As I reflect on my journey in the digital sales and marketing world over the past quarter-century, I've come to a realization: I'm getting old.
No wait, not that. What I meant to say is: The traditional agency model is fundamentally broken.
Woah, Doc! That's a pretty bold statement, you are making there. Calm down, old man!
No! 🙅
As someone who has been at the helm of Bernco Media, which has been a traditional "done-for-you" inbound marketing, and Certified HubSpot Partner agency since 2013, I think I have enough insight to make that claim.
I have seen this "brokenness" firsthand via:
For clients of agencies, the "traditional agency model" has various challenges. Some of them include:
That's just 10 challenges. I could rattle off more. But, I'm going to stop there, for now. 😀
🚫 STOP. Before I get hate mail. I understand I may offend some in the digital marketing community, especially other agencies. Look, I get it. Not every agency is like this. There are good eggs out there, who really do rock at what they do for their clients.
However, I firmly believe there is a better approach for some companies that are interested in investing in their long-term growth internally, rather than investing in one or many agencies.
I am not alone in this. I have seen it firsthand. It's transformative.
Now back to the story.
As a response to the challenges outlined above, I am announcing the pivot of Bernco Media.
Instead of doing the work for our customers, as I have done in the past, I am transitioning Bernco Media into a coaching and training company. I want to equip businesses with the guidance, training, and tools needed to run the majority of their marketing in-house.
Here are a few reasons I believe this is the right path for companies today:
Customer Obsession: The key to success in today's digital sales and marketing landscape is to put the customer first. This means understanding customer needs, pain points, and desires, and creating content that speaks directly to them.
This leads me to...
This leads me toIn my head, I did not say "freaking". Trying to keep it clean, y'all. 👍
Over the years, it has become apparent that sales and marketing have become over-complicated, almost to the point of impairment. We are drowning in an ocean of tools, chasing after a multitude of KPIs that may not even be relevant, and clinging to old-school sales and marketing tactics that are more persuasive than consultative and helpful
Businesses today are getting bogged down in the intricacies of SaaS tools. It's INSANE!
Just because a tool can do something, should it?
At what point does too much technology hinder a company to grow?
Add to that, whatever new sales or marketing tactic was just released by some guru or what new social media platform popped up that you think you need to be on. It's so confusing and easy to go down those rabbit holes.
After 10+ years of this SaaS confusion and complication, it's time to simplify sales and marketing and go back to the basics.
Bernco's new coaching model is based on the framework of "They Ask, You Answer", a sales and marketing methodology developed by Marcus Sheridan, based on his best-selling book.
This simple yet powerful framework has been used successfully by hundreds of companies worldwide. It is based on the premise that educated prospects make better customers. This is achieved by answering customer questions openly and honestly on your website.
This framework teaches how to create the right written and video content, organize it for easy consumption, and use it effectively in the sales process to improve close rates and increase revenue. It positions businesses as the trusted voice in their industries and aligns marketing and sales teams around shared growth goals
While this framework is simple and makes perfect sense, it's not necessarily easy to implement by yourself, which is where a certified coach comes in.
👋 Oh hey, I'm one of those.
I have spent the last 6+ months with Marcus and our coach of coaches Chris Marr, as well as the rest of the coaching team from Impact, along with other business leaders like me. Recently we all graduated, and are now newly minted They Ask, You Answer Certified Coaches. 🎉
Go check some of the others out! I don't mind. We are all over the globe!
This is a passion for me. I LOVE THIS FRAMEWORK! I am 100% aligned with Marcus and Impact's goal of being a part of helping 10K+ businesses implement They Ask, You Answer. It's an honor to be a small part of that goal and to continue to work with the incredible team at Impact, as well as the other awesome certified TAYA coaches.
As part of the pivot, my initial focus will be on working with smaller businesses with revenue of $2M - $5M annually, catering to both B2B and B2C businesses.
My aim is to offer a personalized coaching experience, working with a small number of companies (between 4-6), at a time for 1:1 & team coaching. This targeted approach will ensure that each client receives the time and attention they deserve.
In addition, part of this will be helping these businesses hire the right talent as needed, such as content managers, video team member(s), sales team members, and Hubspot specialists.
This framework takes a village to implement successfully, so every department has to be on board. And honestly, I will be very picky about whom Bernco Media will work with. and honest about who is not a fit.
Over the next year or so, I want to expand Bernco Media's coaching by hiring more coaches and trainers. This will allow us to serve mid-market companies and broaden our reach. (Hit me up if you are interested)
I'm also planning on introducing a group coaching model at some point, which will enable smaller organizations with tighter budgets to learn and execute at their own pace via an online coaching and training model.
And finally, I'm planning on hosting workshops focussing on various aspects of sales, marketing, and leadership as it relates to the They Ask, You Answer framework, and HubSpot.
While I pivot Bernco Media to a coaching and training model, one thing remains the same: My commitment to Bernco Media's partnership with HubSpot.
Bernco Media is still a proud Certified HubSpot Partner, and I look forward to continuing to help businesses evaluate and purchase HubSpot or optimize their existing HubSpot portal when needed.
But, at the end of the day, and I do not say this lightly, HubSpot is the best CRM and sales and marketing platform for the They Ask, You Answer business framework, period. In fact, I will only work 1:1 with clients who have it already or commit to adopting it early on in our coaching relationship.
This is a very exciting time for me.
It just feels right. Like, in my gut, it feels right.
But, I'm even more thrilled to embark on a journey of growth and transformation with companies who choose to go on this journey with me.
Until next time,
Doc