- Hey, everyone, I’m here with Anthony Muscat today, and we’re gonna be talking about his business, his experience, working together. And of course his, yeah, his results from working on the B2B Lead Machine. So welcome Anthony.

– Thanks Ryan. Nice to be here, man.

– Perfect. Well, please tell me a little bit more about yourself and of course Code Brewery which is an awesome name for a web design agency.

– Yeah, sure. So as Ron said, my name’s Anthony and I’m the director of Code Brewery a software development studio based in Sydney, but working with clients throughout Australia and even a couple of clients internationally as well. In short, the little elevator pitch I suppose , we’re a software studio that works primarily with advertising agencies to provide them with development services for whatever they need. Websites, apps, Internet, games, everything in between. We also work with some direct clients, but our primary focus is partnering with those agencies to become that digital arm, so as to speak. We’ve been around since, well, I started running the business in October, 2012, and it’s been chugging along pretty healthily since then. And I got onboard with Ryan and his program probably about a year ago now. And that was primarily due to a massive drop-off in work thanks to COVID.

– Anthony what’s this COVID that you speak of? Yeah. So just thought I’d try something else to pick up the business again. And yeah, that’s when Ryan popped into my LinkedIn inbox.

– Yeah. So that was gonna be my next question is how did you come across me, but like most people you we met through LinkedIn, which is great. What I really liked about-

– You did your campaign on me.

– Yeah. What I really like about your story is a lot of people in this space know how competitive space it is. And yeah, it’s great to hear, and I guess share your experience, like generating leads in a space that is very competitive software and web design. So yeah, I guess I’ll ask what part of the program added the most value to you? I guess in getting through that competitive noise?

– Yeah, look, I think it’s volume. I mean, I’ve worked in this business for a long time and in this industry for even longer time. And in that time I’ve been in roles of project management, account management or all of that. In the account management side of thing and the B2B BDM side of thing, it’s a numbers game. The more people you contact, the greater chance you’ve got of work out of it. So with this automated system that you’ve created, it’s a numbers game. And my system might reach out to 30, 40 people a day. I don’t know. And maybe in that day all 30 or 40 don’t respond or they do respond, but not with, “Hey, let’s get on a call who knows.” but eventually, the leads do come through and that’s what has been so beneficial because it’s automated and I’m not physically looking through directories of names and trying to find out who’s the head of digital at this company? Or who’s the IT manager at that company? And it’s all done for you. And if it doesn’t work out with certain clients, doesn’t matter because then there’s someone else being pinged two seconds later, so.

– Yeah, that’s right. I always tell people like a lot of people say, “Oh, I’d rather contact less people and have more people respond positively get on calls and more plans.” And I’m like, “Yeah.” of course you would. We all would. But even, I mean, if you have a bad approach to doing this, you can’t scale up crap. So yeah. Even with a really solid, great message, great offer, all that sort of stuff, yeah, you still just need to talk to enough people to find those with the needs. So it’s great for you to talk about that. ‘Cause a lot of people I think, need to hear that as well.

– Yeah, totally. And each industry is a bit different. Depends on what you’re selling as well. We’re not, we’re selling a service, not a product. So I’m not able to go out and say, “Hey, look for $50 you can buy this or $100 you can buy that.” because it’s a service, and each client has a different budget and a different requirement set. So with our industry, it’s also very much dependent on reaching someone at the right time. So the fact that the system also repeats on itself, so you emailed them and then they may not respond.

And then one week later it pings them again, as a reminder then two weeks later and that in fact was the same case with you. I think I only responded to your third or fourth message when I thought, “you know what, actually I will give this guy a try and see what his system’s about.” And it’s the same deal with a lot of the responses I’m getting is that, people won’t respond necessarily to the first message or the second message, but they may respond to the fourth one or they may respond a month after getting the third or fourth message and then say, “Hey I do have something. Let’s get on a phone call.” And so that’s another really valuable aspect to the LinkedIn B2B machine.

