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Working with an agency isn’t cheap, and that’s why most new businesses don’t even consider agencies an option. There is a perception that working with an agency is reserved for big brands, but in truth this isn’t the case. For a start, agencies come in all shapes and sizes. Some position themselves as an ecommerce digital marketing agency and some specialise in working with startups and/or small businesses.
Before you rule out partnering with an agency, consider that your partnership could be an investment rather than an expense. Ultimately, creative agencies exist to make money for their clients, regardless of budget, size or reputation. So even if your business is in its infancy, here’s why working with a creative agency could be the best investment you ever make.
Mentorship
Established agencies have walked the path you are currently taking, and agency owners have experienced scaling a business before. Working closely with an agency owner gives you access to all the knowledge they have picked up along the way, and this advice can be golden when trying to find your way in the business world.
This is where working with a smaller agency can be more beneficial than a multinational or global agency. You’re far more likely to have conversations with the people at the top of the business and the owners of the company. Contrast this to a global agency where you’ll likely be in contact with an account manager who doesn’t have the same business experience as the person/people who founded the company.
Your Own Team
It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to put your own team together from day one. If you do, it’s likely to consist of a few employees with limited experience. But working with an agency gives you your own team without the hassle and financial cost of building your own workforce. Most agencies like to see themselves as an extension of your own team meaning that there should be no issues in terms of motivation and communication.
While you’ll still obviously have to pay to work with an agency, it does remove the cost of hiring, training and rewarding people who are employed by you. It also frees you up to focus on the tasks that you’re good at instead of spending time posting job advertisements and interviewing potential candidates.
Penetration
The first 12 months of a new business’s life is crucial. Fail to establish yourself and there’s a good chance that your brand won’t even survive the first year. With that said, this is the time when you need to disrupt the market and get your brand name out there. As a result, investing in marketing is a must.
A creative agency will be able to assist when it comes to penetrating the market. With so much competition for attention online today, creative content and strategic targeting is critical and if you don’t have any experience in these areas, then hiring the help of experts could prove to be an investment that pays you back ten times over in terms of establishing brand awareness and building trust.
Final Thoughts
It’s easy to see why most new businesses don’t even consider working with an agency. After all, this is the time to keep costs low and avoid taking unnecessary risks. But as mentioned, partnering with an agency could in fact be an investment rather than a risk. If you do decide to work with a creative agency, make sure you carry out some thorough research and speak to multiple agencies to determine which one works best for your business and your objectives.
