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Building and Growing Your Content/Inbound Marketing Agency and Consulting Practice
1. Building and Growing Your
Content Marketing
Agency
Paul Roetzer
PR 20/20
@PaulRoetzer• #cmworld
2. “Invest in real, valuable, relevant content that your audience
wants. . . . Take the time to make it so compelling that
people talk about it and share it.
— Ken Krogue, Forbes
“The Death of SEO: The Rise of Social, PR, and Real Content”
July 20, 2012
3. Agenda
• Transformation: A Evolving Industry and Ecosystem
• Talent: Rise of Hybrid Professionals
• Infrastructure: Build to Scale
• Integration: The Era of Integrated Services
• GamePlan: Market Brand and Sell Services
• Open Forum
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
4. Open Forum
• Are writer marketplaces the answer for agencies?
• How do you balance quality with quantity?
• How do you align expectations with services and results?
• How do you achieve and increase profitability?
• Where do you look for talent?
• Is integration of services (search, content, social, PR, web,
mobile) essential?
• What are your personal career goals? How about business goals?
• What are your greatest pain points as an agency?
• How do you feel about content services pricing trends?
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
13. 2) Selective Consumption
• Basic principle behind inbound marketing
• Consumers tuning out traditional marketing
• Brands lose control, but gain loyalty
• Shifting budgets to digital
• Expanded and integrated services
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
14. 80% of chief marketing officers think integrated services will
increase in importance over the next five years, according to
a study by The Horn Group and Kelton Research.
15. However, in the same study, 60% of CMOs indicated that they
are unable to find an integrated firm to meet those needs.
20. The 10 Rules of Transformation
1. Eliminate billable hours.
2. Transform into a hybrid.
3. Think talent and team.
4. Build a scalable infrastructure.
5. Devise an inbound marketing gameplan.
6. Control the sales funnel.
7. Commit to clients.
8. Deliver results.
9. Embrace failure.
10. Pursue purpose.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
21. 1) Eliminate Billable Hours
“Inefficiency is the enemy of success.”
• Billable hours are tied to outputs, not outcomes.
• Clients should not pay for agency inefficiencies.
• We are multi-taskers—distractions lead to higher costs, lower
quality.
• Prices should be value based, and results driven.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
22. 2) Transform into a Hybrid
“A real-time world demands real-time agencies.”
• Every firm is a tech firm. It requires
immersion and integration.
• Services must be integrated, and
silos removed.
• Digital is ingrained into the firm’s
DNA.
• Maintain diversified revenue
streams—services, education,
training, publishing, and licensing.
• Find your role in the emerging
ecosystem.
• Collaboration will drive success.
23. 3) Think Talent and Team
“Talent cannot be replicated.”
• Talent is your firm’s greatest asset.
• Build through the draft. Bring in free agents to accelerate growth
and take your agency to the next level.
• Recruit and retain A players—high performers who themselves
are hybrids.
• Create a career destination, not a steppingstone.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
24. 4) Build a Scalable Infrastructure
“The best plan is to prepare for perpetual change.”
• Make decisions that fit your growth goals. This includes
hardware, software, staffing, partnerships, advisors and office
space.
• Plan for current (0-12 months) and short-term needs (1-3 years),
with contingencies for the midterm (3-5 years).
• Expansion is driven by the desire to attract and retain talent.
• Agencies are bound by the limitations of human resources.
• Build agile systems in the cloud, and rely on trusted solution
providers.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
25. 5) Devise an Inbound Marketing GamePlan
“Doing is the key to differentiation.”
• Be original, or at least put an original spin on your brand
positioning.
• Clearly establish the agency brand, and then give your team the
freedom and support to build theirs.
• We need fewer talkers and thinkers, and more doers.
• Use content and community to build preference and loyalty.
• Run integrated campaigns focused on search, social, content and
PR. Prove your abilities by doing it for yourself.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
26. 6) Control the Sales Funnel
“Everything is sales.”
