How WordPress outsourcing boosts client relations

In 2008, the economic landscape shifted dramatically. As the subprime mortgage crisis implicated the financial sector and wider economy, consumer spending collapsed. Marketing budgets were heavily reduced and remained suppressed for over four years. For digital marketing agencies, the impact was severe. 

Jeff recounts “Many of my friends – agency owners – were focused on a few large clients. One of them lost three of his eight clients during those years. I lost 35% of my revenue”. 

The resulting uncertainty made Jeff question the wisdom of relying on a few major accounts. It also made him reflect on the vulnerability of project-based work – both for the lumpy cash flow it provides and the risk of work drying up during a downturn.

As the financial crisis hit, it became clear to Jeff that big projects weren’t where he wanted to be. Instead, he turned his attention to servicing the daily needs of existing clients – maintenance and the ongoing stream of small jobs that get overlooked when an agency has multiple projects running simultaneously. 

“Before the crisis, most of the developers I knew weren’t interested in maintenance and other small tasks. A friend of mine called me the janitor of the internet”. “But that’s where the real money is to be made for agencies like mine. It’s also where agencies can offer clients most value” Jeff notes. 

Today, Jeff approaches new website projects more as a way to bring in long-term clients. Websites are platforms that need to evolve with the clients they serve. There’s no point in spending months on a project, maximizing its scope and budget, if an agency doesn’t intend to continue servicing the client postbuild. 

With more than 200 sites signed up on maintenance, Site Mender now turns over more than ever, and the high retention rate suggests clients recognize the value they’re receiving.

At White Label Agency, many of the agencies we serve handle components of their projects in-house. This is especially the case with design and content. Perhaps this is no surprise considering their importance within an agency’s overall marketing strategy, but hanging on to such tasks doesn’t always make sense. Agencies should focus on completing projects efficiently and reliably to swiftly transition into the most profitable phase: ongoing maintenance and support. Outsourcing development and design can expedite this shift, directing agency focus where it should be – on the high-value daily servicing of clients.

Even for agencies that generate a substantial share of their profit from the project phase of a website build, outsourcing the bulk of the work can make financial sense. The agencies we supply at White Label Agency typically charge between $7,000 to $9,000 for a mid-sized website, excluding content writing. Where they employ in-house staff to take care of design, this component of the project can cost upwards of $3,000, eliminating any chance of financial gain. Furthermore, handling design in-house can in some cases delay a project for days or weeks, whereas outsourcing firms like us at White Label Agency meet every deadline guaranteed.

With 200 loyal clients, Site Mender is one of our most successful partner agencies. What Jeff achieves is truly impressive. But despite the experience and talent behind Jeff’s success, he’s not alone. Jeff has partnered with us at White Label Agency for eight years, hiring a full-time dedicated developer and a part-time dedicated designer. 

At the heart of Jeff’s business model lies wise delegation. By partnering with a reliable, efficient outsourcing service for website development and design, Jeff can focus on what he does best – maintaining ongoing client relationships. This strategy not only optimizes his operational efficiency but also ensures his clients receive the attention and expertise they value and deserve.