Business growth has seasons. Be Known, LLC learned that lesson through a tough 2022. After five years of change, the Knoxville, TN agency now serves coaches and consultants. They use a consulting-first model. It’s focused on marketing automation systems that capture, nurture, segment, and convert leads. They don’t just manage ads anymore.
Key Takeaways
- Be Known shifted from ad management to consulting-first marketing automation systems
- The agency now qualifies clients through $5,000 strategy sessions before proposing services
- Custom-tailored engagements replace one-size-fits-all monthly retainers
- Business growth cycles include construction periods focused on improvement, not just scale
How Be Known Evolved From Agency to Growth Partner
Be Known, LLC started in 2018 as a service provider. The company offered Facebook ads, copywriting, and sales funnel design. They helped businesses selling online.
It evolved into much more over five years. The biggest challenge? Working with unqualified clients. Taking on work because you need it rather than evaluating long-term fit creates problems.
That problem became the focus in 2022. The goal was to fix it once and for all.
Over six months, the company reduced expenses, adjusted team members, and matched scope of work with core competencies. This meant difficult conversations to “right the ship.”
Why Business Growth Has Natural Seasons
Business cycles mirror nature. You’ll face summers, winters, springs, and falls. Rewards, trials, major growth, and learning periods all come.
Storms always come, but they always pass. Businesses need “construction” periods. These are times when you improve the business instead of scaling it.
The lesson? There’s a hierarchy to solutions in business. To hire more people, you need profitability first. Then sales. Then the correct clients. The order matters.
The New Consulting-First Model Explained
Instead of positioning as just an agency or “we’ll manage your Facebook ads for $5k per month,” Be Known took a consulting-first stance.
The focus? Helping established businesses save time and increase profits with paid acquisition for coaches and consultants through marketing automation.
This means working with businesses to plan, build, and manage their marketing automation systems. The systems capture, nurture, segment, and convert leads. They use email sequences, remarketing, CRM platforms, sales pages, and call booking automations.
Who This Model Serves
The agency serves small to medium-sized businesses selling online products. Digital products like courses work well. Physical niche goods too.
The best fit? Companies that plateaued at a certain revenue mark with no idea how to grow profitably over the next 12 months.
Most businesses lack a solid plan for their marketing and sales systems. Even when they have one, it’s unrealistic or heavily skewed. They “can’t see the label from outside the jar.”
How the Strategy Session Process Works
Every new client engagement begins with a comprehensive in-person planning session. This creates a 90-day action plan and 12-month roadmap.
The process takes one to two strategy sessions. The comprehensive roadmap gets delivered over the following 14 days.
Then Be Known presents a custom-tailored proposal for how they can help. Or they recommend the team and tech the client needs to do it without them. Whichever is the better fit.
The investment for this roadmap? $5,000. Not too expensive for qualified clients. It makes sure people are serious.
The agency can still manage marketing automation systems after that. But now they do so in a custom-tailored engagement dictated by the plan they just worked through.
Real Results From the New Model
One example shows the power of this approach. Be Known worked with a large online dog training company in business for 12 years.
The company was stalled at $750k USD per year. Profit margins were dismal, going negative for about six months. Their operating expenses were extremely bloated.
Be Known created a 12-month plan with five focus areas. The goal? Achieve $1.4MM per year by end of 2023 with at least 40% net margins. Then exit or sell in five years.
The proposal included tangible services: reduce expenses, manage online advertising, write email sequences, strategize weekly. All for a fair percentage of the growth.
The result? They’ve had their most profitable quarter since 2020 over the past five months.
What the Next Ten Years Will Bring
Five years is barely a blip on the radar of commerce. True business growth has seasons.
The next ten years will solidify Be Known as the preeminent online business growth company in the industry. As long as the company sticks to the plan, staying focused and consistent.
Companies that use automation systems see real results. McKinsey research on marketing automation shows they cut marketing overhead by 12–15%. They also boost sales pipeline contribution by 10%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a consulting-first model for marketing agencies?
A consulting-first model means starting with strategy before selling services. The agency conducts in-depth planning sessions. They want to understand your business goals first. Then they recommend solutions that fit your needs. Those might include their services or other options that work better for you.
Why do businesses need marketing automation systems?
Marketing automation systems capture, nurture, segment, and convert leads for you. They handle the work without manual effort. They include email sequences, CRM integration, remarketing campaigns, and call booking automations. Once you set them up properly, they run on autopilot.
How long does it take to see results from marketing automation?
Most businesses see initial improvements within 90 days after they set up a proper marketing automation system. Full results typically appear within six to twelve months. The systems need time to optimize and scale.
What makes a client qualified for this type of engagement?
Qualified clients run established businesses. They’ve got proven products or services. They’ve plateaued in revenue and need systems to scale profitably. They’re willing to invest in strategy first. They don’t jump straight into tactics.
Why charge $5,000 for a strategy session?
The $5,000 investment ensures clients are serious about growth. It covers full analysis, a 90-day action plan, and a 12-month roadmap. This price filters out tire-kickers. It stays accessible for businesses ready to scale.
What happens if Be Known isn’t the right fit after the strategy session?
Be Known will recommend the team and technology you need to run the plan without them. The strategy session delivers value whether or not you work together long-term.
How does performance-based pricing work in this model?
Be Known can structure deals around a percentage of growth instead of flat monthly fees. This aligns incentives. The agency only wins when your business grows. You both have to hit agreed-upon targets.
– Daniel Pope, CEO & “Chief Storyteller”
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