• Capture new leads and fill the top
of the sales funnel.
• Nurture leads through the middle
of the funnel.
• Personalize communications and
outreach based on a lead’s
interests and past interactions.
• Analyze every step of the way, and
tweak activities based on historical
performance and lead responses.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
27. 7) Commit to Clients
“All clients are not created equal.”
• Loyal clients lead to higher retention rates, greater profit
margins, more predictable cash flow, and stronger referrals.
• The greatest value you can bring to clients is staffing their
accounts with A players.
• Time-tracking, project-management and CRM solutions are
essential.
• The best partnerships have shared values and complementary
cultures.
• Case studies are rarely made of conservative companies.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
28. 8) Deliver Results
“An agency’s value is measured in outcomes.”
• Marketing executives—your clients—are
drowning in data.
• Prototype agencies turn information into
intelligence, and intelligence into action.
• Shift away from arbitrary metrics—impressions,
reach, ad equivalency and PR value.
• Adapt to changing business environments and
evolve client campaigns in real time.
• Activate builders and drivers.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
29. 9) Embrace Failure
“Never hesitate to head in a direction others fear.”
• If your model is broke, fix it. Don’t ignore your instincts for
change.
• Someone, or something, will eventually disrupt your agency, it
might as well be you.
• Fear of failure trickles down to employees, and into client
campaigns. Make is safe for employees to fail.
• Disruptors thrive on change, easily tire of tradition, and pride
themselves on their agility. They excel at taking calculated risks.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
30. 10) Pursue Purpose
“It is purpose, not profits, which defines an agency.”
• True entrepreneurs must affect
change.
• An agency’s purpose may be innate
and unspoken at first, residing in the
minds of its leaders.
• Purpose evolves as the agency and its
employees mature.
• Success is not easy, but things worth
achieving never are.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
31. “Purpose eases the pain of the long hours and gives you the fortitude
to fail. It makes menial tasks meaningful, and serves as the pivotal
piece of your employee recruitment and retention strategy.”
The Marketing Agency Blueprint
33. “High performers—the A players—contribute more,
innovate more, work smarter, earn more trust, display
more resourcefulness, take more initiative, develop
better business strategies, articulate their vision more
passionately, implement change more effectively, deliver
higher-quality work, demonstrate greater teamwork, and
find ways to get the job done in less time with less cost.”
— Bradford D. Smart, PhD, Topgrading
34. Hybrid Professional Traits
• Analyst
• Creative
• Intrinsically motivated
• Listener
• Social web savvy
• Strategic
• Tech savvy
• Team player
• Writer
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
35. What makes for great content?
• Strategic
• Brand centric
• Buyer persona focused
• Optimized for search engines
• Technically sound
• Creative
• Results driven
Source: 7 Key Elements of Great Business Content
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
36. Buyer persona focused content
• Make personal connections
• Address pain points and bring value
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of your
audiences, and know how to engage them
• Promote and deliver in their preferred format
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
37. The Draft & Free Agency
• Do not push growth beyond your ability to service it.
• Build from within through your own systems and standards.
• Identify and nurture high-potential talent.
• Beware of the patience of potential: commitment, perspective and speed.
• Bring in seasoned talent — the free agents — when the time is right.
• Understand implications of higher-priced talent on efficiency,
productivity and profitability.
Photo Credit: Sports TV Jobs @PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
41. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Outsourcing vs. Hiring
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
• Values
• Services
• Pricing
• Process
• Performance
• Financial strength
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
42. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Content Outsourcing Considerations
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
• Do you need niche expertise?
• Is it cost prohibitive to use internal resources?
• Can you compete on price?
• If the client outsources to a 3rd party, can you control quality?
• Is writing a core competency?
• Do you have the ability to scale production?
• Do you have a deep enough talent pipeline?
• What’s your capacity for content growth?
