Digital Agency Success? It’s Yours for the Taking!
Do you ever look at those digital agencies that have success running through them like a stick of seaside rock with envy? Wonder why they seem to have it so easy and you are still struggling? Wish you could flick a switch and be one of those uber-achieving companies? Well, you can. Read on…
One of the most important lessons in life is that by not having the competitive edge and scrabbling around trying to catch up you are committing commercial suicide. None of us wants to be an also-run, we want to be leading the race, pulling in those big deals and charging a pretty penny for it. It’s about changing your mind-set. That’s why we decided to pick the brains of 300 top digital executives across three continents and ask them what the secret of their success is.
Awesome Staff
When you have employees that feel they are valued and share your vision with you, they will become an incredible asset. Not only will they see their job as something they love, they will help you attract others with similar qualities. And a smiling workforce that will do almost anything to make your agency shine is a wonderful piece of advertising for you. They are focused, willing to learn and hot on the latest technologies and tools. And the word-of-mouth branding they spread through the industry will help keep your client pipeline full and your reputation soaring upwards.
Smart Clients
It is necessary that all parties involved in projects are on the same page to avoid misunderstanding and educating your clients means effective communication on both sides. When they can clearly state their expectations, you can make better-informed technology recommendations. And this also involves explaining to them the value that these technologies will bring and why they are an essential factor in the project’s success. It’s good to explore the technology landscape together when they are looking at establishing a strategy for their digital marketing to understand better what realistic outcomes means to them and how to change their approach to what they do. Our research showed that top-performing agencies declare it crucial that their client understands what they need, otherwise it is impossible to deliver successful projects. That even extends to meeting the client to ensure you are the perfect match. And being clearer in your expectations will make achieving this easier. Laying down stakeholder roles, and explaining the things they are signing off, form the backbone to workflow and acceptance. It about laying out their desires and them trusting you will deliver them
Apply Yourself
The technology landscape can be a potential landmine or goldmine, depending how you look at it. So agency highflyers agree that careful recommendations are essential.
Content management systems, mobile and web and mobile analytics, email marketing and social media marketing are the most frequent suggestions. And as the pricing structure on these solutions becomes more and more affordable, even the smaller clients can have them in their deck. It is also the ability to enjoy an all-in-one platform instead of a poorly assembled best-of-breed compromise that clients are going for. This makes digital transformation easier to implement, which benefits digital agencies no end. This leads to bigger profit margins, less complicated implementation, resulting in more projects and more cash. Of course, ignoring these approaches and maintaining the status quo can seems an easier option. But hardcoding a program of sustainable growth into your business plan means you have one thing lesser performing agencies do not, and that is a future. Ignore at your peril!
Author: Duncan Hendy, Content Strategy Manager, Kentico