How This SEO Agency Added 36 Clients Worth $1.6 Million in Revenue in 14 Months
In a bold career move in 2020, Will Palmer, a 34-year-old client development consultant, founded an SEO marketing agency laser-focused on law firms – Growth Lab.
Fast-forward 36 months: Growth Lab makes $1.6 million in annual recurring revenue and has expanded to a team of 14, taking Palmer from solopreneur to CEO of a thriving agency.
This could be your story. Though Will’s incredible growth and success was not without challenges and setbacks, we’re here to make it easier.
Will’s story is a step-by-step guide on how to achieve scalability, longevity, and profitability in an oversaturated market.
All in under three years flat.
Based in Kansas City, Will had 15 years of experience in digital marketing along with a keen understanding of law firms due to his consulting work in that niche.
Will soon realized how many marketing imposters were peddling to local law firm clients with no understanding of what they actually needed.
Here was a lightbulb moment: By combining his marketing expertise with his deep knowledge of law firms, Will could start an agency that set itself apart in a crowded yet starving market.
When founding Growth Lab, Will wanted it to be more than just an SEO service for lawyers.
He wanted to build a highly-regarded, award-winning niche marketing agency with a growing and happy client base doing millions in revenue each year.
To get there, Will had to make Growth Lab the go-to place where law firms would find real partners who truly understood their world — not just an agency throwing out fancy marketing talk without real, measurable results.
© Vendasta 2024
Last updated February 22, 2024 | 15 min read
Spotting a Golden Ticket in Legal Marketing
But, as we all know, having a great idea and big intentions isn’t the same as making it big.
Starting from zero, growing a team of two into something bigger, and going toe-to-toe with other niche competitors vying for the same clients? That’s a whole other ball game…
It’s tough enough to get a foothold in the digital marketing world. Now narrow things down to law firms, and add the fact that Will’s new agency had no brand awareness.
No brand awareness, little-to-no clients.
Growth Lab, as a new player, had to make a name for itself in a market where it was almost unknown. But how do you get noticed when you're new and competing with more well-established agencies?
Hiring the best people to execute on Growth Lab’s vision was no cake walk, either. They couldn't offer the big salaries and benefits that larger agencies could – at least not right out of the gate.
But the tides began shifting and a common challenge voiced by prospective law firm clients proved extremely valuable.
They were all disappointed with other SEO services and were sick of investing money but not seeing clear value or results.
This gap in the market ignited Will's determination. He saw an opportunity for Growth Lab to make a real difference and differentiate through strong client relationships and tangible results.
Daunting Challenges That Nearly Sank Growth Lab
To address these hurdles, Will got to strategizing and developed his 5-step system that any agency can replicate.
Unlocking The 5-Step Formula Used to Scale from Zero to $1.6 Million
Growth Lab wasn’t going to let a lack of brand awareness stop them from growing their client base.
Especially when their niche was loud and clear: What they valued was clearly defined opportunities and results they could see and understand.
With this knowledge, Will transformed his client acquisition process into a precise formula with Snapshot Report.
Snapshot Report’s needs assessment is kind of like a report card for prospects.
Step 1: Develop a Prospecting System for Acquiring New Clients
With automated digital audits and detailed analysis across the digital marketing spectrum, Growth Lab’s sales team uses this tool to focus on gaps in a prospect's strategy.
It’s easy to warm up interactions and build automatic credibility by positioning yourself as a local marketing expert… with one caveat.
It needs to be based on actual data, not speculation.
- Use Snapshot Report for automated audits and in-depth digital marketing analysis to target prospects' needs.
- Generate personalized reports with an entire marketing overview – all you need is a prospect’s phone number.
- Compare prospects with local competitors to gain strategic insights and set achievable goals.
- Highlight marketing gaps and areas where competitors are weak to build trust and showcase your expertise.
- Craft customized proposals efficiently using Vendasta’s Proposal Builder.
- Present clear and insightful proposals to speed up client decision-making and shorten sales cycle.
When it came to Growth Lab’s offering, they were laser-focused on solving the biggest problems the fastest.
“We made it our mission to focus on what we felt were the three most important online marketing solutions to generate more new clients and cases for law firms,” Will says.
Step 2: Bundle Highly-Targeted, Niche-Focused Services for Law Firms
1. SEO
2. Websites
3. Digital ads
Through automation and efficiency, Growth Lab could optimize the small-but-mighty team they already had.
But there was still the question of continuing to build out the team as they grew.
To address the challenge, Growth Lab combined in-house expertise with Vendasta’s outsourced solutions.
Step 3: Fulfill Services Through a Mix of In-House and Outsourced Expertise
- Combine in-house talent with Vendasta’s outsourcing for efficient service delivery.
- Use Vendasta’s platform to streamline both simple and complex tasks, aiding team expansion.
- Employ the Snapshot Report for tailored SEO plans and competitor analysis.
- Optimize websites for both looks and SEO, using Vendasta’s website development services.
- Integrate outsourced web services with in-house marketing for a unified digital strategy.
This allowed for high-quality service delivery at scale, without the need for big upfront investments in onboarding new employees before they were financially ready.
Step 4: Share Performance Results Monthly with Clients
From the jump, transparency and clarity were key to Growth Lab developing its client base.
Using Vendasta’s client-facing app, Business App, they provide monthly updates on key performance metrics.
