Why big brands should work with small agencies.
Let me start by saying I’m biased. As the founder and creative director of Crow Creative, a boutique agency in New York City, I’ve clearly got a vested interest; but that doesn’t mean I’m not informed. I’ve spent my career working at a range of agencies big, mid-sized and small, and I’ve seen how things work, both internally and with clients — and there is a difference.
Sure, not all big agencies are the same and not all small agencies are ready to meet the demands of a bigger client. However, in my experience if you’re a brand that’s truly trying to do something different, something with impact — smaller agencies pack a bigger punch.
5 Reasons Smaller Delivers Big:
1) Independence
Small agencies only have to answer to themselves. There is no third party driving our numbers or weighing in on the types of accounts we can go after. Which means we can focus our attention on accounts we’re truly passionate about. Accounts where we know we can do great work, work that inspires consumers and prospects to take notice and act.
It also means we’re not afraid of smaller budgets. With less overhead, smaller salaries and the freedom to manage our finances as we see fit, small agencies can do more with less. Give us a reasonable budget and we’ll make it go further.
2) Focus
At a small agency, every client is a marquee client. We don’t have as many clients as the bigger agencies do, so each client plays a larger role in our success. Which means, once we’ve won your business, our focus is on keeping your business. To do that we have to keep pushing your brand further, finding new and unique ways to engage consumers and prospects to ultimately inspire a reaction. And because of our size, the team driving your brand forward is the same team that drove the original idea and led the pitch.
3) Flexibility
There’s no job description for a small agency, you have to be ready to do it all. You have to be able to execute within your discipline, but be willing to step outside of your traditional role to help drive success. This somewhat agnostic approach to traditional agency roles is what allows us to adjust to changes in the marketplace so quickly. If your brand needs to take advantage of an emerging technology or adjust its strategy to evolve with the marketplace, a smaller agency can pivot faster than a large agency. Less politics and streamlined staffing allows us to adjust our internal teams quickly and easily, ensuring that you’ve always got the right people to meet your goals, even as they change.
4) Passion
You’ve got to love it to do it here. Life at a small agency is all hands on deck all the time. And that environment attracts a special type of person — people who are motivated to innovate, people who love to be on the front lines, and people who can’t wait to dive into a challenge and turn it into an opportunity. Sure, these people are at every agency, but at a small agency everyone is that person because we can’t afford to hire anyone who isn’t.
5) Culture
We believe in what we’re doing and where we’re doing it. Everyone at our agency is
here because they want to be here. They’ve bought into our identity and what we stand for. And that’s something clients can feel every day because, unlike with a big agency, our clients have a direct line to the heart of that identity — the teams that do the work.
Again, I’m not saying a smaller agency is right for every client, but if you’re looking for fewer layers and a more open line of dialogue with greater collaboration between your teams and your agency, you should consider it. You’d be surprised just how big a punch small agencies can deliver.