Marketers for small advertising agencies can envy the larger budgets of their competitors. But borrowing marketing tactics isn’t just about budget and resources. Derek White, CEO of Refuel Agency, shared in a recent interview with Association of National Advertisers Magazine that many excuses small agencies have made for not adopting their larger competitors’ strategies and tactics are no longer valid in a post-digital world.
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Social and digital media provides direct access
Despite limited resources, smaller agencies can adopt marketing tactics and strategies from larger ad agencies that can help them maximize their marketing plans. “This is the golden era for small brands due to the unprecedented direct access to consumers that social/digital media provides,” White says for ANA Magazine.
“Never has it been easier for a brand to micro-target. Never has it been easier to test product features, consumer data profiles, marketing, or creative through online A/B testing. We typically run scores of tests in a matter of days around any given campaign.”
Social media and digital marketing strategy have democratized direct-to-consumer advertising in a way that gives small brands a significant advantage.
Bigger is not always better
White says that while larger advertising agencies have bigger teams, they don’t necessarily have a built-in advantage long term. “You just need a different tactical approach that must be much more targeted,” he says.
A small team allows small advertising agencies to be nimble and efficient when it comes to delivering high-quality work to clients. With less bureaucracy to deal with, smaller agencies can make efficient decisions and innovate with greater ease. Use this to your advantage by guaranteeing tighter deadlines and thinking outside of the box.
Small agencies can work their size
One advantage that less sizeable firms have over larger ones is that they can know and play to their strengths. White advises, “Do not compete head-on with the bigger brands. Find the brand adoption entry point for your category and build from there.”
Small advertising agencies need to work their niche, their relationships, and their specialized expertise to compete with larger agencies. And while smaller firms are more likely to have a small number of major clients, this can actually be presented as a strength. You can reassure your clients that your team is dedicated and focused on delivering outcomes without distractions.
Regardless of your ad agency’s size, you deliver results to your clients because of your talent – and that’s what really matters.
