Small agencies and marketing firms have a fighting chance at winning big-name accounts. Smaller agencies are considered more agile, more innovative in thinking and execution, and possessed of skill sets hard to come by or stifled at big traditional agencies. These are all strong selling points for your smaller agency.
Second Wind has always believed in “the power of small.” Learning how to sell your agency to clients and prospects as a powerful partner is just one part of positioning to win bigger clients. Here is a seven-step checklist.
Know what motivates you: Why do you do what you do?
Have a clear understanding of why you get out of bed every morning and go to work in an agency. Use that passion to excite and motivate everyone in the agency, as well as clients, vendors and partners. Your agency culture should lift you up daily.
Do a few things really well.
Your interests and values will lead you to certain core competencies. These things you do really well can be turned into branded specialties that you can serve to clients and prospects, and used to differentiate your agency from competitors.
Tell the world about your core competencies.
Talk about what you do. Write a great elevator speech. Blog. Develop and share content. Host client and business community “learning events.” Take up public speaking. Be active on social media. Be seen to be seen (and heard, read and talked about). Become your own best publicity agent.
Team up with smart partners.
You don’t have to do it all yourself. But you should have a good “team,” including strategic partners who can support and enhance your agency’s work. Find quality vendors, interactive specialists, freelancers, consultants and compatible agency specialists you can collaborate with in limited partnerships to expand services as needed.
Recruit, hire and promote to match your brand values.
Agencies are people, so always strive to hire the best. Train, reward and promote from within. You’ll attract equally motivated, passionate recruits. And positive word of mouth will build on your already strong brand perceptions.
Be proactive – lead, don’t just work to order.
The best small agencies have big ideas, and don’t wait for someone to ask for one. Propose strategies and tactics; take ideas to clients and prospects; and brainstorm on behalf of clients regularly. Let your creativity flow like a river.
Take Risks. Be Bold. Carpe diem and all that.
Be different, exciting, unusual. Test new tactics and strategies. Know your audience and their interests and needs, and develop ideas that resonate and reverberate to make change. Talk about your results—the bigger the risk, the bigger the potential ROI. Do enough bold thinking, and big, bold clients will start trekking to you door.
