5 Things I learned reading “The Agency: Build — Grow — Repeat”
The book “The Agency: Build — Grow — Repeat” teaches you how to build and grow a business, specifically a marketing agency. You’ll learn how to launch a business and tips to create your own event to host valuable talks and insights. The book isn’t very useful for people who’ve built businesses, but if you’re a first time entrepreneur it’s a must read.
The book was written by Luca Senatore, the CEO of Genie Goals. Genie Goals is a multi-award winning digital marketing agency located in Cambridge. Genie Goals is also on Google’s list of the most innovative agencies.
The book provides an array of insights. Below I explain what I found most striking.
Ask & Listen
Information is key to success. One way of getting the right information is asking the right questions.
Don’t be afraid to ask. Ask what you need to know. In a meeting with a client, don’t be afraid to ask important questions like deadlines, budget, if they are happy with the agency they’ve hired, if you can get in touch with them in a certain time, and so on. If you get rejected from a company, ask them for feedback. Feedback is key to helping a business or individual improve.
The most important thing after asking questions is listening. Stay quiet and listen. Don’t interrupt. Let who you’re talking with expand on their explanation and build their argument. Take notes and analyze the points they make.
Build a strong foundation
You need to know why you created a business. Responses like “to profit” or “because I like” are not good answers. Knowing your WHY will answer those tough questions when situations get critical. It will foster engagement among team members and push them to do their best. It will make your clients love you. Your WHY stems from values you consider important. It will guide you through your decision making.
Another important thing to consider when building your foundation is your WHAT. What do you do? What’s different and remarkable about your business? What problem are you trying to solve? These answers must be as clear as possible, so your team and your target audience can understand and request more information. Focus on your Unique Selling Points (USPs). These are the characteristics that make your business stand out. Even when you don’t have awards or clients, something about your business needs to be unique.
Your clients are people
Not only that, but they are a team of people that have their own values and their own WHY. They have faces and names. They have dreams and goals.
Know who your clients are. Talk to them. Understand who the team you are working with is. Build relationships with every client. Nurture the relationships that will naturally grow. Remember them and treat them right. Your clients will change companies and they’ll bring you with them.
Don’t sell
You shouldn’t be selling all the time. Don’t sell on cold calls, on networking meetings, on events or when you add new people to your social media. All of this will come as annoying and boring. You should be building relationships, asking questions, listening, exchanging knowledge, helping and providing value for the world. People remember great experiences, so make each interaction a memorable one.
Always add value to your work
Never deliver the bare minimum. When your client gets a better offer, you’ll be replaced. However, if you deliver value, your clients will be loyal to you.
Go above and beyond when providing value to your client. Don’t simply add things you hope they’ll like. Provide more true value than you promised when you submitted your proposal or signed the contract. This value could be anything. It could be a coaching session, a review of their workflow, a custom schedule for their social media channel or a helping hand on their business pitch presentation. No matter what you offer, always try to deliver something valuable.
You’ll learn about amazing examples and concepts in Senatore’s book. It’s easy-to-read for people whose native language isn’t english.
You can find the book in the link down below:
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