Thinking

Your business is different, but sorry, it’s not unique

Written by Jonathan Ross
05 Apr 2023

As an agency leader it’s not uncommon to become pre-occupied, even obsessed, with the process of developing a distinctive brand and compelling service offerings.

To achieve a successful agency marketing strategy, don’t get caught up on the idea that your agency is entirely unique. When you fully embrace the traditional marketing process, tried and true marketing tactics can help your agency grow no matter what your business model looks like.

When it comes to building a marketing strategy, businesses are largely the same. It comes down to a deep understanding of the target audience, a clear market position with product/market fit, and putting the right message in the right places.

Test and optimise, then test and optimise a bit more.

The process works consistently, regardless of industry, business model, or whether you are B2B, B2C or whatever other marketing acronym you have decided to adopt to describe your offering.

At Fallow Associates we often hear statements from agencies along the following lines when asked to consider changing their marketing strategies:

  • Our new business comes through WOM and handshakes, not through the website.
  • Our business is different, our customers aren’t on social media.
  • We don’t invest in paid media.
  • We are not comfortable spending money on digital ad channels.

In other words, marketing doesn’t work the same way for them as it does for everyone else, due to the unique product, service and audience.

There is only one thing for us to say at this point… “Really?”

You are special, but not unique, and that really is not a problem.

For the 99.9% of us that may be different, and special, and exceptional at that thing that we do… when it comes to finding success with marketing, we are a lot more alike than we want to admit.

The following basics will always apply.

  • Brand awareness will help you.
  • A broad funnel approach will work.
  • Paid social ads, when done correctly, will find your audience.
  • Positioning around the user’s needs and challenges will eventually yield results.
  • Consistent investment in high-value content will work.
  • Focusing on what’s best for your customer will come around to benefit you.

You are special, but not unique, and that is not a problem.

There are therefore two ways for you to move forward.

1. Believe you are unique and make exceptions or excuses that will hold you back.

2. Believe in a process that has worked for many others like you. A process that will lift you up (maybe) slowly, but surely, to the place you want to be.

If you can put your assumptions to the test, the downside is minimal, and the upside could be enormous. By investing now in the business you want 2 years from now, even if the investment is a cautious and uncertain one, you will always be happy to be proven wrong.

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