The Agency Growth Blog - For Owners Who Want Growth

In just a few days agency owners from all over the world will start their pilgrimage to Boston for Inbound 18. The annual lovefest for everything inbound. But being an agency owner and attending Inbound isn’t what it used to be.

Gone is the Agency Track and the Agency ONLY sessions. Even Partner Day, the first unofficial day of inbound is mostly dedicated to HubSpot sharing new product and pricing announcements. The days where agency leaders had a chance to share what they’re doing with other agency owners is no more.

No point in crying over spilled milk, but if you're an inbound agency owner and you’re heading to Boston here’s how to make the most of Inbound and get what your agency needs to push up to the next level.

February is almost over. That means 18% of the year is behind you. How are you doing?

I get it, I ran an inbound marketing agency with less than $1 million in revenue for years. I was the marketing consultant, copywriter, and QA guy for years. I know that almost every day is a whirlwind of wearing different hats and putting out a variety of fires, just to keep the whole thing from coming crashing down. But that cycle is what keeps you from growing. You have to breakout and be the agency owner, leader or CEO.

To make that move you have to act differently. The heroics that got you this far are not going to get you to the next level. To grow, you’ll need systems, process and methodologies.

Over the past few months I’ve had a few inbound marketing agency owners email me regarding their agency and the consulting they do. This would be different than the services delivery model that most agencies operate under.

To be clear, you can tell people what to do and then expect them to do it—that’s consulting. Or you can tell them what to do and then help them do it—that’s services. 

Most of the time, I’m talking about the agencies who are responsible for delivering the services associated with inbound marketing engagements but I know there are agencies who simply consult. Today’s article outlines the differences and some of the benefits and challenges that go with both models.

Inbound 17 is behind us and we’re quickly coming to the end of 2017. Now is the time to make sure your inbound marketing agency finishes the year strong. What are you doing to make sure you finish 2017 as your best year yet?

One of the differences between inbound marketing agency owners I coach and owners I don’t is that agencies in my program are proactively working to change what’s not working at their shops. While others I talk to appear to be HOPING things change. Hope is not a strategy.

Instead of hoping things change, hoping clients sign, hoping your team gets better I’m suggesting you stop hoping and start working. I know most of you are heavily involved working IN your agencies instead of ON your agencies, but you have to find time to work ON the business and not IN the business.

Carving out this time for you to drive inbound marketing agency growth has to be your top priority. Never step on this time and never sacrifice it for anything or anyone.