In episode 54, I got to sit with Mark Riggs from Pemberton, a consultant and coach for agencies. He shares his insights on shifting from the RFP rat race to building organic growth of existing and new clients. He emphasizes the importance of solving client problems and being proactive in account growth. Mark discusses the need to set expectations with clients from the beginning and continuously communicate and collaborate with them. He also highlights the value of focusing on organic growth and investing the same energy and innovation into existing clients as in winning new business. Mark advises agency owners to start out with defined principles and have patience in their journey. Tune in to hear his top secrets on nailing organic account growth.

Takeaways

Focus on solving client problems and being proactive in account growth.

Set expectations with clients from the beginning and continuously communicate and collaborate with them.

Invest the same energy and innovation into existing clients as in winning new business.

Start out with defined principles and have patience in your agency journey.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:04 Shift in Biz Dev and Account Growth

09:36 Setting Expectations and Scoping

14:21 Operational Scoping and Profitability

23:08 Lessons from Marketing During Downturns

25:49 Invaluable Business Advice

Mark is the founder and CEO of Pemberton which is a management consultancy that exists to be the go-to resource for marketing/communications agencies to discover and reveal pathways to organic growth while changing the mindset of an RFP-obsessed industry.

Before starting Pemberton, Mark spent 20-plus years in the agency world working for IPG’s Mullen Lowe, an Ad Age A-List Agency, Taylor, the Holmes Report’s Consumer Agency of the Decade, MWWPR and French/West/Vaughan, the Southeast’s largest independent agency.

Mark has spent a career learning the art of integrated communication developing and executing award-winning consumer programs for brands and companies like Allstate, Honda, Ford, Kimberly-Clark, Polaris, Coke, Diageo, RJ Reynolds, SunTrust Banks, the U.S. Navy, the Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN, to name a few.

Mark has a reputation as a business-builder and a strategic counselor and has experience in leading client services, insights and planning functions, as well as developing talent. A creative thinker and problem-solver, Mark believes that great thinking can “come from anywhere,” it’s the ability to harness it and leverage it for clients that makes the intellectual property of the agency valuable and an integral part of the marketing mix.

Contact Mark:

www.pembertonworldwide.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmarkriggs/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/pembertonworldwide/

In this episode, I got to speak to Nick Pretroski from Promethean Research and we dig into the topic of recurring revenue generation for agencies. Nick breaks down some Revgen strategies and talks about how essential it is to build a machine (AKA a system that works for YOU) that companies can use to repeatedly generate new leads, converting them into sales, bringing them through delightful delivery processes, and turning them into evangelists. We talk about the four key areas of Revgen and the owners’ role in these areas, and ways to shift some of those responsibilities off of the owner's plate to expand the efforts of the team. Nick also lays out some of the key metrics to keep your eye on to measure the results of your RevGen efforts.

Key Takeaways

• Having a system in place for repeatable revenue generation (RevGen) is crucial for digital agencies to grow reliably and with higher margins.

• Transitioning from a practitioner role to a business development leadership role is essential for agency owners to focus on strategic growth.

• The RevGen system consists of four roles: biz dev, sales, account management, and marketing, each responsible for specific stages of the client lifecycle.

• Avoiding bloated spending and tracking key metrics are important for the success of the RevGen system.

• Being methodical in building a RevGen system can help alleviate stress and make running a business easier.

In this episode, I got to talk to Tracy Goodheart from The PR Accelerator about her journey from being a journalist to helping individuals and brands attract sustained media attention without a publicist. She discusses the evolution of social media and its impact on journalism, emphasizing the importance of earned media over social media for brand credibility. Tracy also highlights the value of creating a messaging system and leveraging ghostwriting to elevate thought leadership within agencies. She advises agency owners to seek external validation and shares her insights on standout strategies in the marketplace.

Takeaways

• Earned media is more valuable than social media for brand credibility.

• Creating a messaging system can help streamline communication and ensure consistency.

• Ghostwriting can elevate thought leadership within agencies and humanize senior leadership.

• Seeking external validation can boost self-confidence and protect against workplace bullying.

In episode 051, I had the great privilege of speaking with my long-time friend, Debra Rizzi, partner and president of Rizco, a women-owned brand-led marketing agency. We got to discuss the launch and evolution of her agency nearly 25 years ago, the benefits of becoming a certified woman-owned business, and the integration of new tools and processes like EOS. She emphasizes the importance of community involvement and maintaining core values and culture in her agency. She also talks about her day-to-day responsibilities and offers business advice, including the significance of gratitude and self-acknowledgment.

Key Takeaways

• Launching a business can arise from unexpected circumstances and opportunities.

• Becoming a certified woman-owned business can open doors and provide access to funding and resources.

• Integrating new tools and processes can enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

• Community involvement and maintaining core values and culture are essential for long-term success.

• Expressing gratitude and acknowledging personal achievements are important for personal and professional growth.

With the launch of Season Two of Agency Bytes, I'm thrilled to introduce an extraordinary guest for this momentous occasion – Ilise Benun from Marketing Mentor. Ilise is not only a longtime friend but also someone I've admired for decades. In this episode, I had the privilege of delving into Ilise's invaluable insights on her "Simplest Marketing Plan" and how she guides creative professionals to success by helping them focus and identify their market. We discuss the importance of cultivating a deep, focused niche and Ilise lays out actionable steps to achieve this.

Ilise believes that building your business should be enjoyable and shares her observations on why many agency owners struggle with their marketing efforts due to being too close to their businesses. We dissect the difference between horizontal and vertical niches, exploring how the latter can significantly boost marketing endeavors. Ilise also emphasizes the significance of sub-niches and provides guidance on expanding into new niches.

Furthermore, Ilise outlines her comprehensive program focusing on marketing, money, and mindset, identifying these as key areas of weakness for most creatives. We also challenge the notion that referrals are always beneficial and discuss strategies to overcome complacency in business development.

Tune in to uncover some of the invaluable secrets Ilise has accumulated over her more than 30 years as a creative business coach. This episode is packed with actionable insights and wisdom you won't want to miss!