– Yeah. I find it can be a little intimidating to send obviously messages if someone’s not replied, but what I find most important and where I like to help people is, is you wanna remove thought from the process. Cause as soon as you start to think, should I or shouldn’t I, you generally don’t. And then when you start to think, well, what’s the worst that could happen? I mean, especially if someone’s expressed interest. Generally people will express interest and then the person’s like, “Guess that radio is silence” and then they’re afraid to follow them up. I’m like, but they showed interest. You’re just not at the top of their priority list. You need to get those touch points in. So yeah, that’s really valuable. And I’m glad you said that. So what I was gonna ask as well as what do you think helped you stand out on LinkedIn? I have some things I want to touch on, but–

– Yeah, yeah. Sure. It’s a tricky question because it’s hard to say really what catches certain peoples. I reached out to one client just last week and in fact we’re getting on a phone call or a Zoom call this afternoon, and she said, “I love your name.” you know, which is great. Whereas other people say, “Code Brewery, do you guys make beer?” They have no idea. So each person’s different. I think the fact that we’ve got a good portfolio of work helps one of the things that you obviously worked on was my profile. So that background image, whatever you wanna call it, that sits behind your actual profile image. It’s got a lot of my clients on it, and brands, and all of that. And I’m sure that helps ’cause there’s some really good brands on there.

– Yeah. I’ve actually used your profile in a few case studies or like when I’m showing people what you should do, because it’s a super powerful technique when someone lands on your profile and anyone who’s watching this check out Anthony’s profile and reach out to him if you think he can help you, I’m sure he will.

But yeah, it’s a great example as well of what you can do. And I experienced this a lot there’s a lot of people are happy to mention who they’ve worked for, but feel less inclined to put it up front and center. But it’s like, it’s a tremendous trust builder, and it builds trust without them instinctively knowing why it’s just you land there, you see reputable brands, they work with them, you trust them. Yeah. It’s just really powerful.

– Yeah, I think it is a very powerful tool, but you’ve also at the same time, got to make sure that you’re approachable. So it’s great to this companies like Amgen, McDonald’s, Coca Cola, whoever. Some of those really well-known global brands on there, but we also work with the Mom and Dad’s Store down the road, or the cafe that’s run by one lady and has two two extra staff or whatever, we could still do work for them.

So it’s important to show those clients to show that you’ve got experience in the game, but also still, especially around the wording that you’ve got up there and make sure that you’re approachable. And quite a few responses I’ve received saying all, but probably too small fry for you. I’m a small business as well. So no one’s too small for I really am. We can offer them small packages as well or more cost effective packages as well. And if that’s still too expensive then so be it. But being approachable is a huge hugely important part of it as well.

– Yeah. Which actually kind of brings me to one of the other things in your profile which a lot of people don’t do, but it can be really powerful is you mentioned like “Proud Dad, Devoted Husband.” It’s an insight into who you are personally. And this is it’s B2B, but it’s B2B. We’re dealing with people and that’s how people buy, they buy from people. So I always tell people be yourself ’cause you’re gonna attract the right type of client.

– Yeah, absolutely. And that’s always a great icebreaker as well. You know, sometimes clients prospectors they are “How’s it going?” You’re like, “Oh my, ripping my hair out because my kid’s been driving me up a wall, curled up in the corner because my football team’s just gotten smashed this morning or something like that whatever. It’s important to be personable for sure.

– Yeah. Awesome. And if you’re happy to share what have been some of your results from the program?

– Yeah, sure. So again, selling a service, it’s quite often a case of a long game for me. So someone might get on a phone call with you, resume catch up and it might go really well, but then you don’t hear from them again for another six months. So yeah, after doing this for about a year, I think we’ve worked with maybe four clients through the B2B machine. But even though that doesn’t sound like a huge amount when you think 12 months of work and four clients, but they returned business. It’s not a case of one project five grand or whatever it might be and that’s it. It’s a case of ongoing work with one of those clients, we’ve got our monthly retainer going now working with some big brands through them already.

With other ones it’s being project-based and stuff like that. So for confidentiality reasons, I won’t mention the brands and that kind of thing, but yeah, I think it’s about four or so. And like I said, that the leads are coming in it’s just a time game. So like I was saying before, I’ve got a call this afternoon from another prospect and hopefully something results from that as well.

