Part 3: The “Answer”
You don’t HAVE to struggle with your business, no matter how much it might feel like it. Don’t believe me? Read on...
So…
How the heck DO you dominate a market?
Well, I’ll explain in a second.
But first, a little more about me.
Remember when I said I’ve worked with more than 1,000 developers, designers and agencies?
My business partner and I run UGURUS. It’s the leading business resource for digital agencies.
But that hasn’t always been our gig.
I wasn’t joking when I said I microwaved checks. For years we struggled with our own agency, HotPress Web.
But fortunately a very smart man pulled me aside and told me a couple of things about the mistakes I was making.
Then I was smart enough to ask him to mentor me. And we started to turn things around.
We ended up taking HotPress Web from nearly bankrupt to wildly successful.
And in 2012, we sold the company to focus solely on one thing…
Teaching struggling agency owners and freelancers what we had learned “the hard way.”
Because you know what?
We ALL need it. Every digital professional faces the same things.
Every. Single. One. We’ve. Ever. Met.
The same problems, over and over.
So by the time we had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars—and several miserable years of heartache—learning how to solve those problems...
The move to helping others made a lot of sense.
We thought to ourselves, “If we can just help 5 agencies… Or 10… Then it’ll all be worth it.”
Because we have a motto at UGURUS: “Better Together.”
And to us, that means—
Wait.
I’m getting ahead of myself.
I’ll tell you more about that later.
But first…
Some web and digital professionals are successful. Most are not. But what the struggling ones don’t realize is… They don’t have to struggle. They’re just so caught up in the grind that they give up on ever finding a solution.
Like I said—I’ve worked with more than a thousand digital professionals (and counting).
And STILL I hear the same things all the time.
- I don't make enough money.
- I don't have enough clients.
- I don't get enough leads.
- I'm scared to talk to people.
- I'm no good at selling.
- I work too much.
- I spend all my time doing things I hate.
- I can’t stand my clients.
- I don't know if I can pay the bills.
It makes me sad.
But it also makes me… HAPPY.
Because I know I have an answer that works.
So…
If you do web design or development, software or app development, or digital marketing…
If you’re not growing like you want, or you’re not getting the financial results you need…
And you think you might benefit from SPECIFIC advice from PROVEN experts…
Then I have something to show you.
Introducing the System of U™.
On paper, it looks simple.
Just four steps.
Attract leads. Win deals. Delight clients. Scale your business.
Altogether, it’s just 11 words.
How hard could it be, right?
Well…
Turns out it’s almost impossible.
IF, that is, you’re an IOTC (if only, then I could, remember?) and you’re focusing on the wrong things.
Because as you can probably see, at first glance the System of U reads like an IOTC’s wish list.
“If only I could attract leads, then I could win deals.”
“If only I could win deals, then I could delight clients.”
“If only I could delight clients, then I could scale my business.”
But as you and I know, those “if onlys” are where IOTCs stop.
They don’t understand that EACH of those steps has many sub-steps.
To attract leads you need to find a “pond” to “fish in…” And position yourself so that catching fish is simple…
Then you need to set up a system to predictably (and automatically) catch those fish.
To win deals, you need to reinvent your sales process. Fine-tune your pricing and packages.
And get paid to sell. (Yes, that’s not only POSSIBLE… But RECOMMENDED.)
(Not to mention rethinking the whole idea of what a “deal” is in the first place. It’s not just a one-and-done project, but a source of recurring income every month. To truly succeed, you need to adapt your business to support more of those.)
To delight your clients, you have to hone your project delivery system. (That’s a fancy way of saying “fix the way you do projects.”)
Then you need to get a handle on your sales pipeline. Ensure maximum ROI. Delegate and automate everything you can.
And finally you need to get a whole other pile of stuff into shape… Your business plan, your operating processes and procedures, and so on.
So as you can see…
What LOOKS simple…
Turns out to be more complex.
But the rewards are great.
You wake up every day with a clear picture of exactly where your business is headed.
You have a focus. A purpose. And that trickles down into the way you talk about your business. The content that’s on your website. The kinds of things that come up in sales calls.
You feel accomplished, because you’re solving REAL problems.
And your clients respect you for doing so. You become an expert, and a sort of mini-celebrity—not only within your particular target market, but maybe even in even bigger circles.
(Look at me, for example. Relatively speaking, it was only a short amount of time between becoming an authority in my chosen market and doing things like speaking at Adobe MAX.)
Best of all are the personal benefits.
You enjoy work more. You feel more fulfilled.
And yes, you have more money.
That alone is worth the work you have to put in.
Not because you can buy whatever you want, but because you can do it without that feeling of neediness or LACK.
Imagine never having to worry about whether you’ve got enough to pay the bills this month.
