Woods MarCom will never be a big marketing agency. I stand firm in that statement because becoming a big agency doesn’t align with my values. I built my business with a vision of staying small because I love the personal relationships I create with my clients. I don’t want to get disconnected or removed from the inner workings of my business.
There is no agency in sight for Woods MarCom, and I want to share a few reasons why it can be beneficial to work with small businesses over large agencies.
The Drawbacks of Working With a Big Marketing Agency
I’ve heard (and personally experienced) horror stories from working with a big marketing agency. Clients often come to me after being burned by a big agency and having been there myself, I get it.
Impersonal Relationships
Large agencies can struggle to create close relationships with their clients. Often, multiple people manage client accounts, so it can feel robotic instead of personal. They’ll use templated solutions because they have multiple clients to manage, so the relationship and work aren’t personalized. Every now and then, you can form a relationship with someone but they are then moved elsewhere in the company or promoted out of account management. (Often, the account managers are the newest and greenest employees!)
With me, you get my expertise from day one and I will always be your go-to person. I am always the one to respond to my clients. I meet with them directly, do the work, answer questions, and complete reports. I’m fully invested in each relationship; there isn’t any disconnect between the team and my clients. And my clients have said they love that about working with me. They want to work with a real, experienced professional, one-on-one.
Focus on Quantity Over Quality
Big marketing agencies often have pressure on the sales side to close more deals. They want to onboard as many clients as possible and will hire more help when they need it. Mass scaling like that can affect strategic focus and the customization of packages for each client. Many large agencies are profit-focused versus client-focused.
On the other hand, I price my services so I can make a living (we all have to!) AND provide excellent value and service to my clients. I work with each client to make sure we meet their unique business goals and have a great experience.
Poor Use of Contractors
I have nothing against using contractors. I have a few contractors helping me with various tasks for Woods MarCom, but I NEVER hand off client responsibilities to a contractor. And, my contractors are also people I know personally, are US-based, and people I trust with my business.
When leveraged strategically, it’s a benefit to use sub-contractors versus handing off work to people on a team. By not having a large staff, my clients aren’t paying any overhead on salaries, but I have access to professionals who I’ve worked with for years, run their own businesses, and can jump into a project with their specialized skills when needed.
Unfortunately, I often see big marketing agencies using contractors to do much of the work for them. Have you ever experienced the following scenario? I have!
You hop on a discovery call, and it goes amazingly. You love the person you met with and everything they’re promising sounds like exactly what you need. You’re excited to work with them. You sign the contract and pay the first invoice. Then you meet your account representative who is a green, new employee without much experience. Even worse, sometimes the contractors supporting your account rep live overseas, so there’s a significant time zone difference and language barrier. It’s difficult to work with them.
All of a sudden, you’re paying premium prices for lower-quality work (nothing against international contractors, but they often just don’t have the experience or expertise to work with a U.S.-based company.) This isn’t what you signed up for. Now you feel frustrated and ripped off.
This is a common scenario in the entrepreneurial world. I never want Woods MarCom clients to feel like they aren’t getting the value they’re paying for.
Why Staying Small Works for Woods MarCom
As a non-agency owner, I want to do the work. I love digging into the strategy and building tailored solutions for each client. I’m just as invested in the results as my clients are!
I also have no interest in managing a large team and handing off client work to contractors (that’s been done to me before.) I could return to the 9-5 job market and manage a team if I wanted to, but I don’t. I want to develop personal, long-term relationships with each client.
Being ingrained in each client’s business gives me a deep understanding of their unique goals. As a solopreneur, I can adapt quickly to meet their needs as we work towards those goals. We work together to solve problems and create solutions that work for their business.
Large agencies have a lot of overhead expenses. Salaries, office space, equipment… it all adds up and each client contract has added overhead to make the agency profitable. I keep my overhead low so clients are just paying for the work they need.
The Future of Woods MarCom
Although becoming a big marketing agency isn’t in my future, I do have big goals I hope to reach in the next few years.
I see Woods MarCom improving its SEO to reach new clients across the country. The majority of clients I work with now are local, which is amazing. And I’m starting to connect with new clients nationally and in Europe, which is exciting and I’m hoping to see it happen more often!
I also see Woods MarCom booking more paid advertising clients. I know this is something a lot of business owners struggle with because they don’t understand the strategy. It looks so easy, but there is so much expertise needed to do it well. I love helping clients in this area.
Lastly, I would love to someday sponsor local events and give back to the community through my business. Maybe that looks like helping non-profits at a reduced fee or donating a percentage of my profit to a local charity. I’m not sure yet, but it’s something I’m interested in exploring as my business matures.
If you’re interested in working with me on digital marketing, SEO, or strategy, let’s connect! I’d love to learn more about your unique needs and how I can help you reach your goals.