– Yeah, absolutely. I know with, it’s different for everyone. Some people have lower value products, in which case they just need a higher quantity of leads and people with high value services, generally you can have the conversations, but there’s only really a small percent it’s it seems to always balance out. So the more expensive it is, the less people in the market. Yeah. What’s important is of course, ROI and glad to hear get clients and building those long-term relationships. I think, I believe you’re saying you do have a lot of clients who have stuck around for a long time as well.

– Yeah, absolutely. Like some of my clients I’ve been working with for seven, eight years. I’ve got one client who predates when I took over the business. So they’d been around for about 12 years or 13 years now with the business. So for me anyway, it’s all about relationship and making sure that the relationships are maintained and nurtured and that kind of thing. Because it is a long game, especially when you’re working with an advertising agency who you won’t hear from for six months and then all of a sudden they’ve got two or three projects working in the space of three weeks that you need to jump onto.

So, yeah. And another thing, which I don’t know if it’s gonna be one of your questions later I might be jumping the gun on the horizon, but one of the other things that I’ve thought that’s been fantastic about the B2B machine is the return on investment. As you mentioned previously, it’s a very small cost relatively, the initial fee for the learning and set up of the campaign and then even the ongoing sales flow and LinkedIn, whatever, the different accounts that you think, what is it Ryan? Like maybe 300 bucks a month or something-

– Yeah, and now with the US dollars weakened a bit, so it’s probably about 200, 250.

– Yeah, sure. But even in normal times in regards to the dollar, no more than 350 a month, which can sound like a lot potentially if you’re unsure about what it’s gonna get out and what you’re gonna get out of it. But in the past I’ve always employed a business development manager. And business development managers. if you get a good one minimum kind of salary is gonna be 70 grand plus commission. So and what you got to look at, the results that they’re returning as opposed to this and it’s really comparable. If to be honest, it’s potentially even better with the B2B machine if you’re structuring it right, because in the B2B machine, it’s me that’s doing the seLling. So I’m facilitating those conversations, not another employee who doesn’t know my business as well as I do. So I think from our return on investment perspective, I’ve spent a fraction of what I’ve made out of the B2B machine so far. And really in mind since one client when basically why does the cost of the whole campaign and ongoing monthly costs as well.

– Awesome. That’s what I wanna hear. One thing I wanna convince you to do more of is the content marketing side of things so that you stay in front of mind. But the cool thing is, is you don’t have to, but yeah it’s a great way to gently remind people that you’re still there.

– Oh, absolutely. There’s no doubt, I’m not taking it as far as I could. And I’m sure I could get even better results. I think it’s a case of I’m comfortable with the amount of like the results that are coming through. And until I find that balance between managing existing work and the sales side with the B2B machine, which I’m doing. I’ve employed a new project manager, who’s gonna take over a lot of that project management so I can focus on building the business up even more. Until then, the content marketing side of things is that it’s been neglected.

– Yeah, yeah. It’s a story I hear very often so. I wouldn’t stress out too much, but yeah. And the next thing I’ll be telling you to do is video. Tell everyone to do video and no one wants to do video. Anyway, well, last question is, I guess what would you tell anyone thinking about joining the program or yeah, joining B2B leads.com?

– It’s totally worth it. I’ve been really happy with the results. At first I was skeptical, ’cause I get lots of LinkedIn messages or emails from people who tell me that they can improve our sales funnel and all of that kind of thing. And I’ve tried one or two in the past and they’ve been waste of time and waste of money, but this really is an automated system that you don’t really have to put that much effort into in the bigger scheme of things.

In half an hour per day maximum, and if you’re done, especially if you get things like a text up and running well and all of that, which I’ve really loved using. So it’s definitely worth it. Give it a crack and hopefully you can get some awesome results from it. And if you even put more effort into it than I do, then no doubt you’ll be able to get a good ROI.

– Now, that’s what I like to hear it. Results are not just results. The ROI is dependent on input. So you can get great results for minimal input that’s a great ROI. So that’s what I like to hear. Awesome. Well, thanks so much for your time today, Anthony, I really appreciate it. I know you’re a business owner and I know your time is valuable. And for anyone interested in any software development, website development, please check out Anthony’s profile get in touch with him as well.

– Awesome. Thanks so much, Ryan pleasure to be here.

– Thanks Anthony. Bye.

– See you guys.