Or little things, like not caring about how much gas you put in the tank.
Or knowing it doesn’t matter whether you have to pay the babysitter for another couple of hours.
All these big and little benefits come from one thing…
You guessed it—dominating your market.
Now, I said the process of doing that was complex.
It’s not COMPLICATED, though.
The steps are all easy to execute.
And yes…
It’s totally possible to learn how to do them all on your own. (The buy-out checks my partner and I got in 2012 are indisputable proof of that.)
But if you want to learn how to do this stuff more easily…
And more quickly…
There’s a better way.
Presenting UACADEMY™… The only MBA-style business accelerator for digital agencies. UACADEMY helps you gain market traction. Teaches you to develop a winning business strategy. And then holds you accountable for achieving success.
If you’re struggling to grow your digital agency…
(And let’s be honest—if you’re still reading, then you probably are…)
You’re in the right place.
And I bet at least one of these feels a LOT like you, doesn’t it?
You need more leads. You need better clients.
- I don't make enough money.
- I don't have enough clients.
- I don't get enough leads.
- I'm scared to talk to people.
- I'm no good at selling.
- I work too much.
- I spend all my time doing things I hate.
- I can’t stand my clients.
- I don't know if I can pay the bills.
You can sum your business strategy up in three words: trial and error.
- Your plan changes as often as the weather.
- You’re not sure if it's even the right plan.
- You play within your comfort zone because it feels safe… Even though “safe” has gotten you where you are today.
- You don't regularly revisit the plans you DO have to make sure they’re still working. (Are they even working?)
Constant distractions are killing you.
You’re always letting yourself off the hook—because nobody is keeping you on track.
So…
Which one sounds most like you?
OK, that was a trick question…
Because if you’re like a lot of people in your situation, they ALL do.
But it doesn’t matter whether you’re facing one of those issues, or two, or the whole mess…
UACADEMY can help with every one of them.
Here’s how.
Are you ready? With UACADEMY, you can completely transform your business. Not just how you RUN it—but what you GET out of it.
When you join UACADEMY, you’ll start with Bootcamp—the first part of our UGURUS Process™.
Bootcamp is a 90-day intensive.
It’s a fair bit of work.
But it will revolutionize the way you think about three things: clients, revenue, and time.
By the time you’re done, you’ll think COMPLETELY differently about what makes a good client.
You’ll have a working process in place to help you earn more money.
And you’ll be focused on using your time ONLY for the vital work that you SHOULD be doing. (Not the time-sucking busywork that you’re drowning in now.)
These three problems—clients, revenue, and time—held me back for years.
And with UGURUS, I've seen time and again that they consume web agencies of all sizes, everywhere in the world.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re big or small.
Whether you’re just starting out or you have years of experience.
Or whether you live in Perth, Australia or Peoria, Illinois…
This stuff works.
First up—Bootcamp. Here’s exactly what you’ll get in 90 days.
It’s simple: Bootcamp produces groundbreaking results.
Reliably.
In fact, over hundreds and hundreds of graduates, the average increase in project price is 65%. Monthly income goes up by an average of 49%.
Think about that.
Let’s say you’re making 4,000 per job—but 90 days from now that number has risen to 6,600… How would your life be different?
Pulling down 5,000 a month? How does $7,450 feel?
(And remember… These aren’t OUTLIERS. These are AVERAGES.)
So…
What “special sauce” produces these kinds of numbers?
Take a look.
After a “launch” week where we get all our ducks in a row, you’ll begin the program proper.
WEEK 1 Orientation: “Raising Your Prices”
- Learn how to increase your prices IMMEDIATELY by at least 20%.
- Overcome fears and client objections so you can charge more.
- Discover what web professionals around the world charge—and why.
- Get a step-by-step plan to increase your rates and get cash right now.
- Learn how to identify and target your ideal customers.
- Create your business plan and define your value—all on a single page.
- Get the secret to finding clients that can support $10K+ projects. (Without wasting your time.)
- Understand the five core elements to land any customer you desire.
WEEK 3 Sales | “The Interaction Model”
- Learn the step-by-step sales process for closing more deals at higher prices.
- Uncover the simple way to weed out tire-kickers and time-wasters.
- Find out how to overcome key objections in the sales process.
- Learn the secret to sequencing your interactions with leads. (Never leave a meeting “wondering what to do” again!)
WEEK 4 Projects | “Anatomy of a $10K Project”
WEEK 5 Strategy | “Advanced Marketing Channels”
- Learn how to instantly get more leads by doing just one thing.
- Discover the secrets of attracting customers without cold calling.
- Find out how to leverage interest groups—without having to spend anything on advertising.
- Master the “channel pitch” that will drive endless leads to your door.
