Most agency owners get lost in the weeds.
They obsess over tools, trends, and tactics, but miss the bigger picture. I was there once too. But leading an agency isn’t about chasing every detail all the time; for owners working on the business, it’s important to zoom out and focus on a few simple principles that keep everything else on track.
Here are three of those simple rules I highly suggest. They will work for you, your agency, and those you eventually empower to operate it.
Do what you say you’re going to do, when you’re going to do it.
Also known as accountability. If you say you’ll have the proposal in their inbox by next Monday, do it. If you’re going to send the creative comps in 3 days, do it. If you’re going to bill on the first of every month, do it. And so on. In my opinion, these are agency fundamentals.
This isn’t just for big ticket items. It’s for everything, and it starts with you as a leader. Lead by example; demonstrate the habits you want to see in your company; hold people accountable (with kindness) to do the same.
No surprises.
Surprises are risky. You might think you’re delivering a good surprise, or a reasonable /acceptable one, but the truth is: you have no idea. So just avoid surprises.
When you’re sending anything to a client (an invoice, an email, whatever it is), ask yourself: will they be surprised by this?
When you’re tackling a performance review with an employee, ask yourself: will they be surprised by this?
When you’re launching a project for your client, or reviewing campaign performance, ask yourself: will they be surprised by this?
Think ahead and mitigate the surprises. When leading an agency, everyone should have an idea of what’s coming. Your clients and teammates will be thankful.
Help your clients see the future.
Hat tip to Dan Mall who put this on my radar a long time ago.
You have been working in your field for ages – you know exactly what’s next and what the steps are. It seems obvious to you. But your client? They might have no idea, or have a preconceived notion based on prior experiences with other firms.
So help them see the future. Tell them exactly, and simply, what will happen process-wise. Tell them how long it will take. Tell them what the outcomes might be. Tell them what the unknowns are, and how and when you’ll clarify those. Follow the five project communication rules effective agencies follow.
Paint them a clear vision of their future. And not just once; each time you connect with them, ask yourself: have I explained clearly what’s next, how long, and what they’ll need to do?
Follow these guidelines and you’ll find your life leading an agency chills out a bit. Clients will trust you more, you’ll have more bandwidth to be the person you want to be, and your team will be empowered in their decision-making.
Lastly, you’ll spend less time firefighting and more time where you should be focused: on the business.