client communication and setting expectations for strategy-only engagements.
• [15:05] A motivational reminder to value your expertise and charge based on the impact of solving client problems.

Are you making the right financial decisions to scale your business effectively? Financial decision-making for business owners can be complex but differentiating expenses from investments and focusing on risk assessment and ROI can make a difference.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Calvin Wilder to discuss the dos and don’ts of agency investments. Cal is the founder and CEO of SmartBooks, where their team empowers business owners to run financially healthy businesses through a mix of bookkeeping and accounting, financial reporting, and CFO advisory services. He started his career journey as an investment analyst, then worked as a CFO, and still does occasional CFO work for his clients.

Don’t miss this episode to learn the importance of a portfolio-based approach and how investment diversification can safeguard an agency’s financial health!

Key Questions:

• [01:22] What are some practical guidelines for agency owners to determine whether a business expense meets current needs or paves the way for growth?
• [05:40] What’s your advice to someone considering risking everything on a single investment opportunity?
• [10:21] What are some examples of high costs or potentially high-risk investments you made with your agency and did they pay off in the end?
• [15:00] What framework would you use to determine whether to invest or not?
• [17:22] Are there percentages you consider when thinking about making investments on whether they should take place or not?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:36] How to distinguish between standard operating expenses and growth-driven investments for agency owners.
• [03:35] The importance of evaluating ROI and risk when considering investments and how optimism can sometimes cloud judgment.
• [05:50] How personal circumstances and life stages influence financial decisions and risk tolerance.
• [08:13] The portfolio approach to business investments: balancing risks across multiple opportunities.
• [10:40] Examples of high-cost investments, like project management systems, that deliver long-term productivity gains.
• [15:10] Criteria for determining whether an investment opportunity is relevant today or better suited for the future.
• [17:39] Understanding metrics to consider as an agency owner when looking into new investment opportunities.

Connect with Calvin:

• Website
• LinkedIn

How can balanced scorecards and KPIs transform your business success? Well-designed performance metrics bring transparency, align teams, and streamline decision-making processes.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss the transformative potential of balanced scorecards and well-structured key performance indicators (KPIs) for businesses. We also explain how to break down long-term objectives into actionable department-specific goals.

Listen in to learn how full transparency with your team helps build trust and drive the business vision forward. You will also learn the importance of clarity, timeliness, and focus in KPI tracking to avoid vanity metrics.

Key Questions:

• [01:40] What level of data transparency do you maintain with your team?
• [06:44] Are your KPIs aligned with your business’s true pain points and opportunities for growth?
• [11:04] How can you effectively translate your 3-5-year objectives into clear annual and departmental goals?
• [21:21] Are you tracking meaningful KPIs or focusing on vanity metrics that don’t contribute to real growth?

What You’ll Discover:

• [02:09] How full transparency with your team helps build trust and drive the business vision forward.
• [03:56] How to distinguish between valuable and motivated team members and those who may harm team morale.
• [06:20] The importance of identifying core inputs and aligning them with your business goals to avoid chasing irrelevant metrics.
• [11:15] How to break down long-term business objectives into specific, actionable goals for each year.
• [14:25] How to establish clear departmental and individual metrics to ensure accountability and progress tracking.
• [16:09] The motivational impact of using leaderboards to foster healthy competition and engagement within teams.
• [17:47] Common pitfalls in KPI tracking and why focusing on meaningful data is crucial for business growth and effective decision-making.

How can you elevate client delivery by harnessing the power of continuous feedback and improvement? Positive and negative client feedback is crucial and can inform strategies that boost retention, ROI, and long-term relationships.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I discuss the value of creating client feedback loops to uncover blind spots and enhance client experiences. I share effective methods to capture valuable client feedback, such as surveys, personalized check-ins, and exit interviews.

Don’t miss this episode to learn how to use feedback to implement meaningful changes and enhance client satisfaction.

Key Questions:

• [00:34] What steps are you currently taking to improve client delivery? Are you leveraging every opportunity to improve the process?
• [03:21] How often do you gather client feedback, and are your surveys designed for maximum engagement?
• [07:06] Have you considered implementing client exit interviews to attain valuable insights you might be missing?
• [07:51] How do you build a feedback-positive culture where your team views feedback as an opportunity, not criticism?

