Build a Better Agency Podcast Drew McLellan

Clients increasingly want to know exactly what they’re getting in return for their dollars spent with agencies. This data can be tricky to compile, let alone interpret and visualize in a way the client actually understands. So this week, we’re diving deeper into the ongoing AI conversation to dial in on one thing — how AI tools can prove an agency’s ROI to clients.

In the episode, our guest, Jonathon Reilly, gives a great overview of how AI can revolutionize this task. The big idea is that AI tools can crunch huge amounts of data and surface valuable insights way faster than a human data analyst could. It allows you to be more responsive to clients, show the impact you’re delivering, and ultimately retain clients longer by demonstrating your value more clearly.
But it’s not just about reporting — Jonathon thinks AI tools will help agencies be more efficient across the board, from creative ideation to repetitive tasks. The goal isn’t to replace human effort, but to use AI as an assistant that makes us faster and better at our jobs (more ROI for clients).
Tune in to learn more about how AI tools will level the playing field for small- to mid-sized agencies to bring more value to our clients in a tangible, understandable way.
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: How AI intersects with data to help agencies prove their worth to clients Helping clients understand the data and numbers Will AI tools remove the need to hire data analysts in the future? Being data savvy to prove ROI Leveraging AI tools to maximize agency efficiency How AI will change the billable hour Starting the conversation with your employees about encouraging the use of AI tools Embrace AI, but with boundaries and structure Getting more educated in the AI landscape How AI tools are leveling the playing field for small- to mid-sized agencies How Akkio works to maximize agency efficiency

As agency owners, we all want to be different. We don’t want to be the boss who is a stickler for punctuality or to feel like we’re micromanaging our employees. But HR issues will inevitably arise, and that’s when the reality check sets in.

HR issues aren’t always as intense as the term may imply. They could be as small as someone being late to a couple of meetings or an employee missing a deadline one too many times. They’re often small things that build up over time and can balloon into bigger issues — like souring client-agency relationships or diluting the agency’s core values.
In this week’s episode, Allyns Melendez shares lots of great tips and tricks to help prevent minor HR issues from getting out of control. From leading by example to being a chameleon leader who can shift based on who you’re talking to and what tone is needed, she knows exactly how to help agency owners and leaders resolve nearly any conflict an agency might face.
Tune in to learn tons of valuable tactics that will make you feel like no employee problem is too big for you to handle.
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: How HR has stayed surprisingly the same over 100 years How to show up as an agency leader to everybody vs. with individual employees Handling first-time HR issues with an employee What happens when we don’t address bad habits immediately Preparing for difficult one-on-one conversations with agency employees Conflict resolution with agency employees and how to follow up with your plan Why chameleon leadership will help you communicate better Get to know your communication style and how you show up in a room How to ask for candid feedback and make your employees feel safe to do so

Online communities are quickly becoming one of the most powerful biz dev tools out there, but there’s etiquette to starting and maintaining one. It’s not for everyone, but for those who are ready, an online community could be your ticket to selling without ever having to actually sell.

This week, we’re continuing the conversation about online communities vs. online audiences, and the vast benefits they can offer to agency owners. Now that we’ve established the differences between an audience and a community, it’s time to ask ourselves deeper questions about why and how we should start one.
The main purpose of starting an online community shouldn’t be selling or profiting from its members. But if you’re in it to genuinely help others and create an avenue for collective thought leadership and connection, increased sales are just part of the benefits.
If you think starting an online community could be the right move for your agency, tune in to this week’s episode of Build a Better Agency.
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.
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.

In This Episode: How to start an online community (who, what, where, why) Are you starting a community for the right reasons? Why you should expect nothing in return from online communities Identifying your target audience What a community leader should provide to community members, and vice versa The main difference between a community and an audience 3 questions to ask yourself before creating a community Consistency wins over complexity in online community building How to benefit from a community without starting one yourself Using online communities as a powerful biz dev tool Qualifying your community members

Everybody has a story they’re trying to tell, and brands play a massive role in people’s stories, whether they realize it or not. Most of the time, the stories consumers associate with a brand aren’t what we think they are. This is where behavioral economics becomes vital to creating an effective marketing strategy.

 
Behavioral economics is a study that attempts to make sense of people’s behavior around spending. We don’t always make spending decisions in our best interest and often base purchasing decisions on our emotions. In fact, people usually connect and interact with brands the same way they connect with people.
This leaves brands with a lot of pressure on their backs. If you ignore your loyal customers’ needs and wants, they will feel deeply betrayed. But if you listen to their stories and get to the core of what they’re looking for, you’ll build a trust that feels like a close friendship.
The psychology behind consumer behavior is complicated but fascinating. Join us this week to discover how brands can use behavioral economics to build an effective marketing strategy that fosters deep trust from your customers.
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: What is behavioral economics? Why people build human-like relationships with brands How narrative psychology can improve our relationships with our customers Clues that a brand uses narrative psychology well Convincing clients that a strategy based on behavioral psychology is worth investing in How strategic changes ripple throughout a whole organization Getting to the bottom of your customer story What brands get wrong about customer stories Why feelings of betrayal run deep when brands miss the mark

In-person networking is still a big deal. After a brief Covid hiatus, trade shows, conferences, and workshops are back and bigger than ever. So, if you or your team plan on attending any of these events soon, it’s important to get up to date on the do’s and don’ts of networking at these events.

Instead of being stuck with a stack of business cards and struggling to recall conversations with specific individuals from an event, seasoned keynote speaker Dave Delaney shares how to manage and nurture your client and prospect interactions effectively.
Not sure how to strike up a conversation with a prospect or keynote speaker? Or what about when you get home from the event and still want to close a potential sale without sounding too spammy? Dave shares insights on approaching these topics and more during this episode.
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: Why in-person networking is still essential How we get networking and connecting with others wrong Networking best practices for competitors, prospects, and keynote speakers The etiquette behind not being creepy or pushy to your peers How to get people’s information while you’re at the show Don’t count on the other person to reach out to you after the show How to create meaningful relationships with people after trade shows and conferences Focus on relationship-building over getting someone in your sales funnel

After a tough sales year in 2023, many of you have been looking for the next thing to consistently fill your sales pipeline with new prospects. With sales cycles taking longer than before, it’s essential always to have warm prospects teed up and ready to go. But how?

 
The answer is in thought leadership combined with lead gen and lead magnets. Positioning yourself and your agency as an authority in your niche (and giving some of it away for free) generates trust in your agency’s expertise before they’ve officially met you.
When done right, lead gen can be mostly automated. And having great lead magnets like a podcast or YouTube channel, or offering a free mini-service to prospects to get them interested in your services will build trust and establish your agency as a thought leader in your niche.
This week, Jay Feldman shares his tips and tricks for how his agencies used automated lead gen and lead magnets to still be profitable in a challenging sales year. This episode is packed with actionable insights that you’ll want to take notes on, so make sure you have a pen and paper ready to go, and check out the links in the show notes for all of the programs and tools he mentions during the interview.
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: How lead gen and lead magnets turned a bad sales year into a good one Commit to being relentlessly helpful to others What Jay’s agencies used as lead magnets to attract attention from prospects How to retain the clients you close from lead gen Giving big wins early on when working with new clients Establishing trust authority in the first 90-120 days with lead gen clients Cold email tactics that work What defines success for lead gen and lead magnets Scalable lead magnets that bring results Avoiding shiny object syndrome and doing what works for your agency