Why Most Agencies… Need an Agency

Recently, I’ve come across quite a few articles in big industry publications - each discussing why agencies need to be more integrated in their service offerings.


Digital agencies need to be more traditional, and vice versa. If you too have read theories like this one, it’s time you unlearn them.  Here’s why… 

Despite being known as the mecca for outside marketing ideas, strategic approaches, media buys, and tactical execution, most of today’s marketing firms (advertising, branding, collaborators, innovation partners, idea factories, insert new buzz word here) - do not take their own advice.

In fact, the list of mistakes that agencies make when marketing themselves is so robust that it should have its own encyclopedia. So in order to simplify, we’ll only cover the most common.

Digital Marketing is no longer a “niche”

With an endless array of digital agencies in the modern world, which one of them is the best? The answer - none of them.

Perhaps there is an agency that has mastered the online advertising game. Or one who rules the search engine kingdom. Another is perhaps the real “expert” in social media. Somewhere out there, you’ll find the “best” shop for website development. But they won’t be the best at mobile, email marketing, content strategy, or usability consulting.

Yet none of the above-mentioned players market themselves as such. But why? Wouldn’t they tell their client (s) to have the same focus they lack?

You’re NOT the best place for all things “ideas”

If you truly believe you are, then you should probably inform people at Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook, or IDEO. I’m sure they could learn from what you have to say.

Your proprietary workshop, brainstorm approach, or strategic thought process model is not your position. Nor is the award you won. Or the elite agency list you made. 

Each is simply a feature. And at the price premium I’ve seen attached to some of these, there had better be one hell of a benefit to the client.

Instead of trying to make your thought process the differentiator, try making it a shining example of your brand’s personality. If you can’t determine and clearly communicate the latter, do not pass GO.

If you’re not social, you’re not digital

Far too many old-school agencies are trying to move into the digital space. They create profiles and Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and so on. And each of them starve to death.

When you create a social presence online, you have to feed it with content. And the content should never be all about yourself. It should be a conversation, which is why no social medium should never be categorized as “media” - it’s a network.

The Fortune 500 is not your target market

Very few people realize that there is considerable success at the end of honesty. 

If you have given big financial firms some big results, then you should have them as your primary target audience - rather than sending your New Biz team to pitch executives in sports, entertainment, or some other industry in which you’re nothing more than mediocre. 

While there are probably hundreds of mistakes I failed to cover, these represent the most common that I’ve seen as of late. If I missed one that you feel is equally as common, feel free to add it.

(Source: branditlikebarker.com)