Agency SOS Update — August 2022
Project recap, our new “signature service,” a coaching confession, and what the economy means for small agencies
It’s been a hot minute since I shared a behind-the-scenes update on what’s cookin’ at Agency SOS, so I recorded a video to give you the latest scoop.
But for those of you that are, “John, I love all this info…but I don’t really have 8 minutes to listen to your dulcet tones,” the highlights are recapped below.
1. Project Update
We have three big projects we’re working on right now.
First, we just wrapped a 10-week digital campaign that was a mix of banner ads, social video, and search and it performed really well. 40.2 million impressions (a 5% bonus because of campaign efficiency) and it drove 60% of their web traffic during the campaign period. We’re proud of the results: increased awareness and LOTS more site visits.
Second, we’re working on a Brand Guide project for a client. Taking the chaos of old design guidelines and logo details and brand strategy and manifestos and brand voice and working with all the stakeholders to get them agree on a new, clear north star for the brand. It’s super satisfying (and the brand is taking a leap forward, which is cool.)
Third, we’re in the midst of a deep brand strategy project for another client. We’ve really dug into the brand’s history, their business goals, their innovation pipeline, and worked with them to craft a new narrative for the brand. We’re helping them bring it to life with a number of assets that are going to inspire the company for the next few years, from product development to marketing to all the ways they show up in the world. Incredibly satisfying work.
2. “Signature Service”
For those of you who read our one-year recap , you know a.) we had a good first year and b.) we did a LOT of different things.
Year two of the agency is about FOCUS. Yes, it’s fun as hell to do a little bit of everything, but for a small agency that wants to stay lean, by design, it’s probably not the best long-term strategy.
So we’re doing some work to hone in on one or two “signature service” packages for the agency. The stuff our clients seem to need the most wrapped up in a clear, comprehensive 4 or 6 or 8-week package. We’re going to launch a pilot program for them later this month and we’re pretty excited about it.
(If you’re interested in getting a sneak peek when we roll them out, drop me an email and I’ll make sure you’re on the email list.)
UPDATE TO THE UPDATE: We just launched a pilot program for two new offerings: Brand Strategy Bootcamp and Creative Campaign Accelerator. Read about them here.
3. Coaching Confession
We’ve known for a while that we wanted to streamline our offerings and focus on one or two service packages.
But I gotta be honest: I didn’t know how to go about doing it.
So I got myself into a coaching group with other agency founders who have been through this process and it’s been enormously helpful. Having a sounding board (and somebody to kick you in the butt when you don’t do your homework) is really valuable.
It’s also good for us agency people to PAY other people for help. To BE a client and remember what it feels like. The experience is helping me re-evaluate all aspects of our offering to make sure we’re delivering the highest value to our clients.
4. Economy Thoughts
Oof. The headlines are not great right now, are they friends? It seems like every week, LinkedIn is flooded with a rash of “Yes, I was part of the 20% staff reduction at MegaCorp and am looking for my next opportunity” posts.
I’ve spoken with other agency and production company owners; they all say the same thing: there was a definite TIGHTENING this summer.
Time to panic?
I’m not sure panic does anybody any good. If you work in the ad business long enough, you see these cycles. For those of you who haven’t been through one of these downturns, yes…it’s crappy.
BUT, call me overly optimistic, but I do think brands are still going to need to do stuff. And they may need to do stuff more efficiently than before, which is an opportunity for smaller, more nimble agencies and freelancers.
There’s always a need for good people who deliver good service at a good price. Be one of those.
Lots more detail in the video above. Thanks for reading and/or watching!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Kovacevich is a creative director and the founder of Agency SOS. He writes a weekly newsletter highlighting three bits of creative inspiration for modern marketers. You should subscribe; it’s good!
