Agency Bytes

Ep 053 – Nicholas Petroski, Promethean Research – Repeatable Revgen

Featuring: Nicholas Petroski, Promethean Research

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.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
03:44 Understanding Repeatable RevGen
09:14 Transitioning from Practitioner to Biz Dev Leadership
13:49 The Four Roles in the RevGen System
16:18 Implementing the RevGen System
20:16 Key Metrics for RevGen Success
24:16 Hobbies and New Tools
26:01 Valuable Business Advice

I’m Nick. I run Promethean. A boutique consultancy that helps digital agencies grow more reliably with higher margins and simpler operations.

Since 2015, I’ve been helping digital firms better understand their industry and chart more effective paths to success.

Prior to co-founding Promethean, I worked as an equity analyst at a Wall St. firm where I covered the enterprise software and semiconductor industries. Before that, I spent a bit of time in corporate finance.

When I’m not in the office, you can find me backpacking around the Midwest or making fancy firewood in my woodshop.

Contact Nick on his website, on LinkedIn, or learn about repeatable RevGen for Digital Agencies here.

Ep 052 – Tracy Goodheart, The PR Accelerator – Standing Out in the Crowd

Featuring: Tracy Goodheart, The PR Accelerator

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.

Key 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.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
03:16 The Evolution of Social Media and Journalism
06:46 Leveraging Social Media and Earned Media
09:21 Creating a Messaging System
10:59 Ghostwriting and Thought Leadership
13:30 The Impact of Ghostwriting on Agency Culture
20:36 Random Rapid-Fire Questions
24:06 Invaluable Business Advice

Tracy Samantha Goodheart is the founder of The PR Accelerator, a different kind of PR company. Simply put, she helps individuals and brands nail their messaging and attract positive, sustained media attention without a publicist. She also teaches marketing globally for the University of Chicago and has advised more than 75 brands on their marketing and communications.

A journalist by training, Tracy has 15 years of media experience working in every type of newsroom. She began her career as a reporter at TIME Magazine, where she covered the rise of Facebook and developed new methods for reporting breaking news. She also created a blog network for the Chicago Tribune, led global social media strategy for Crain Communications – the publisher of titles like Ad Age, InvestmentNews, and Modern Healthcare – and has trained hundreds of working journalists how to find original story ideas. Tracy has also been a frequent TV commentator and taught graduate journalism school.

A Chicago native, she now lives in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where she and her husband are renovating a historic general store and starting a lavender farm.

Contact Tracy through her website or on LinkedIn.

Ep 051 – Debra Rizzi, Rizco Design – WBENC Agency Tips

Featuring: Debra Rizzi, Rizco Design

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.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
01:08 The Launch of Rizco
05:47 Certification as a Women-Owned Business
07:04 Benefits of Women-Owned Business Certification
09:34 Integration of New Tools and Processes
10:17 Business Development Opportunities
12:40 Involvement in the Community
20:53 Day-to-Day Responsibilities
25:23 Binging and New Tools
27:15 Business Advice
29:36 Gratitude and Self-Acknowledgment
29:59 Closing Remarks

Debra Rizzi has over 25 years of experience in developing brand strategies for local, national, and international companies. She is a partner and president of Rizco, a woman-owned, brand-led marketing agency, which she co-founded in 2000.

Upon graduating from Bucknell University, Debra worked in the finance department of corporate Lord & Taylor. Later, she managed the creative department of the global public relations firm, Porter Novelli.

Debra is a past NJ Biz “40 Under 40” recipient and 2020 NJBIZ’s “50 Best Women in Business” Award. She is a member of many business organizations, currently serves on Wall High School’s Business and Finance Academy’s Advisory Board, and served 8 years on Bucknell University’s Alumni Association Board of Directors.

On a personal level, Debra’s partner in life and in business is her husband, Keith, and together they balance the lives of their three daughters, Mia, Marley, and Monroe.

Contact Debra through her agency website, Facebook, Instagram, or on Linkedin.

Ep 050 – Ilise Benun, Marketing Mentor – The Simplest Marketing Plan

Featuring: Ilise Benun, Marketing Mentor

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!

For the past 35 years, Ilise Benun has made it her business to teach basic business skills – that is mindset, money, and marketing – to creative professionals and solopreneurs who should have learned them in school but, alas, did not because it’s not taught in school. This has, for years, perpetuated a “starving artist” mentality amongst creative professionals, who are naturally talented and could easily bring their creativity to the business side of their business, if only they knew how. That’s the mission she’s on with all of her work through marketing-mentor.com, including The Simplest Marketing Plan, The Marketing Mentor Podcast, 7 books including The Creative Professional’s Guide to Money, multiple online courses for Creative Live and Domestika.org and much more.

Contact Ilise:
https://bit.ly/agencyoutsight-qt
https://www.marketing-mentor.com/
https://quicktips.marketing-mentor.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/iliseben