What You’ll Discover:

• [00:34] The importance of continuous improvement in client delivery and why leveraging existing opportunities can elevate your performance.
• [01:48] Understanding why client retention hinges on strong relationships, plus the dangers of blind spots.
• [03:21] Tips on designing client surveys that provide valuable insights while being easy to complete.
• [04:25] The importance of regular account manager check-ins to maintain a strong client connection.
• [05:09] How addressing project shortcomings head-on can build trust and improve future outcomes.
• [07:06] Why client exit interviews are crucial for obtaining candid feedback and preventing future issues.
• [07:51] How to build a feedback-positive culture within your team to handle client insights constructively.
• [09:21] Ideas for team-building exercises that use client feedback to create delightful experiences and improve processes.

How can your creative agency thrive in an evolving industry? The current state of the industry demands creatives to learn strategies for growing a creative business and building stronger client relationships.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Emily Cohen and Hunter Vargas to discuss the state of the creative industry, the growing importance of transparency and collaboration, and more. Emily and Hunter, a mother-daughter duo behind Casa Davka, have over 30 years of combined experience. Emily's extensive background includes partnering with 500 top firms, while Hunter brings expertise in marketing and project management.

Listen in to learn how to leverage AI as a tool in your agency while appreciating the importance of the human touch. You will also learn how to overcome downward pricing pressure by emphasizing value and standing firm on fees.

Key Questions:

• [01:35] What are the biggest challenges agencies are facing today?
• [05:05] What are your thoughts on where the industry is headed in the advent of AI?
• [10:05] How can agencies defend their value and pricing against client pushback or competitive pressure?
• [18:48] What’s your advice to agency owners on how to approach value-based pricing?
• [25:19] What’s your advice to a growing boutique agency in terms of defining their niche and positioning their expertise?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:54] Challenges creative agencies face today, including market saturation and the importance of positioning.
• [02:45] How transparency and collaboration between agencies are elevating industry standards and fostering collective growth.
• [05:14] How to embrace AI as a tool to enhance creativity and efficiency and leverage it for business development.
• [09:03] Understanding marketing as a human connection and creativity’s emotional depth cannot be replicated by AI.
• [10:32] How to overcome downward pricing pressure by emphasizing value and standing firm on fees.
• [11:27] Why you must develop negotiation skills and educate business leaders on the value of design to ensure fair pricing practices.
• [14:42] The importance of knowing who you are and becoming an expert to make strategic business decisions.
• [17:15] How to strategically build trust with clients and maintain a healthy mindset when clients choose different directions.
• [19:10] Tips on how to approach value-based pricing, including asking clients for their budgets early on.
• [22:50] How avoiding assumptions and asking questions can elevate your expertise and contribute to better outcomes for clients.
• [25:53] How to define your niche and position your expertise to maximize opportunities and growth.
• [28:42] How defining your differentiators wholistically can set you apart in a crowded marketplace.

Connect with Emily &Hunter:

• Website
• Hunter’s LinkedIn
• Emily’s LinkedIn

How can understanding client behavior and refining your processes transform your approach to retention and growth? By identifying behavioral cues that indicate potential churn, agencies can take preemptive steps to retain clients.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I’m joined by Masud Hossain to discuss churn indicators in agencies and how to improve client retention. Masud is the CEO of Queue, a platform designed to streamline agency operations. He’s a first-generation immigrant from Bangladesh and his entrepreneurial journey began with coding at age 12 to launching and selling his first startup A Sense of Life for $10 million during his residency.

Don’t miss this value-packed episode to learn more about the importance of clear communication, the impact of onboarding, and strategies to improve client relationships.

Key Questions:

• [02:11] What are the top reasons why agencies are experiencing client churn?
• [07:29] Does agency specialization help deliver higher-quality work and reduce churn?
• [13:49] What are the most effective ways for agencies to combat churn outside of communication?
• [18:34] Are there specific language, tone, behavior, or metrics agencies or clients use that indicate the potential for churn?

