Q&A Section:

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Or do you?

Erik Huberman, the founder of Hawke Media, is on a mission to make great marketing accessible for companies of all sizes and budgets. As a result, his firm’s track record shows that he’s been able to deliver on his belief again and again.

Rather than operating like a traditional marketing agency, Hawke Media is set up as a turnkey “outsourced CMO” for any business. In other words, it’s akin to a plug-and-play integration. Hawke Media brings its clients instant expert value without the cost usually associated with expertise.

To learn more about what sets Hawke Media apart, we sat down with Huberman to talk about the advantages of using an outsourced CMO.

Why did you launch Hawke Media? What differentiates your process and makes it unique?

Erik Huberman: In my years as a marketer and entrepreneur, I noticed something. Startups and smaller companies couldn’t afford full-service marketing firms.

I wanted to remove those barriers while still giving world-class marketing service. The result was the birth of Hawke Media and its unusual format as an outsourced CMO.

What are some of the biggest changes you’ve made to the relationship between the agency and corporate clients?

EH: First and foremost, we offer services a la carte. A comprehensive marketing strategy is essential, but sometimes you just need help with one or two specific services. We get that. Our a la carte model allows clients to pick and choose what they need—and not pay for what they don’t or are already doing in-house.

Next, we have a month-to-month contract. This makes it possible for clients to outsource marketing responsibilities without restrictions. Getting rid of long-term contracts has allowed us to serve clients who need Hawke Media for a single complex project or a short-term busy season.

We just came out of a holiday season where brands brought us on for their Cyber Week campaign. They loved the results, but that’s all they had in the budget right now. And that’s okay! We love to help brands out that way. It’s a type of flexibility you don’t see at other agencies.

Let’s talk about the “dream team” concept. Don’t most companies want to hire internal marketers?

EH: Yes, and that’s a great goal. The problem is that trying to source and hire high-performing marketing talent can be cost-prohibitive and time-consuming. After all, to cover all the specialties out there, you need people with training and knowledge in those specialties.

It’s not enough to just hire a social media manager. A company looking for expert marketing would also want an organic social expert and a paid social expert with a deep understanding of platforms including LinkedIn, Twitter, and so on.

But those social media gurus couldn’t do everything alone. Consequently, they would need to be supported by photographers, copywriters, videographers, and other masters of their trades.

Hawke Media already has all those experts on staff so clients can tap into their brain power without having them on staff. It’s the perfect way to get the best of all worlds without breaking the bank.

Sounds like that could change a lot for companies. What does the process look like when you’re a Hawke Media client?

EH: First, it looks like more revenue. Of instance, this November, the average business saw a 16% revenue increase year over year for Black Friday/Cyber Monday. However, Hawke Media clients saw a 35% revenue increase in the same time period.

When clients outsource their marketing to Hawke Media, they’re not just delegating work to specialists — they’re bringing those specialists into their team.

We know how to adapt to new companies. We know how to communicate quickly in a way that makes sense for your team or your execs. Consequently, we’re fast and we review performance with complete transparency. Honestly, our ability to quickly adjust to every client is why we’re successful.

What can the public expect from Hawke Media in 2023 and beyond?

EH: I used to get asked if freelancers would be a threat to marketing agencies in the rise of the gig economy. I said no; freelancers were too unreliable and often too costly.

The future of marketing lies with artificial intelligence. As a result, that’s what you can expect to see more of from Hawke Media in 2023 and beyond.

Artificial intelligence is improving by leaps and bounds every year. At Hawke Media, we aren’t trying to keep up with changes in technology — we’re helping shape it.

For example, last year, we launched HawkeAI, a strategy automation tool to help companies benchmark their marketing analytics, track against competitors, and identify opportunities for improvements based on real-time data. As the name implies, HawkeAI is heavily steeped in artificial intelligence.

It’s been a hit with users. Likewise, we anticipate pioneering and deploying other breakthrough, innovative solutions, too. That way, businesses of all sizes across every industry vertical can gain more confidence with and outcomes from their outsourced CMO marketing.

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The key to not only surviving a down economy but emerging stronger is in planning and execution. Fear and emotion should be replaced with objective planning and intention. Charles Gaudet, CEO of Predictable Profits, is one of the most renowned coaches to agency founders and has a track record of helping them build massive businesses, even in turbulent times. We caught up with him for his playbook on how to turn a recession into a period of massive business growth.

What unique challenges do agencies face in a recession?

Charles Gaudet: Today’s buyers are more discerning. They spend more time researching, exploring, and evaluating options.

Plus, with budget restrictions, your competition is no longer other agencies. Instead, it’s anyone vying for your potential client’s attention.

Agency CEOs are already seeing the effect of these challenges in the sales pipeline. Deals now take longer to close, prospects are ghosting, and executives keep lowering revenue targets.

However, this isn’t the case for all agencies — only those that haven’t adapted to a more discerning buyer. At Predictable Profits, we help agencies scale sales pipelines with strategies that factor in:

1. Buyers buy on their own time (so it’s critical you stay top of mind).
2. Buyers need information to make smart decisions (so make relevant details available to them).
3. Buyers must know why working with you delivers an experience that differs from any other agency or tactic they previously tried.

What mistakes do agencies often make when trying to grow during a recession?

Gaudet: The biggest mistake is thinking that price is an issue for buyers. This often leads to discounting services, resulting in tighter margins. It also forces your potential clients to focus on the price of doing business with you rather than the advantages you provide for them.

The next common mistake is placing too much emphasis on bringing in new business. When agencies do this, it directs attention away from existing clients, creating an increase in churn.

And, finally, the third mistake is pulling back on marketing and advertising to cut costs. Committed digital agency CEOs see a recession as a time to grab market share and drive new growth. This requires you to do more marketing and advertising because your competition is usually cutting back.

What can be done to maintain client retention during a recession?

Gaudet: First and foremost, position your agency as a “must have” rather than a “nice to have.” Clients need to know that they would be worse off without you. So remind them of the advantages and/or return on investment of working with your agency. It also doesn’t hurt to point out the challenges they face without you.

Another way to maintain client retention is through quality relationships. Create client experiences that inspire loyalty to your agency. Buyers are less likely to cancel their contract when you have a strong relationship with them.

What is the key to continuing to grow revenue when the economy is slowing?

Gaudet: Economies are neither good nor bad — they’re just different. The key to growing revenue in a slowing economy is a willingness to adapt. You can’t use the same strategies and expect different results. Your strategies must evolve to match a more discerning buyer.

For instance, you may need to adjust your messaging to reflect current pressures or concerns. You may also have to change terms to provide greater flexibility for buyers concerned about long-term contracts or heavy upfront charges.

The fact is, your target audience is different now. Since they’re more selective, appeal to their need for knowing why your services are a “must” and how you compare with competitors. You can do this by sharing the pros and cons of what you offer, as well as providing buying criteria that prospects can use when researching digital agency options.

Other helpful resources for today’s buyers include case studies, reviews and data that supports using your services. You should provide as much information as possible upfront — including answering all objections — without requiring prospects to contact you.

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