How Working With A Boutique Digital Agency in 2021 Can Be A Huge Advantage
Everyone has heard the cautionary tale of working with a large digital marketing agency that makes exaggerated promises, lures customers in by claiming unreasonable sales profits, unserviceable ROIs, and the pot of gold, only to go MIA once the contract is signed and deposit received.
Or maybe it’s the industry jargon, combined with upsells and services that a small business has no real use for. Or could it be the promise of Page 1 Google Search results guaranteed, just to have them drop off to page 4 as soon the contract is cancelled?
We hear about this happening with big marketing companies all the time.
There are so many stories floating around in the ether, and we know they are true. Even urban legends have a grain of truth in them. Working with a large digital agency can have its benefits when it comes to fancy tools and platforms, but will your digital marketing agency play a Harry Houdini when it comes to your business?
Bigger isn’t necessarily better
The typical story goes like this: You're looking for a solution to build your business, save it, or even throw it a liferaft. Something we’ve seen a lot of over the last year as companies make radical pivots in their business models. The slick Youtube videos or webinar and Facebook Ads, free ebooks and sales material have you foaming at the mouth to get into their sales session.
Why Outsourcing a Digital Agency Is Your Best Choice Post COVID
You buy into a high stakes sales game - hook, line and sinker. You pay the big money and to start you are treated like gold. You see your website and Google Ads go live and the calls come in and then...radio silence. They stop returning calls, or the opposite - use your poor results to hound you for more money and services because “Your package was just too small”. Or even worse - they gaslight you - making you feel as though it's your fault or business issue because you didn't pay the extra for ”this product or that service”.
And the worst part? You’re stuck with a contract and paying fees that could be sinking your business.
Knowing whom to trust is difficult. Even with positive Google reviews and doing your homework, there is always a chance that you could be taken advantage of by buying services or products you don't need.
Here is how to take the guesswork out of the process and find the boutique digital agency that is a perfect fit for your company.
Here is why you should be working with a boutique digital agency
Flexibility
Finding the perfect fit in a digital marketing agency means you have a team of highly skilled digital specialists working that already understand the complexity of your business and its need both front and back end to be able to suggest and provide the best fit for purpose solution. You get access to our creative design, strategic minds and experience, partnered with our innovative processes and new technologies so that your brand can attract, engage and solve your customer’s problems quickly and creatively
A smaller agile team combines their strengths towards exceptional outcomes instead of being siloed and compartmentalised. They can be agile, working between, across and changing directions as the project demands. Information passes more freely, instead of being trapped by rigid corporate silos
There are incremental improvements and visible results in a shorter period, instead of one single huge deliverable. Tangible, timely results where roadblocks are managed quickly and competently within the team.
With the ability to respond and change direction quickly, a flexible team can quickly collaborate, develop options and deliver outcomes in a short space of time. There’s nothing more frustrating than being passed around different inboxes to receive an answer!
Personalisation
Without the unnecessary hierarchy of a larger agency, you get to have direct conversations with the people working on your project, intent on delivering your business the care and attention it deserves. High-touch personalisation means you will always know where your project is, how we are meeting critical deadlines and your weekly and monthly reviews in person. Regular client feedback is crucial to understanding the nuances of a business, to problem-solve, and how to improve, revise and iterate content on your behalf for optimal digital marketing results. There is no such thing as “Set it and forget it” when it comes to strategising your ongoing campaigns and projects. Your success is our success.
Once you have decided to entrust your online marketing to Click Creative, it’s the same team you’ll work with from initial consultation, through the design and development and in the final implementation of your project.
This provides an important foundation for a great working relationship with everyone in the team, with collective, first-hand experience building online solutions for just about every industry, including real estate, professional services, education, retail, automotive, infrastructure, and eCommerce.
Cost-effective Pricing
Return on investment is always the primary consideration in digital investment. Larger agencies may view your budget as small compared with the clients they prefer to work with. This may mean they’re not focussed on a return on investment for the dollars you have committed to the growth of your business.
A smaller business can achieve more cost-effective outcomes using the newest data-driven analytics tools to understand what success looks like for you and deliver the best results possible. Whichever lifecycle goal is being pursued be it "attract, engage or delight" - there will always be an intention in mind and KPIs to substantiate.
Services and fee structures have more flexibility when working with a focused smaller team, providing customised options and knocking off the overhead blanket programs.
Gone are the platitudes and misleading advertising. the overbaked promises, mediocre results and large agencies prey on businesses who don't understand how digital marketing works. The badgering calls, constant upsells and the final disappearing act.
You get flexible, cost-effective, optimised services for your businesses needs instead of the one-size-fits-all approach.
Read more in The Ultimate Guide to Digital Marketing
Remember - Digital marketing can be like playing at the casino. The house always wins unless you know how to beat the game.
To make sure you have the best chance at a winning hand you need to hire an agency that understands your business. We take the time to do a deep-dive into your business needs and goals, to customise a digital strategy, and execute with exceptional customer service. You will always know where your business stands, which step of your project is being implemented and understand how these steps will help you successfully land your marketing goals every time.
Find out more about how you can put a rocket under your business!
Editor's note: This post was originally published in June 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and relevance.