What You’ll Discover:

• [02:20] The top causes of client churn, include poor communication, low-quality work, and mismatched expectations.
• [05:15] The importance of proactive communication and how simple updates can significantly impact client retention.
• [07:51] The challenges of productized services and their higher churn rates compared to specialized services.
• [10:01] How proactive agencies reduce churn by identifying clients at risk and suggesting improvements.
• [12:40] How high-growth agencies with proactive account managers reduce churn by 5–7%.
• [14:00] The importance of effective onboarding, including understanding client design preferences and setting clear expectations.
• [17:35] Best practices for new client communication, including keeping updates frequent but concise.
• [19:04] How to improve your client communication styles and handle disagreements respectfully.
• [21:38] Understand that rapid response times may demand dedicated account managers to avoid disrupting creative processes.

Connect with Masud:

• Website

How can your business stay resilient during potential economic downturns? How do you navigate both micro and macroeconomic shifts while safeguarding your business? Many businesses thrive during booms but fail due to poor adaptability when conditions change, and the only way to avoid this is by staying prepared.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, we discuss strategies for agency owners to prepare for business sustainability during economic downturns. We explain how to build resilience through diversified revenue streams, effective cash flow management, and contingency planning.

Listen in to learn how to maintain a balance with cash reserves, ensuring enough for operational stability without overexposing the business to unnecessary risks. You will also learn ways to evaluate and adjust your financial strategy based on revenue and operational expenses.

Key Questions:

• [00:34] How do you ensure you’re not entirely beholden to the economic shifts and challenges created by potential economic downturns?
• [01:09] Are you dependent on the economy’s performance, or have you built safeguards to maintain stability during downturns?
• [06:07] Do your current cash reserves allow flexibility without making scarcity-driven decisions? If not, what steps can you take to adjust?
• [16:11] Are you targeting the right market or offering the right services, or is it time to pivot to a more sustainable niche?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:09] The importance of identifying whether your business is dependent or independent of the economy’s performance.
• [03:20] Why adopting a proactive mindset beats fear-based reactions during uncertain times.
• [06:07] The importance of maintaining 2-3 times your operating expenses as cash reserves to avoid scarcity-driven decisions.
• [09:18] Understanding when to consider lines of credit or loans and why they’re not best suited for operational expenses.
• [11:20] Key areas to evaluate and adjust your financial strategy based on revenue and operational expenses.
• [14:12] The hard truth about layoffs and the consequences of failing to prioritize lead generation.
• [16:11] How to recognize when to explore new markets or services to maintain business growth.
• [17:17] The common mistake of cutting off the marketing budget most businesses make and why you should double down instead.

How do you effectively engage potential clients in today’s crowded market? Have you heard of omnichannel marketing? This approach integrates multiple channels into a cohesive strategy that consistently engages prospects.

In this episode of The Agency Blueprint, I discuss the power of mastering the omnichannel marketing strategy in a competitive landscape. I explain the psychology behind multiple touchpoints and how they help manage customer skepticism in a saturated market.

Don’t miss this episode to learn more about building client personas and the importance of consistent messaging across all platforms.

Key Questions:

• [01:15] What is omnichannel marketing, and how is it used?
• [01:15] Which multiple channels can your business use to reach your ideal clients effectively?
• [05:22] Which marketing strategies best suit your current resources and lead generation needs?
• [07:34] Have you developed a detailed persona for your target audience to build aligned marketing strategies?

What You’ll Discover:

• [01:15] The concept of omnichannel marketing – using multiple channels to reach your ideal audience seamlessly.
• [02:59] The psychology behind multiple touchpoints and how they help manage customer skepticism in a saturated market.
• [04:20] How multi-touch marketing builds relationships by addressing client needs and reducing distrust.
• [05:22] Understanding short-term, mid-term, and long-term marketing strategies and when each is most effective.
• [07:34] The importance of developing a persona around your ideal client and aligning your marketing strategies to where they are.
• [11:12] How consistent messaging across all channels prevents friction and enhances client trust.
• [13:22] How to layer touchpoints across different platforms to build brand familiarity and nurture leads effectively.
• [16:21] Avoid spreading yourself thin by going to too many channels simultaneously and instead focus on a few.