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
43. Know Your Capacity
• Soft capacity = Monthly service-hour threshold at peak efficiency.
Includes room to flex above for major projects and campaign
fluctuations.
• Absolute capacity = The danger zone, usually 20% above soft capacity.
Your team is spread too thin, deadlines will be missed and quality will
suffer.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
44. Define Ahead-of-Need Triggers
• Major growth initiatives
• Significant demand from new partnerships
• Deep new business pipeline
• Transitioning of underperforming employees
• Understaffed core accounts
• Opportunity to land high-potential A player
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
46. Infrastructure: The structures and systems that facilitate the
production and delivery of agency services. Any physical or
organizational element required to run and grow your agency.
Core components include financial systems, information
technology (IT), management systems and human resources.
— The Marketing Agency Blueprint, Chapter 4
47. What are Your Business Goals?
• Revenue
• Employee size
• Profits
• Geographic expansion
• Personal wealth
• Work/life balance
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
48. What are you building?
• How will you define success?
• What are your greatest strengths?
• What are your greatest weaknesses?
• Are you in the financial position to take the risks needed?
• Do you have the ability to recruit and retain top talent?
• Will you be happy running a business, rather than doing the
work?
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
49. Needs and Timing
• Current = Next 12 months
• Short Term = 1 – 3 years
• Midterm = 3 – 5 years
• Long Term = More than 5 years
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
50. PR 20/20 Example (2008)
• Reached five employees
• Used 2x – 3x scale to guide decisions
• Revenue went from $200,000 to $400,000
• Upgraded office space, phone systems, Internet service, hardware,
internal network
• Secured option on adjacent office space
• Accommodated current and short-term needs, with contingency
for future expansion
• $50,000+ investment
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
52. 1) Prepare for Perpetual Change.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
53. 2) Build through Trusted Providers.
• Performance history
• Transparency
• Stability
• Continuous innovation
• Customer/community support
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
54. 3) Understand Your Limits.
One full-time employee = 120 – 140 hours of client services per month
• Do we have the right leadership team in place?
• Is our current staff happy and motivated?
• Are the processes in place to effectively handle growth?
• How will changes affect payroll and productivity?
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
55. 4) Find Reliable Advisors and Mentors.
• Finance
• Technology
• Human resources
• Legal
• Accounting
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
56. 5) Create a Funding Runway.
• Forecast your monthly expenses as you grow.
• Identify and nurture funding sources.
• The best time to pursue funding is when you don’t need it.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
58. What You Need to Know
1. Build a stable, profitable business.
2. Understand your value.
3. Explore your options.
4. Ensure you can service the debt.
5. Never lose sight of cash flow.
6. Know your exit strategy.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
60. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Moving to the Cloud
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
1. Solve real business problems.
2. Reduce redundancies and avoid feature overload.
3. Have an integration plan.
4. Know the risks and challenges.
Photo: karindalziel
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
61. Things to consider when evaluating a solution
• What problem will it solve?
• Will it enable us to improve efficiency, productivity, or
profitability?
• Will it increase the value and results we deliver to clients?
• Will it reduce IT costs?
• Will it create a more secure, stable and reliable technology
infrastructure?
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
62. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Internal Social Network: Yammer
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
• Post links and resources.
• Manage client services through dedicated groups.
• Add daily agency notes and highlights.
• Encourage collaboration and knowledge transfer.
• Perpetuate culture.
• Keep mobile workforce connected.
• Create real-time communications channels with external client
networks.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
63. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Internal Social Network: Yammer
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
64. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Internal Social Network: Yammer
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
65. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Customer Relations Management (CRM): Highrise
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
• Manage all agency contacts — clients, partners, leads, media, etc.
• Track important notes, calls, meetings and emails.
• Provide 24/7 management insight into client services.
• Give employees opportunities for continuous learning through
ambient knowledge.
• Track new business deals and manage the lead nurturing process.
