It’s not out of the ordinary for business owners and marketing leaders to come to a time when they feel it might be best to make a change with their marketing agency. When that time comes, it’s not due to a single issue or major mistake from the agency. Rather, it’s more common that the business owner feels confused, let down, or is not feeling the successes translating to their business, and in turn, terminates the relationship.
The agency’s reports may look good, but, as a leader, you might not be able to shake the feeling that you should be getting more from the marketing. To prosper, you need more than “good enough” and the status quo. A study from RSW/US shows that these feelings toward agencies are common in the industry.
What Business Owners Say About Why Marketing Agencies Get Fired
According to the 2023 RSW/US New Year Outlook Report, there are two primary reasons why marketers start reviewing new agencies —
- 39% are not happy with their current agency’s strategy or thinking, and
- another 39% are not happy with the creative
On top of that, 30% of respondents said that a “lack of proactivity” from their agency led to them researching new options.
“These stats can be frustrating, as often there are factors outside the agency’s control informing perceived performance. The work has to come first of course, but agencies can’t get complacent, turning solely into order takers. Proactivity, ongoing strategy, and staying on top of trends are all within the agency’s control, and while it’s effort on top of the existing work, keeping your clients aware of these efforts will pay dividends.”
Lee McKnight, Vice President Sales @RSW/US
This presents a challenge for marketing leaders. Most agencies are “pretty good,” but that’s not enough. There is a need for growth, clear and concise reports, and significant ROI. The margin of error for agencies is razor-thin. It doesn’t take long for “pretty good” to become, “not good enough.” And “not good enough” often results in bringing in a fresh agency with a new perspective.
What To Do if You’re Agency Is Just “Good Enough”
As a client, if you’re asking… “What’s next for my marketing? What are we missing in our marketing strategy? How do we get further ahead of our competition and stay there?” …it means your agency probably didn’t bother to ask themselves those questions first, and it’s not a great sign.
If your agency isn’t proactively bringing new ideas to the table regularly for your review, it might be time to see what else is out there.
If you’re feeling unsure about your strategy going into 2024 and want to see what opportunities you might be leaving on the table, schedule a consultation with our team: https://thedsmgroup.com/consultation/