WEEK 6 Sales | “Artful Discovery”
- Learn how to make the process of selling your services valuable—so you can charge for it.
- Get the secret of how to ask your client questions about the project... In a way that DESTROYS your competition.
- Discover what to do to make leads recognize your value.
- Find out how to “lock in the deal” more often.
WEEK 7 Projects | “Project Management Made Simple”
- Get the secret of how to get paid for 100% of your work—EVERY TIME.
- Find out how to overcome objections when you need to change the scope of work.
- Discover how to keep projects on schedule without constantly chasing clients or “just following up.”
- Learn a robust project management process you can start using right away.
WEEK 8 Strategy | “Your Website, Your Lead Funnel”
- Learn which simple changes to your website will boost leads.
- Get an easy-to-use lead generation strategy that will simplify your marketing.
- Discover the secret to scheduling your first meeting with a lead.
- Uncover a simple and fast marketing tactic to generate cash now.
WEEK 9 Sales | “Proposal Presentations”
- Learn what to put in a proposal to help you stand out from your competitors.
- Discover the secrets to the most vital interaction in the entire sale.
- Receive a simple and easy-to-use proposal template that will change the way you sell.
- Master the three most important things you need to do to upsell.
WEEK 10 Projects | “Expand Your Team”
- Learn how to get others to deliver work that exceeds your expectations.
- Get an easy-to-use hiring process to find and onboard your first team member.
- Know how—and when—to source talented contractors that help you earn more profit.
- Learn how to scale your business and drive profit by expanding your team.
Then it’s time for a graduation week—and you’re officially finished the most transformative program for web and digital professionals in the industry.
Now if you’re clever, you’ll have noticed some repetition and reinforcement.
That’s because we make sure to cover each of our themes three different times in the program. One week on strategy, then a week on sales, then a week on projects. Then another week on strategy, sales and projects. And finally a third.
Each time we go deeper into the concepts to make sure you can apply them to your business. (Like Tony Robbins says, “repetition is the mother of skill.”)
You’ll watch video presentations that teach these extensive topics...
Participate in weekly, 90-minute sessions in small peer groups. Work with a mentor who has truly “been there, done that”—and will keep you on track…
Have one-on-one calls with your mentor... And get challenged to implement new approaches to your business…
Join in monthly 90-minute sessions with me and all of your fellow “Bootcampers…”
And have “run of the place” access to our resource library. (Which is jammed full of ready-to-use business documents and templates.)
By the end of Bootcamp you’ll have the systems and processes you need to create a quality flow of leads coming into your business.
You’ll know what to do to turn those leads into high-value, high-pay projects.
And you’ll be able to leverage your time—to do more of what you're meant to do, more often.
After Bootcamp, it’s time to plan your strategic direction. Ready to build the business you’ve always thought was just a dream?
UACADEMY doesn’t stop with Bootcamp.
In the next phase, you’ll spend a powerful month working ON your business… To set you up for even better things to come.
Your vision. Your mission. Your 1-year plan. Your 3-year plan. You’ll have created them all by the time you’re done.
But this isn’t all just “pie in the sky.” You’ll also come away with an action plan for the following 90 days. Even an issues list to help you tackle crucial work in order of importance.
This is how the best companies in the world run…
And you’re just a few days away from joining them.
Next up? Buckle in… Because you’ve never experienced anything like our Annual Cycle. Plan the work, then work the plan—three separate times per year. When you’re done, you’ll have come so far you won’t even recognize yourself.
I can hear you now… “All this sounds great—but how EXACTLY is this going to work? That seems like a lot to do. Is it really possible to pull it all off in a year?”
I’m not a cursing man, so I’ll say only this…
HECK YES, it’s possible to do all this in a year. Weeks even!
And I know that probably makes you skeptical.
Because if you’re like me, you’re tired of the kind of “snake oil salesman” that seems to be everywhere these days. (If I see one more steady-cam video that talks about freedom, I think I’m going to throw up.)
But I want to assure you.
We’re just not those people.
Remember when I said I’ve been PRECISELY where you are now?
If you’d told me BACK THEN what I’m telling you now, I would have raised an eyebrow, too.
So here—read these quotes from UACADEMY grads to set your mind at ease.
“I had done other courses in the past and didn’t get any results. But I was able to land $27,600 worth of project fees from 3 clients during the first 10 weeks. The mentoring made all the difference in the world.”
— Shannon
“I finally have a real-world methodology that I can use to take my ideas and turn them into a business. I’ve grown by 400%.”
— Rob
“I brought my business up to speed, learned how to sell projects, and gained “$10K confidence.”
— Evelyn
“I wasn’t sure if I could make it on my own. But UGURUS gave me a proven process to shine the light on my value. And it became so much easier to have sales discussions about rates and pricing.”
