Jeffrey McElhaugh

Take pride in the accounts you build. They will lead you to an increase in referral opportunities and growth. Treat your clients as if they are family.

 

Jeffrey McElhaugh is a digital marketing sales executive with eighteen years of experience. Beginning just out of college as the digital age was new, he has consistently learned the newest strategies to ensure success. His expertise and multiple certifications have helped him become one of the most sought after digital experts in the metro Philadelphia area.

Jeffrey not only has an excellent track record of explosive revenue generation, but he has also helped build and manage teams that have excelled in their field. His career includes a focus on creating new, long-lasting business relationships and lead generation. Through his continual improvement, Jeffrey has gained a comprehensive knowledge of the digital media landscape and emerging technologies.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

My father was in advertising and I was interested in the field by the time I started college. While still in school, I reached out to a headhunter to learn about what opportunities were available. I was given a lead for new sales generation and it was just as the digital marketing era was beginning. I love getting enough people where they want to be in life. I love seeing my solutions work for them. I have spent my career continually educating myself on the most recent trends so that my solutions are relevant and effective.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I organize my day as well as I can the night before. In the morning, I spend several hours focusing on new business calls. I do the same just after lunch. This is a very productive time for me, reaching out to new clients and making sure my name is well-known in the field. Before and after these working hours, I am following up with existing clients. I manage my current accounts consistently. That’s how I am able to maintain that long-term relationship with so many of them.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I bring ideas to life through my ability to build a team that will create and implement the best strategies for what the client wants to achieve. I find it very important to stay up to date on the most recent trends and I am willing to try new things. You have to be willing to for that in this day and age. Old ways do still work with certain things, but advertising is not one of them. The majority of active marketing is online now and there are so many methods that are available, depending on your product and market.

What’s one trend that excites you?

In my field, the best trend for some time has been the increase in social media and all the potential for growth there. There are several options when it comes to introducing the public to a new product. Some of my clients would benefit from direct email marketing, others do better with a per-click option. Having experience with all these makes my expertise more valuable for my clients. I can analytically show just how well prior clients are doing with my guidance.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

My persistence is my best habit. I am relentless in my pursuit of what will help my client the most. I use every bit of my experience and knowledge to make the best plan for them. I always have their goal in my mind as I create the best strategy to get them where they want to be. I believe in providing the best customer service to anyone I deal with. The way to do that is to really listen and learn what they need.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would tell myself to stay focused and keep it simple. I have always had great focus, really, but there can’t be too much when you’re starting out in a field. I knew what the expectation for me was and I went after it at a full run. I believe I may have spent some time overthinking or trying too hard when I was younger. Keeping it simple for me means to get straight to the point. Find out what the client needs and present the best way to get there. I believe when I was younger, I may have thrown too wide a net. With my expertise now, I am able to determine quickly what the best strategies are and put them into play. I have spent time researching best practices in many different fields and I use that to my advantage when presenting to clients.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

I still believe in the inherent goodness of people. I think, especially in the sales industry, we are so convinced that everyone you speak with is out for themselves only. I don’t hold that opinion. I feel like we all want each other to succeed. We just want to also be successful. I love the feeling of closing sales, but not just for financial reasons. I know that my expertise and my planning has helped someone else reach their goal. I have seen businesses grow and knowing I helped with that is what I find the best currency.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Take pride in the accounts you build. They will lead you to an increase in referral opportunities and growth. Treat your clients as if they are family. The golden rule applies to business just as much as it does your personal life. Treat people with the same respect that you expect to receive. Your client base leads you to more clients. Once you have a history of great work with excellent results, your name will be passed to another potential client. Honesty, integrity, and transparency are keys to establishing your name in this field.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

I have an innate ability to find the reason for a lack of growth my client may be facing. I evaluate and determine the products that are the most advantageous for my client to market that will increase their potential in a given market. The strategy I have used is my own education. I have certifications in several digital marketing programs. I have researched the best methods in different markets for different industries. It’s this knowledge that has made me so successful. When I present to a client, I know I am presenting the best course of action specific to their needs and I can provide the analytics to back that up.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

One area of learning that I have experienced early in my career was misjudging businesses by size. I would lay out a strategic plan for them without full understanding of their budget. When this was brought to my attention, I then had to go back and restructure the plan, either filling in or scaling back. I quickly learned to be more attentive to this before creating the plan so that nothing was slowed down.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

If someone could find a way to manage and construct a solution selling product that flawlessly provides a high-level return on investment for their clients. It doesn’t matter what field it is, as long as the demand is there and you can successfully navigate the needs and provide the right outcome, you will be successful. Have the determination to push through any walls that you may experience. Be willing to take risks when needed.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I took my parents out to dinner for their 50th wedding anniversary. Family is so important to me. I wouldn’t be where I am without mine. The support and knowledge you get from your family are unmatched in that it always comes from the heart. I was happy to be able to treat them to a nice evening.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I use SEM Rush. This is a real-time software that I use daily. It gives me the ability to see what my clients, as well as their competition, are doing in their field. It allows me to see the budget I have and from that information, I am able to determine the best course for my clients.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

I recommend The Challenger Sale by Brent Adamson and Matthew Dixon. The book delves into several different sales techniques and what has led others to success.

What is your favorite quote?

Words are for people that do not have words of their own

Key Learnings:

• Honesty, integrity, and transparency are keys to establishing your name.
• Take pride in the accounts you build.
• Family is most important to where I am and who I am.