In these uncertain times, budgets are under pressure and anxiety high – but there is still a need to make sure your clients know you are there for them, as well as the need of new clients that may well require your services. Businesses that are going survive this hiatus are those that will continue to invest in communicating with customers and prospects.
But who to choose to deliver at this time and why?
Right now is not the time for those big agency retainers, when what you need flexibility, agility and cost effectiveness. A smaller marketing agency is well versed in managing the compromises that come from reductions in budgets, but still communicate your message powerfully.
Expect More – Working with Smaller Agencies
The benefits
Unlike large agencies, small agencies don’t operate like their own internal marketing department. They are nimble, creative and concerned with delivering results for their clients that will earn a referral or the next engagement.
What you see is what you get
Working with a small agency often means the contact you meet at your 1st meeting is also a senior designer and will play an integral role when it’s time to roll up sleeves and get work done. For clients, it means you’re not sold on the expertise of a couple of individuals only then to discover that the team working on your project is completely different from the team that sold you the concept.
No Weak Links
Too small to allow dead weight because it impacts the small agencies work. Instead you get a small full-time team that can call upon specialist contractors/agency partners and freelancers with a variety of marketing, printing & other skills to draw from when required. So as a client, you’re continually surrounded by an invested team of people bringing a wealth of experience and ideas to your project.
Faster Turnarounds – Smaller Budgets
Approval can be time consuming with larger agencies with various levels of the team working on deliverables, each requiring several levels of feedback and internal revisions. In a smaller agency the levels don’t exist. So they are able to turnaround projects that have seemingly impossible deadlines on those projects that come in at the last minute plus your not burdened by the operational expenses of a large agency. So doing business with a small agency remains comparatively low.
A Consistent Team
A small agency retain staff for longer due to a select hiring philosophy, so you benefit from a long term familiar crew that knows you, your brand, your preferences and exactly what to do with your brief.
Creative Ideas – Creative Solutions
Small agencies can be more willing to experiment creatively with new techniques and strategies. Listening to the clients’ needs and generating good solid bespoke ideas & solutions. Not all great ideas need to have huge budgets, sometimes it’s the small things that make big things happen.
Multiple Hats and ability to see the BIGGER Picture
Small agencies are already well versed in thinking critically across multiple disciplines with a wide breadth of cross-expertise competence with a need to comprehend the bigger picture in order to provide quality advice, feedback and direction to the client. In bigger agencies, it is often discouraged to give advice ‘outside’ of your discipline for risk of stepping on toes and egos. Small design & marketing agencies are ready to help create quality, cost-effective work at the quick speed that the client demands.