• Integrate with web lead forms and HubSpot through APIs.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
66. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Customer Relations Management (CRM): Highrise
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
67. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Customer Relations Management (CRM): Highrise
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
68. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Project and Campaign Management: Basecamp
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
• Create dedicated client centers.
• Manage client campaigns with tasks, messages, milestones and
events.
• Maintain content marketing editorial calendars.
• Provide management dashboard of all agency tasks by project
and by employee.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
69. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Project and Campaign Management: Basecamp
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
70. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Project and Campaign Management: Basecamp
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
71. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Time Tracking: FunctionFox
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
• Maintain accurate time sheets.
• Monitor agency-wide efficiency and productivity.
• Create client activity reports.
• Analyze employee performance and client hours.
• Adjust pricing based on historical data.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
72. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Time Tracking: FunctionFox
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
73. The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
Time Tracking: FunctionFox
The Blueprint Series Presented by HubSpot
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
81. Meet the Demand for Digital & Integration
• Invest the time and training needed to build capabilities and expertise.
• Make digital part of your firm’s DNA.
• Hire and train hybrid professionals.
• Become a doer. Make your agency a case study.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
82. Meet the Demand for Digital & Integration
• Avoid shortcuts (i.e. resist the dark side of digital).
• Build service packages around integrated campaigns.
• Concentrate on content. Become a publisher.
• Create agency partnerships to enhance your service offerings.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
84. Become Measurement Geeks
• Learn to love data.
• Integrate measurement tools.
• Train analysts.
• Practice on your agency.
• Tie to services.
• Dig into the data.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
85. Use Analytics to Adapt
• Review analytics reports as part of daily campaign management duties.
• Communicate insights to clients in real time.
• Talk about client analytics as part of your daily meetings.
• Integrate analytics into weekly account manager Yammer updates.
• Conduct internal training sessions on how to process and interpret data.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
86. Activate Builders & Drivers
• Builders lay the groundwork for future success. They are
essential, but not always measurable in the short term.
• Drivers make things happen. They are marketing activities
that deliver results.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
87. Builders
• Market research
• Brand positioning
• Website development
• SEO
• Copywriting
• Social media
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
88. Drivers
• Lead nurturing
• Email newsletters
• Social networking
• PR
• ebooks
• Webinars
• Mobile apps
• Blogging
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
94. The guiding principle was that set prices had to be value based,
meaning they were to be determined based on perceived and
actual value rather than the number of billable hours
something takes to complete.
— The Marketing Agency Blueprint, Chapter 1
95. Core Elements
• It is possible to achieve economies of scale in the production and
delivery of services.
• Set prices enable firms to package services for specific market
segments, such as franchises, and dramatically reduce business
development time.
• If you can define the scope, then you can standardize the service
and assign a set price.
• They must be value based.
• Transparency creates more qualified leads.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
96. Value-Based Pricing Variables
• Estimated hours (at
peak efficiency)
• Hourly revenue target
• Costs
• Perceived value
• Builder vs. driver
• Loss leader
• Service level
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
97. Hourly Revenue Target Example
• CEO = 600 hours (50/month)
• VP = 960 hours (80/month)
• Senior AE = 1,200 hours (100/month)
• AE = 1,440 hours (120/month)
• Asst AE = 1,680 hours (140/month)
• TOTAL = 5,880 hours
Target of $120,000 per employee or $600,000
$600,000/5,880 = $102 per hour (HRT)
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
102. The Case of a Press Release: Scenario 1
Professional A
• Hourly rate = $150
• Hours to complete = 3
• Cost = $450
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
103. The Case of a Press Release: Scenario 2
Professional B
• Original draft ($150/hr) = 5 hrs or $750
• Sr Assoc edit/review ($250/hr) = 1.25 hrs or $312.50
• Edits ($150/hr) = 0.50 hrs or $75
• Sr Assoc final edit ($250/hr) = 0.50 or $125
• Total = 7.25 hrs or $1,262.50
• Professional A = 3 hrs @ $450
• Professional B = 7.25 hrs @ $1,262.50
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
104. Inefficiency Factors
• Distractions: Marketing agency professionals are multitaskers.
