441 episodes

Scale and grow your agency with better clients, invested employees, and a stronger bottom line, with Drew McLellan.

Build a Better Agency Podcast Drew McLellan

    • Business
    • 4.9 • 265 Ratings

Scale and grow your agency with better clients, invested employees, and a stronger bottom line, with Drew McLellan.

    Finding the right project management software for your team with Alane Boyd

    Finding the right project management software for your team with Alane Boyd

    We’ve all been here before — your agency grows, and your day-to-day is getting a little too chaotic for comfort. Each team member has their own way of doing things, and no one is on the same page about the best approach to doing recurring tasks. As the agency owner, you’re getting pulled into things that you shouldn’t, becoming the organization’s bottleneck.

     
    If that’s you, it’s time to break that cycle with some project management software.
    With a million choices and a few that have become the industry standard, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly which is right for your agency. Often, agencies will pick one based on how popular or how pretty it is, and forget about its functionality specific to your agency’s day-to-day needs.
    This week, Alane Boyd is clearing the fog around project management software to help us decide if we need one — and if so, what tools and functionality we should be looking out for that will get our productivity back on track.
    Don’t be afraid to take the time to really learn what tools are right for your team, and be generous with how long it takes for the new systems and processes to become sticky. Once you find one that works, your agency productivity will be back and better than ever.
    A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.

    What You Will Learn in This Episode: The benefits of project management software Taking your time learning new systems and software The signs an agency is ready for a PM software Questions to ask yourself before choosing which product is best for you Why capacity planning is the most important factor for choosing a project management software How to recognize if you’re using the wrong tool Training your project managers to use a new tool Setting up a project management tool to automate recurring tasks Considering the internal and external integrations of a PM tool that are necessary for your agency Finding a tool that your team is willing to adopt The most common mishaps with picking a project management software

    • 48 min
    The who, what, where, and why of creating online communities with Drew McLellan

    The who, what, where, and why of creating online communities with Drew McLellan

    Humans are hardwired to belong, and the desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves is in our blood. Whether we connect over shared values, a favorite sports team, a hobby, or even just from living near one another, we can find community and belonging all around us.

    These days, many of us are finding community online through social media and spreading our social nets wider than ever. This leaves a huge opportunity for agency leaders to build their own online communities to help others learn and share their experiences about business leadership, entrepreneurship, or any form of thought leadership in which they excel.
    Online communities should, first and foremost, be a way to bring people together with shared goals and interests, but the benefits reach far beyond that. With enough time and care, they can become robust sales and networking tools that do the prospecting work for you.
    But it’s not for everyone, and that’s ok.
    In this week’s solocast, I’m doing a deep dive into the ins and outs of creating online communities, building an audience online, and how to make sure you’re doing it all for the right reasons. With enough patience, online community building could become your agency’s secret sales weapon that provides perks and benefits for the people in it.
    For 30+ years, Drew McLellan has been in the advertising industry. He started his career at Y&R, worked in boutique-sized agencies, and then started his own (which he still owns and runs) agency in 1995. Additionally, Drew owns and leads the Agency Management Institute, which advises hundreds of small to mid-sized agencies on how to grow their agency and its profitability through agency owner peer groups, consulting, coaching, workshops and more.
    A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.

    In This Episode: What is a community, and how does it relate to work? The difference between an audience and a community Online communities do the selling for you B2B brands have less competition in creating online communities Asking yourself the who, what, where, and why before starting a community How communities make biz dev easier for agencies Being a safe harbor for people as a community leader Community building isn’t for everyone 3 questions to ask yourself to determine if you should build a community or an audience How to build an online community and spread the word about it Having a community is a long game — have a growth plan

    • 36 min
    Standing out against the noise with personalized client outreach with Dan Englander

    Standing out against the noise with personalized client outreach with Dan Englander

    Sales cycles are elongated, but that doesn’t mean agencies can’t still win new clients. If we change how we think about and approach prospecting, we can up our client outreach game to really hone in on our right-fit clients without being too sales-y about it.

     
    In this episode, I talk with Dan Englander about how to stand out against the competition in our prospecting and outreach efforts. He shares how personalized client outreach can cut through the noise and win us new business more often if we just take the time to commit and dial in our systems and processes.
    He also shares some tips and tricks for smaller agencies looking to build a sales team for the first time. You’ll learn how to identify the right hire who cares about solving your clients’ issues and won’t just read from a script or phone it in.
    If you’re among the majority of agency owners who are ready to get out of the slow sales cycle and want to revamp your sales efforts this year, be sure to tune in to this advice-packed episode.
    A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.

    What You Will Learn in This Episode: What are companies looking to agencies for the most? Rethinking when it’s the right time to reach out to prospects A continued move toward specialization and thought leadership How to build and strengthen trust in the sales process Focusing on more than one niche isn’t a bad thing Best practices for personalizing client outreach efforts Consistency is key Walking the walk and talking the talk to build client trust Getting past the noise to stand out in your client outreach How a smaller shop can start building a sales team Common mistakes in sales training

    • 46 min
    How HR helps you build and grow your agency dream team with Barbara Mason

    How HR helps you build and grow your agency dream team with Barbara Mason

    In a sharp contrast to the earlier pandemic years, many agency owners said that in 2023, they have the best teams they’ve ever had and want to find ways to keep them around. This is great news, and we want to help keep your agency dream team alive and thriving.