— Nancy
“I had to beg my wife to let me work with UGURUS. But in a matter of months, I went from apprehensively selling $3,700 websites to landing a $14,500 deal with an organization in my chosen target market.”
— Chris
“My projects usually fell in the $4-8K range, but I struggled to get a lead to sign off on anything larger. It made me wonder if my work was worth it. But with the help of Bootcamp, I came to see what I do in a whole new light. And now I do projects in the mid 5-figures.”
— Melissa
“I was financially successful, but I was ready to throw in the towel. I had nothing left to give. My family was suffering, I was tired of “wearing lots of hats,” and I couldn’t see myself keeping my agency. But just a few months after enrolling, I had closed $80,000 worth of work, spent 25 percent less time working in my business, and completed a $30,000 project with just a 40-hour time investment.”
— Cliff
“I was averaging $2K per project. And I wasn’t very selective about the companies I would work with. But by applying the strategies I learned in Bootcamp, I was able to position myself as a web expert to top-tier clients. Now I charge $20K minimum.”
— Nate
“I had reached the desperation point. I struggled to land clients for $2,500 projects, and I felt a tremendous amount of pressure to do better for my family. I now charge at least three times that.”
— Kevin
“We were “two guys trying to figure it out.” We had our agency for three years, but we were still struggling to figure out the sales process. Now we have the confidence, expertise, and knowledge to land more deals than ever before. We recently sold a $14K project to an ideal client who wasn’t even looking for a website.”
— Chris & Lindsay
I’m proud of these results. They’re the real deal.
But more than that, I’m proud of these PEOPLE.
These UGURUS customers started out in the WORST place. One which you probably know all too well, if my hunch is right.
But they refused to let their situation get them down.
They knew they had to try “one more time.”
And look what happened…
The same thing that’s happened to hundreds of other freelancers, web agency owners, digital marketing professionals, and developers.
And the same thing that can happen to you.
The knowledge that we share in UACADEMY comes directly from my 17 years of entrepreneurship. And I want to help you learn it top-to-bottom... So you can become the preeminent authority in your market.
This is the same “bag of tricks…”
The identical “toolbox…”
The EXACT approach that has helped me...
- Build a multi-million-dollar business.
- Grow an email list with over 50,000 subscribers.
- Spend over half a million (!!!) on Facebook ads.
- Rank #1 on Google for the top term in my market.
- Create a marketing and sales funnel that books 20 to 50 qualified appointments every week.
- Automate lead generation, sales, and delivery.
- Earn over $50,000 in monthly recurring income.
- Give keynote addresses at industry conferences—and run a successful one of my own.
- Appear on dozens of industry podcasts.
- Publish content all over the web on top industry blogs—garnering hundreds of thousands of pageviews.
And you’ll know every part of it, inside and out, when you join UACADEMY.
I’ve already told you what you’re going to LEARN when you join UACADEMY. But what you’ll GET is incredibly valuable too…
- The full, 90-day Bootcamp experience.
- A full month of strategy planning after you graduate Bootcamp.
- Three focus tracks per year. These are the three-month sprints I mentioned above. You’ll have spent the prior month planning what to do, so you that during the focus track you can work hard for 90 days to achieve whatever goals you set… And throughout each of these focus tracks, you’ll be supported by...
- Six webinars per track—one every two weeks. (Yes, that’s a total of 18 in a year.)
- Six workshops per track, to help you put the webinars into practice.
- Strategy sessions. You’ll also get three private sessions, and three more in-person. Remember how the month before each focus track is dedicated to strategy? You’ll feel supported throughout each of those months with help from our mentors. (Don’t worry—we’ve got your back.)
- World-class coaching. How does two coaching calls a month sound? Now how about we make them with successful agency owners? People who have been where you’ve been, faced what you’ve faced, and achieved what you want to achieve? UACADEMY members can take advantage of 24 calls a year—AND “any time” on-demand coaching via chat.
- Full access to the UACADEMY Community. This group of your peers will be your rock. Your cheerleading squad. Your “ask the audience.” And your instant family.
- Unlimited template downloads. Take advantage of everything we’ve got. Every piece of knowledge on how to run a successful web business that we’ve accumulated—they’re all yours.
- UACADEMY trainings. We run education programs year-round. These are taught by guest experts from within our own community and around the web. And they’re yours when you join.
- USUMMIT recordings. Every year we bring together top industry experts for three days of focused learning in crystal-clear Denver, Colorado. As a UACADEMY member, you’ll get each year’s recordings, whether or not you can attend in person.
When it’s all over—when your first Annual Cycle is on the books—you’ll look back at your year and shake your head…
Not in disappointment that you did so little.
But in WONDER that you did so much—and that you had ever thought you couldn’t.
Are you ready to rise to the top and MASTER your business?