This includes improvements in search rankings and leads generated from paid ads, giving clients a clear view of the value they’re receiving – a huge differentiator from the competition.
None of the other agencies were offering clients their own app.
- Use Business App to allow clients to log in to a single location to see their entire business at a glance.
- Offer simple, clear, branded reports and notifications in the app.
- Use the app's white-label feature to boost your brand and credibility as a tech leader.
- Strengthen client trust and relationships with the app’s trial and free features, making upselling a breeze.
- Give clients control over their strategies with the app's self-service tools.
- Let clients integrate extra tools like QuickBooks for better reporting.
- Automate SEO and ad campaign updates for clients, showing clear results.
Step 5: Run the Playbook Over and Over
This recipe is not just successful. It’s repeatable.
And something any agency can rinse, repeat, and win by.
The result? Turning what once were hurdles into a sustainable, profitable business model.
- Easy Client Prospecting: Growth Lab uses Vendasta’s Snapshot Report to quickly find and understand potential clients’ needs, making proposal creation straightforward and efficient.
- Focused Service Bundles: They concentrate on the most critical services for law firms – SEO, websites, digital ads – using Vendasta’s tools for smooth and repeatable processes.
- Streamlined Service Delivery: Mixing their own know-how with Vendasta’s resources, Growth Lab ensures top-notch service in SEO and web development, keeping their focus on what they do best.
- Clear Updates for Clients: Monthly updates via the Business App show clients exactly how they’re benefiting, setting Growth Lab apart and building trust easily.
- Scalable Operations: With Vendasta’s platform, scaling up is hassle-free. It handles everything from team coordination to project tracking, letting Growth Lab grow without losing quality.
Just look at where Growth Lab stands today, merely 36 months later. The numbers and accolades speak for themselves, even beyond their success in blasting through the million-dollar revenue ceiling.
189% Increase in Monthly Recurring Revenue
From an initial $6K a month, Will Palmer and his team catapulted their revenue to a whopping $215K per month. Talk about a growth spurt!
$683K Boost in Bonus Marketplace Revenue
And that's not all. Growth Lab, just by adding white-labeled products resold through Vendasta’s Marketplace, are raking in $683K in bonus revenue.
Due to their killer bundling strategy, each client purchases an average of 4.4 products. That means the 3 that Will focuses on (website, SEO, digital ads) and several more consistent upsells.
Impressive, right?
36 New Accounts with a 97% Client Retention Rate
But here's the real kicker: Growth Lab’s clients just can't get enough of them!
Client acquisition rolls like clockwork for the team, and those newly-acquired clients stick around for the long haul.
We're talking about a 97% client retention rate.
It's clear that Growth Lab isn’t just delivering services. They're building lasting relationships and concrete results.
Growing Employees from 2 to Award-Winning Team of 14
In months Growth Lab went from a solopreneur crew of two to an high-achieving, cohesive team of 14 – and growing.
Did we mention it’s also an award-winning team?
From Startup to Success: Skyrocketing Revenue and Winning Client Trust
How This SEO Agency Added 36 Clients Worth $1.6 Million in Revenue in 14 Months
Last updated February 22, 2024 | 15 min read
Spotting a Golden Ticket in Legal Marketing
Daunting Challenges That Nearly Sank Growth Lab
Unlocking The 5-Step Formula Used to Scale from Zero to $1.6 Million
Step 1: Develop a Prospecting System for Acquiring New Clients
Step 2: Bundle Highly-Targeted, Niche-Focused Services for Law Firms
Step 3: Fulfill Services Through a Mix of In-House and Outsourced Expertise
Step 4: Share Performance Results Monthly with Clients
Step 5: Run the Playbook Over and Over
From Startup to Success: Skyrocketing Revenue and Winning Client Trust
Replicate Growth Lab's success for your agency
Get a product demo today
By bundling these essential white-labled solutions and through Vendasta’s Marketplace, Growth Lab made a big impact – quick.
- Automate key tasks like proposals, billing, and reporting using Vendasta’s platform for efficiency.
- Trigger internal workflows automatically when new orders come in.
- Use Vendasta’s Marketplace to resell powerful solutions, white-labeled under your brand.
- Bundle key services for your niche, like SEO, websites, and digital ads in Growth Lab’s case, for a complete marketing strategy.
- Scale up your bundles with different service level agreements; the more you fulfill, the more expensive your package.
Get a product demo today
Replicate Growth Lab's success for your agency
Business App locks in your status as a reliable partner by making reporting easy and transparent by putting clients in the driver’s seat.
By applying these clear, repeatable steps, Growth Lab has turned their method into an automated system for attracting and retaining clients. They make it look and feel effortless.
Replicate Growth Lab's success for your agency
Get a product demo today
In 2022, Growth Lab was recognized for their outstanding strategy, winning the Strategy Excellence award at the Local Impact Awards. This was for their unique and effective marketing plans tailored for law firms.
The next year, in 2023, they did it again – proof that they have a repeatable winning recipe! – winning the Artificial Intelligence Pioneer award.
Seems that Growth Lab is always looking ahead, using the latest AI technology to stay on top of new trends.
These back-to-back awards prove that Growth Lab is not just growing in size but also in expertise and leadership in the digital marketing world.
They're not just following trends. They're setting them. And so could you.
Growth Lab’s story is not just about a successful business. It's about a team that's always learning and leading the way in digital marketing. They show that with the right people, ideas, partners, and tools, you can achieve great things.
