Marketing Agencies Are Feeling an Artificial Uptick in BusinessNeed marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/
Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire
Agencies are struggling—and it’s creating smart M&A opportunities. In this episode we talk through real-world agency deal math (B2B + B2C cross-sell, community leverage, video/creative capability, and AI-driven margin lift), why asset purchases beat stock deals, and the contract pitfalls to watch. We also unpack why many shops are seeing an “artificial uptick” (older stalled deals finally signing vs. true net-new growth), hiring bottlenecks, and how fixing operations changes outcomes regardless of the macro economy. Plus, brand-safety lessons from a social post that triggered review-bombing, winning-by-inches lessons from Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Jerry Jones’ unconventional Dallas Cowboys marketing playbook, and the emerging SEO surge for LinkedIn posts (a Reddit/Quora-style trend) as ChatGPT referral traffic drops.
Key takeaways
Agency M&A playbook: prioritize asset deals, confirm assignability, hunt B2B↔B2C synergies, and use AI to expand services and improve margins.
Don’t be fooled by “upticks”: much of the recent growth is old deals finally closing; leads are up but net-new revenue lags—fix ops and hiring to convert.
Small edges compound: manage emotions, win the next point, and market like a showman—Federer/Djokovic consistency + Jerry Jones-style spectacle wins long term.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Agencies Are Struggling—M&A Conversations Heat Up
(01:16) B2B+B2C Synergy: Community, Creators & AI Leverage
(03:58) From Skepticism to Deal Diligence: How It Starts
(04:13) Buying Agencies: Asset Deals & Contract Traps
(04:46) Fast Filters: Not Every Intro Deserves a Call
(05:40) Artificial Revenue Spikes from Delayed Deals
(06:43) Growth via New Logos vs Operational Unblocking
(08:19) Macro View: Why the Economy Still Feels Weak
(08:41) Brand Safety Gone Wrong: Public Backlash Case
(12:10) Sponsor Note: NP Digital + Growth Tools
(12:29) Federer’s 54% Rule: Winning with Marginal Gains
(15:07) Djokovic on Composure: Your Brand = Your Temperament
(15:55) Cowboys Case Study: Spectacle as Strategy
(20:41) Promo DNA: Jerry Jones Learned from Grocery Hype
(21:00) LinkedIn SEO Surge, ChatGPT Referrals Drop
(21:45) Final Takeaways & Wrap
𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗟
Welcome to Marketing School, a top business podcast with 61 million downloads!
Each episode features marketing tips and strategies from entrepreneurs who practice what they preach and live what they teach.
Hosted by:
Eric Siu (Founder of Leveling Up & Single Grain)
Neil Patel (Co-founder of Neil Patel Digital, named a Top 10 Marketer by Forbes)
👉 Learn more about the hosts:
Leveling Up with Eric Siu: https://www.youtube.com/@LevelingUpOfficial
Neil Patel: https://www.youtube.com/@neilpatel
Other Free Resources from Eric & Neil
Growth Newsletter for top marketers: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Ubersuggest: https://www.ubersuggest.com/
Answer The Public: https://www.answerthepublic.com/
✅ Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE for daily marketing insights!
OTHER FREE RESOURCES FROM ERIC AND NEIL👇
Growth Newsletter for top marketers: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Ubersuggest: https://www.ubersuggest.com/
Answer The Public: https://www.answerthepublic.com/
DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE :)
3155
|
24M
