5 reasons you MUST do workshops regularly as an Inbound Agency

If you are not doing at least one workshop per month for prospects or clients your Inbound Agency is doomed to fail... a bit dramatic, I know. 

Don't worry, there is always a chance to turn things around. Here are all the reasons why you should be doing workshops.

But first things first: why are workshops good for an agency? You want to deliver a better service to your clients, increase your number of retainers, and keep growing. The benefits of a workshop are not only for your prospects or clients but also for you. Workshops will help you to:

• Keep sharp: Inbound agencies know too much. Once you start reading the HubSpot blog you think everyone knows about Inbound Marketing :) which makes you speak in jargon all the time. Getting in front of a group of people who are not experts and hearing the questions they have will keep your presentations skills sharp.
• Qualify good fits: If you give a workshop to a prospect, you can decide in the room if you want to work with them in the future. This face-to-face interaction allows you notice if they are too difficult, question everything you say or you think their industry is boring. Maybe you simply just do not like them. So, at the end of your PAID workshop, you can just recommend they work with another agency. No harm done.
• Strengthen relationships: There is no such thing as a perfect Inbound Marketing campaign without any bumps. That is simply the nature of marketing and sales: nearly always something will go wrong. If you started off building rapport in a workshop, when that something does go wrong in the future, you and your prospect will be able to benefit from the trust you had already built. This results in a much stronger, longer-lasting business relationship.
• Increase cash flow: This is always a sensitive topic with agencies. Workshops are a great source of profitable revenue for your business. You should set a target of presenting for a prospect at least one a week. Over a year you should see your bottom line go up.
   

If you need some help with workshops you can read our blog post about How to bring WoW to your agency”. But now, let's get to what you came here for: the five reasons why you must do workshops regularly.

1. Education - There is so much to learn about Inbound Marketing. The topic is extensive and there is new content being added every day. When you are standing in a room to deliver quality content, answer questions, and get a clear understanding from all the members of your client's team, you are putting into practice the absolute essentials of success for your business.
2. Communication - Nothing beats face-to-face when it comes to overcoming obstacles or clearing up any misconceptions about the work you will be doing. We do most things online now. You would be surprised at how much it helps a client to know what you look like in 3D.
3. Rapport - This could potentially be the start of a long and fruitful working relationship, even a friendship. Get things off to a strong start by building rapport and getting to you know your client/prospect from day 1.
4. Uncover potential roadblocks early - If there is someone on the team who has doubts about online marketing or the value in your agency, you can address those concerns in a workshop and stop them from being disruptive to the whole retainer.
5. Quick wins - You can choose to get a lot done in a workshop when all the team is committed to success. Getting to know the team up close will give the retainer a strong start.

It is clear that you must do workshops, but you are probably wondering about when should you do one. We have a few suggestions.

• Before a retainer: You can do a paid workshop for a prospect to either qualify them to work with you or perhaps qualify them out if you do not want to work with them. Yes, you can say no to prospects who are not a good fit! You are in the position to do this if you are regularly doing workshops and you are not tight on cash flow.
• To kick off a new relationship: The client has signed up on a 12-month contract with HubSpot and a 12-month services retainer with your agency. Then starting face to face is a great foundation stone for your future. There should be a charge for these actions of at least the amount of your monthly retainer, so you can ensure people will attend. Do not conduct the workshop until you have confirmation that all key stakeholders will be present.
• Quarterly or biannual check-ins: Similarly to kick-off meetings you need to organise regular face-to-face paid workshops, either quarterly or every six months. These relevant meetings are meant to review what is working and what is not. It also gives you the chance to scope in more work, should you wish to continue working with them at the end of the retainer, or decide if it is appropriate to terminate and move them to another agency.
• End of a retainer: Not all collaborations are meant to last forever. Perhaps there is a natural close to the relationship, they have hired their own internal Inbound Agency marketer or things have not worked out with your agency and they need to terminate the relationship. Either way, it is important to wrap things up. For your last workshop with them, write down and hand over all information they need to move forward. End on a high note, close with a flourish.
• Anytime: Get out and do workshops. If the previous reasons were not enough, think about the importance of never missing a deeper interaction with prospects or clients.

What about pricing? It should be relative to the client and correlate with your monthly retainer price. Don’t forget to cover your costs as well and include other fees: are you booking a room or flying to their office/hotel? Who will be providing the food?

Now that you have seen the benefits of workshops. Get out there!