BOLO 2012
How to Grow Your Agency
Using Inbound Marketing
A Case Study

Chris
Knipper
@chrisknipper
Founder

Peter
Caputa IV
@pc4media
Director,
Sales & Marketing

How
Inbound
Marketing
WORKS.

A Process for Growing Traffic, Leads &
Sales

1 Get Found
( INBOUND )
MARKETING
2 Convert
3 Analyze

4 Key Activities
7

Blogging Drives Traffic Growth
The study compared blogging frequency against traffic & leads. The results showed staggering correlations.
Source: Lead Generation Lessons from 5500 customers.

Kuno Creative Blogs Consistently

Landing Pages Drive Lead Volume
The data show it’s not only important to have landing pages; it’s important to have many landing pages.

Kuno Creative Generates Leads Every Day
•

Targeted, Timely Email Improves Sales Results
Email Marketing, Lead Nurturing & Marketing Automation Create Sales Ready Leads.
Leads
Send to sales! 25% 25% Hmm… Maybe next time!
50%
Qualified but not
ready to buy

Kuno Creative Nurtures Leads

Analysis Enables Steady Improvement
Analysis enables marketers to do more of what’s working and tweak or stop what’s not.

How Kuno Creative Leveraged Inbound
Marketing to 2x Revenue & Profitability
The Story

YOU WORK HARD
FOR YOUR MONEY
…But they never treat you right
• Where We Were
• What We Offered
• The Problem
• What We Did About It
• The Results

WHERE WE WERE
Working hard for the money
Year = 2009
Over 200 clients
Average revenue/ea = $5k
Client Retainers = 3
Website traffic = 500/mo.
Website leads = 5/mo.

YIKES!
Look at the numbers… June – August 09’

PART OF
THE PROBLEM.
WHAT DIDN’T
WE OFFER?

HERE’S A PARTIAL LIST
CREATIVE PRODUCTS
• Graphic Design • Brokered Printing
(anything) • Brokered Media
• Brochures • Brokered Promotional
• Direct Mail Products
• Radio scripts • Online ordering systems
• Press Releases • Custom programming
• Stationery • Website Hosting
• Website Design • Off-site storage
• Print • Trade-show booths
• Outdoor Ads

A BIGGER
PART OF THE
PROBLEM
REVENUES & CASH FLOW
• Unpredictable
• We’re running out of money!!!
• And we’re just another design shop
• Better days are no where in sight

2008/2009
-15% Sales declined for the
first time in history.
It was a balancing
act.

WE HAD TO TRY
SOMETHING NEW
• Stretched for cash
• Laying off employees
• Working 60+ hours/week

WHAT WE DID ABOUT IT
WE PLANNED A NEW DIRECTION

INBOUND
MARKETING

HubSpot… PARTNERSHIP

BENEFITS of PARTNERSHIP
FOR US & OUR CLIENTS
Got More Website Visitors
Captured More Visitor Leads
Turned Leads into Customers
Analyzed Marketing Activity
No IT Staff & No Technical
Skills Needed – SAVING MONEY

WHAT WE
DID ABOUT IT
CORPORATE
PLANNING

THE POWER
OF A PLAN
CREATED A ROAD MAP
• What will we sell?
• How much will it cost?
• Sales Process
• Required Resources
• Assessing results
• Training new people

THE PLAN PART 1
CONTENT CLIENT QUALIFICATION
• 2-3 BLOG POSTS PER • PROSPECTING
WEEK ON LEADS
• 1 DOWNLOAD PER • PUBLISH PRICES
QUARTER ON WEBSITE
CLOSE THE DEAL
• CONSULTATIVE SALES
PROCESS
• FEWER PROPOSALS UP FRONT

Agency Sales Process Agencies that have
robust sales
processes are 2x as
% of Firms By Quartile and Number of Sales likely to be in the top
quartile. (Quartile 4
Process Activities has 2x size of retainer
& 1.5x growth rate of
4th Quartile 1st Quartile 39% quartile 1. )
35% 36%
30% 29%
25% 23%
20% 21% Sample Sales Processes
18% 17% 1. Use a documented sales
14%
process
2. Completed sales training
3. Have a standardized set of
questions to qualify
prospects as opportunities
0 1 2 3 4 5 4. Use a CRM to track sales
Number of Sales Processes Agency Undertakes activities and forecast
(out of 5 processes on right) revenue
5. Have a process to help
prospects establish sales
and marketing goals
Source: http://www.hubspot.com/state-of-online-marketing-services-industry/

THE PLAN PART 2
RESOURCES MONEY
• HIRE DARC • LINE OF CREDIT
EMPLOYEES • ELIMINATE
• ELIMINATE SERVICES PAYMENT TERMS
CLIENTS
• BEGIN GETTING RID OF BAD
CLIENTS
• FOCUS ON AREAS WERE GOOD
AT

THEN CAME THE
LEARNING
PROCESS

80
OVER
%
Of marketers are more
likely to choose an
agency focused on
a specific sector.
Source: RSW/US

THE PITFALLS
OF CHOOSING
POORLY
• WHAT ARE YOU GOOD AT?
 Healthcare
 Software
 Energy
• SAY NO TO:
 Low cost “consulting” packages
 Hourly Pricing

WHAT DO YOU OFFER?
PARTNERS IN HOUSE
• Strategy/Consulting • Content Creation & Design
• SEO • Social Media Marketing
• PPC • Demand Generation
• PR • Marketing Automation
• Collateral Copy/Design
• Direct Mail
• TV/Radio
• Print/Outdoor Ads
• Mobile Marketing

THE ART
OF PRICING
• What are your deliverables?
• What is your cost per
deliverable?
 Manpower
 Direct costs
 Overhead
• What is your planned profit?
• Competitive factors

PUBLISH PRICING

THE SCIENCE OF PRICING
• The deal is already discussed • The Proposal has a term
and agreed to • The Proposal has terms
• The Proposal reflects the deal • Discuss the Proposal
• The Proposal is a contract (?) in the 1st meeting

WHERE WE ARE NOW
Working hard for the money
Year = 2012
Less than 50 clients
Average revenue = $40k
Retainers = 35
Website traffic = 18,000/mo.
Website leads = 400/month

WOW!
Look at the numbers! June 09– September 2012

7,235 Leads
52 new customers June 09– September 2012

SUMMARY
1. Planning is the key to profitability.
Decide what you offer. Figure out the
delivery processes and price
accordingly.
2. Leverage inbound to create demand.
Blog, create offers and use email to
grow traffic, leads and sales.
Consistency and frequency drives
growth. Analyze for continuous
improvement.
3. Define your sales process. Qualify
opportunities. Create plans that achieve
client’s business objectives. Create
contracts only when verbal agreement is

Q&A
Learn How to Do what Kuno Creative Did:
www.hubspot.com/partner-ta