• Time tracking: Clients pay for time that never happened, or they
pay for part of our attention.
• Motivation: The value of an employee to an agency is directly
tied to how many hours they log, and how many get billed.
What’s the benefit of being efficient in that model?
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
105. The Efficiency Variance
All services, and clients, are not equal. There will be variances,
and that’s OK. Build for the long-term.
• Invest in core clients through account development services.
• The agency, not the client, should pay for professional
development.
• Take chances with your pricing strategy.
• Use client campaigns to develop new capabilities (i.e. expand
services).
• Establish loss-leader services.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
107. The GamePlan in Action
• Step 1: Clearly define and differentiate your brand.
• Step 2: Design and deploy a content-driven website.
• Step 3: Go beyond prospects, and consider the impact of your marketing
efforts on all audiences.
• Step 4: Establish measurable and meaningful campaign objectives
designed to achieve the primary goals of leads and loyalty.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
108. The GamePlan in Action
• Step 5: Build an integrated campaign: brand, website, search, social media,
content and PR.
• Step 6: Establish dynamic budgets that can be easily shifted based on
campaign performance and analytics.
• Step 7: Define campaign timelines with milestones, tasks and
responsibilities.
• Step 8: Measure everything, and be willing to adapt and evolve.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
109. Top Lead Generators
• Pricing strategy and service model
• Brand positioning
• Referrals
• Original content
• Personal brands
• Service marketplaces
• Agency partners
• Niche markets
• Networking (the traditional kind)
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
111. Sales Philosophy
• Growth in model agencies is driven by the need to attract and
retain talent.
• The key to a successful sales system is balance.
• You need the right infrastructure and personnel in place to
meet current needs for lead generation, and make your system
scalable to long-term goals.
• Don’t let others pressure you to grow beyond your means.
Only you know what’s best for your firm.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
112. Questions to Consider
• What are our lead sources?
• How many (quality) leads to we
generate per month? How many do
we need?
• What’s our conversion rate? How do
we improve it?
• How do we rank and prioritize leads?
• How do we track progress through the
funnel?
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
113. Questions to Consider
• How do we gain intelligence into our leads?
• Who is responsible for lead gen, nurturing and sales?
• What are we doing to nurture leads?
• How efficient and effective are our sales efforts?
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
114. GamePlan Keys
“Doing is the key to differentiation.”
• Be original, or at least put an original spin on your brand
positioning.
• Clearly establish the agency brand, and then give your team
the freedom and support to build theirs.
• We need fewer talkers and thinkers, and more doers.
• Use content and community to build preference and loyalty.
• Run integrated campaigns focused on search, social, content
and PR. Prove your abilities by doing it for yourself.
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
115. Client Services Series:
A Year in the Life of a Hypothetical B2B Account
(Coming in October 2012)
• Session 1: The Marketing Assessment
• Session 2: The Scorecard
• Session 3: The GamePlan
• Session 4: The Honeymoon (Q1)
• Session 5: The Reality (Q2)
• Session 6: The Tipping Point (Q3)
• Session 7: The Renewal (Q4)
www.MarketingAgencyInsider.com
promo code: cmw15
116. Open Forum
• Are writer marketplaces the answer for agencies?
• How do you balance quality with quantity?
• How do you align services and results with expectations?
• How do you achieve and increase profitability?
• Where do you look for talent?
• Is integration of services (search, content, social, PR, web,
mobile) essential?
• What are your personal career goals? How about business goals?
• What are your greatest pain points as an agency?
• How do you feel about content services pricing trends?
@PaulRoetzer
#AgencyBlueprint
Editor's Notes
Sources Impact of content farms Fixed project vs. per word Technical vs. creative You get what you pay for