Part 1 (1/2)

Thehybrid PR, SEO, content, advertising, and web firms

Paul Roetzer

Foreword

When I started HubSpot in June 2006 with my business partner, Dharencies led us to alned our original businesssoftware directly to end custo teaency assistance Our decision to circu their skills or capabilities, but rather fro shi+fts in consuencies were, and still are, trying to cling onto the Mad Men any corner offices with 21-year-old scotch on ice, and brood over their grandiose and flowery advertisens They rely too heavily on traditional outboundtechniques, such as television advertise, which allow theritty operations side ofand direct contact with the end consu world cannot sins any longer

Consu processes With the help of devices like DVRs, satellite radio, and caller ID, consu efforts designed to interrupt their daily lives Instead, they knohat they want to purchase, and strongly object to businesses that try to force-feed theertips, consumers actively research their own product information online They contribute to foruht leaders on Twitter, and even write their own blogs about products and services By filtering the excessiveclutter produced by outbound techniques, the Internet has changed consuht possible

Because of this draencies to concentrate on providing inbound ies to their clients As Dhar, this involves creating an integrated online process that uses original content to provide educational and salient advice to consu decisions

These ”hybrid” agencies-as Paul coins the posts, whitepapers, etc) that would attract interested and engaged prospects, ould begin to associate and rely on those businesses as active thought leaders in their respective industries This would significantly bolster the client's online reputation through indexed pages and inbound links, leading to an increased level of website traffic With syste cay based on solid encies like PR 20/20 are the breaths of fresh air for which the ency to specialize in traditional PR and ht to see the inevitable shi+fts of the business world He was brave enough to y early, and executed it perfectly

Unlike theRenaissanceconsultants could not succeed as one-trick (or in this case, service) ponies, and that collaborations with companies like ours would lead to excellence When he joined the HubSpot s HubSpot By 2008, Paul became one of our ency to join our Value Added Reseller (VAR) prograe and drive to innovate, added up to incredibly significant gains for PR 20/20 Starting as a one-man shop in late 2005, Paul now employs 10 dedicated eh testing its rew revenue by nearly 500 percent in just four years; increased its average website visits fro subscriptions by 1,400 percent; and has totaled 12,000 inbound links and es

In addition to these successes, the agency has also perfected its inbound s for clients In 2010, PR 20/20 launched the industry's first service packages that bundled website develop, social , and public relations for a set e in the industry, Paul understood that it was necessary to educate and ie He becaelists, and began speaking nationwide on topics including blogging, content y With the help and support froram now accounts for 20 percent of our sales revenue Based on deencies will be 40 percent by the second quarter of 2012

We now take treencies that not only purchase HubSpot for their clients, but also frequently for theency contacts in the HubSpot database, we have high hopes thatencies will be the next generation of Madison Avenue encies will master a new kind of business model, where a sales team, software tools, refined business infrastructure, and newprocesses all work in unison to support theservices

In a ti to accept the apparent shi+fts in thethe course of his agency, and the agency world at large, is incredibly commendable and truly impressive This book is particularly special because you will read about Paul's personal experiences as a business owner and s from some business scholar or analyst No ency, Paul comprehensibly dissects his success so that you can replicate it

All professionals in the -services field should read this book because it clarifies the confusion around the roles and responsibilities ofworld The ency must choose whether to, as Paul states, ”disrupt or be disrupted” So the question now is, which side will you choose?

-Brian Halligan

CEO and cofounder, HubSpot

Acknowledge of 27, I became an entrepreneur in pursuit of a better way My business partner, Larry Ondercin, believed in h to fund the startup phase, and four months later we hired our first employee, Christina Capadona Schht into a vision when I was still working out of coffee shops

We assehly motivated professionals, and created a culture that refused to accept traditional wisdoency Blueprint would not be possible without the entire PR 20/20 tea), Laurel Miltner (laurelmackenzie), Tracy DiMarino (TracyDiMarino), Dia Dalsky (DiaDalsky), Christy Hajoway (ChristyBarks), Jessica Donlon (JessicaDonlon) and Laura Pinter (lipinter) Their work, commitment, sacrifice, and friendshi+p mean the world to me

The book also has been inspired by countless people, sos, and teachings I have adnize them all, but here are some of the entrepreneurs, professionals, authors, and teachers who have influenced an

Clayton M Christensen

Matt Cutts

Rand Fishkin

Jason Fried

Malcolm Gladwell

Seth Godin

Peter N Golder

Robert Greene

Brian Halligan

David Heinemeier Hansson

Mel Helitzer

Tony Hsieh

Steve Jobs

David H Maister

Tim O'Reilly