     
    To help in that journey, HR expert Barbara Mason joins me to share what agency owners and leaders can do to help make their employees feel like valued team members while staying true to the agency’s mission and values.
    She is a fountain of knowledge — from interviewing best practices and why HR experts need to be a part of your business to how to create the agency culture you want while caring for your agency employees as whole people. She’ll even share her top 3 secret interview questions she uses to get potential hires thinking about how they fit into the agency’s mission and values.
    This episode is full of practical and common-sense tips that will hopefully get the gears going and help you keep your agency dream team alive and thriving in 2024 and beyond.
    A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.

    What You Will Learn in This Episode: Two simple things that will help you keep your agency dream team happy Transparency goes a long way with agency employees, but know the limits What makes a healthy agency culture? How more introverted business owners can engage and connect with their employees How benefits packages have changed post-Covid Creating agency culture in a hybrid or fully remote environment The importance of knowing what you’re hiring for and interviewing accordingly Motivating agency employees to be more engaged in the work HR’s role in having a succession plan for the business Interview best practices for agency leadership Exercising radical candor in agency communications Employment trends to keep an eye on in 2024 The biggest mistake agency owners make with their people

    • 55 min
    The #1 business development tool of 2024 with Violet Rainwater

    The #1 business development tool of 2024 with Violet Rainwater

    Video budgets are up in 2024, which means the demand for video content from clients will be high this year. For agencies, it also indicates that we must start utilizing this incredible business development tool for ourselves to know what’s up when our clients ask about it.

    Not only that, but video content creation is an incredible medium for agencies in prospecting, connecting with current clients, and gaining valuable data and metrics on what content is engaging to your audience.
    Are prospects clicking off your video in the first 10 seconds? Are they even opening the email? Or are they going back to watch it again and again? Video tracking and metrics give us all these answers and more.
    Ready to learn more about what will soon be your best business development tool in 2024? Join us in this week’s Build a Better Agency to discover more about the power of video for agency growth.
    A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.

    What You Will Learn in This Episode: How video helps you connect deeper with people Making videos vs. being a content creator Getting comfortable on camera and remaining authentic Deciding what types of videos you want to create and where to share them 5 ways agencies can use video to connect with clients Teaching clients to use video as a business development tool What video data and metrics can tell us about our content Using video to market and grow your agency

    • 52 min
    Getting insightful about agency insights for better brainstorming with Chris Kocek

    Getting insightful about agency insights for better brainstorming with Chris Kocek

    What exactly makes an insight versus just an observation? What are the different types out there? How the heck do we uncover them? This week, we’re getting insightful about insights and laying out the key characteristics of strong agency insights — like inspiring action and reframing problems.

     
    Chris Kocek will share his favorite techniques for generating insights during brainstorming sessions, like continually asking “why” like a toddler until you reach some real gold. With agencies feeling more and more pressure these days to stay competitive and continuously innovate, it’s important to know what really gets us to those “ah-ha” moments before building out a whole campaign.
    And once you uncover those golden nuggets, really selling them to your team for maximum impact is the cherry on top. Join us in this insightful episode to learn how to piece together all of these agency insight strategies from one of the pros.
    A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.

    What You Will Learn in This Episode: Getting to the core of the word “insight” Do agencies always need to feel pressured to be insightful? When agency owners should be pushing for more insights from their team The 3 different types of agency insights Inspiring action and problem-solving through insightful thinking The methodology behind building insights How to sell innovative ideas to clients

    • 42 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
265 Ratings

265 Ratings

Anniebec22 ,

Game changer

I first learned about Drew and AMI last year, when a friend and fellow PR agency owner attended the Money Matters workshop. She told me it was literally a game changer and paid for itself based on the changes she implemented after attending. Since then I have followed the podcast, joined the Facebook page and incorporated multiple best practices into my firm, which celebrates it’s 15th anniversary this year. The end-of-year worksheets, planning, and goal setting have been fantastic and I’m eager to incorporate more AMI teachings in 2024. Hoping to attend the Money Matters workshop myself in a couple of months!

LaurenMoreno624 ,

Actionable Insights

Finding this podcast and organization has had such a positive impact on my agency. The advice shared on this show always include very actionable insights, and I finally feel like I'm not alone in many of the challenges I face. I'm not a big podcast listener, but this one is always at the top of my list.

ericmelliott ,

I am a fan, follower and believer of Drew McLellan and the Build A Better Agency Podcast.

I am a fan, follower and believer of Drew McLellan and the Build A Better Agency Podcast. This podcast has been great for my growth and development as a leader of my firm and entrepreneur in business. Drew goes beyond just ad agency talk he goes into operating, decision making and has opened my eyes on things I never thought about exploring.

Drew’s insights are invaluable and his podcast is among my top go-to for continuing my education and growth.

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