Top 6 Lessons Learned From A Growing Inbound Marketing Agency

The first six months of life for our inbound marketing agency in Louisiana consisted of hosting conference calls, webinars and client meetings from a coffee table or a coffee shop. While it wasn't the ideal situation, it certainly provided me with plenty of motivation for growth. If the launch of BlinkJar Media would have been any different I honestly do not think we would have experience the same growth we have encountered over the last several months. Our humble beginnings have given us much to be thankful for today.

We are extremely young as a start up organization, but we have learned so much in our year and a half of existence. We, by no means, have it all figured out. However, what we have learned in our short span will help us grow exponentially in the future. So, what have we learned? Glad you asked, as we have listed the six top lessons learned below for your reference. We would love your feedback, so please comment below to strike up a conversation with us.

1. Scalable Growth - Simply put, growing a business according to the infrastructure in place is critical. If a business grows too fast or too soon, it can prove to be detrimental to the success of the business. At BlinkJar Media, we have had to put the brakes on the scale of our expansion several times in the past eighteen months. 

2. Valuable Partners - No matter what the business category, pairing with the right companies can make or break your business. At BlinkJar Media, our business plan was structured around the use of Hubspot, an all in one marketing software company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Today, we are a Silver VAR (and growing) with Hubspot and utilize their Inbound Marketing software for all of our clients.

3. People Trump Technology - We have the best marketing and technology partners in the world with Hubspot. However, the best tool in the world is worthless without a capable and creative operator. We like to say that Hubspot is our super-powered belt, but our team members are the SUPER-HEROES for our clients! So, our team members are the single most important ingredient in the world. We happen to have a VERY qualified group of super-heroes.

4. Clients with the right mindset - It goes without saying, without clients, BlinkJar Media would not exist. More importantly, without the RIGHT clients, BlinkJar Media would not be experiencing the aforementioned growth. I personally wake up every day thankful for the client base that we have at BlinkJar Media. Furthermore, we have clients who have fully embraced the new direction of Inbound Marketing. Without their commitment, our marketing efforts would not be possible. 

5. Passion - Inbound Marketing is not easy. Much like any marketing or advertising, instantaneous results are rare with Inbound Marketing. Yet, the work load and effort put forth by our team is extremely demanding. It takes a very unique, driven, and creative individual to fit the mode of an Inbound Marketing Specialist. What sets most of the great Inbound Marketing Specialist apart from the average specialist is PASSION. It takes passion to take an idea and apply the Inbound Marketing process to it. To take the initial vision and follow the process from start to finish requires a tremendous amount of passion. In my opinion, the individuals with passion for the process of Inbound Marketing will be the ones who thrive in this environment, and the fruits of their labor will reflect this passion. 

6. Practice What You Preach - This may be the single most important ingredient in the entire recipe. In order for an agency to direct, lead, and advise another business on their Inbound Marketing efforts, shouldn't this agency practice the principles of Inbound Marketing as well? At times, we are certainly are guilty of putting our site last, as we are busy working on the marketing for our clients. However, it is crucial that there is a consistent effort towards the internal inbound marketing efforts of an agency. How can one advise others on a process, if they are not implementing this same process themselves? A simple concept, but one that many agencies do not implement. 

While we have certainly discovered and encountered more than six lessons in our time as an agency, we feel these are the six most important lessons learned. Our hope is to help any upstart inbound marketing agency that may be searching for certain pitfalls to avoid. Now, it's your turn. What lessons or experiences have you had as an Inbound Marketing Specialist? I would love to hear from you.