Being ready to thrive once the pandemic passes requires decisive action now. But as well as taking the right decisions, how can you make sure that change sticks?
With forethought, determination and luck, you’ve weathered the immediate crisis and emerged ready for the next phase – getting back to business growth.
But in an uncertain market, how can you ramp-up revenue and profit by taking a more progressive, agency-wide approach to differentiation?
As ever, the devil’s in the detail.
Realigning for business growth
Modern agency growth requires some reprogramming. And now is the perfect time to bin old-fashioned habits like conflating positioning with propositions or assuming pitching is the best way to grow.
This demands a more deliberate, business-wide connection between strategy and tactics. The smart decisions you take now will be wasted without relentless execution.
So you may need to realign your strategy, marketing and sales, plus roles, responsibilities and metrics, as well as structures, process and pricing. Also remember the drivers of change – from culture and behaviours, to mindsets and confidence – all in a WFH world.
And don’t forget your own headspace. Pulled in different directions at the best of times, having new worries and fears right now is natural – as is feeling unable to share them with colleagues. Perhaps you’re exhausted, but can’t allow the cracks to show? Or maybe you’re taking on too much of the burden yourself?
Regardless of where you start optimising for business growth, even if you don’t need wholesale change, the nuances matter.
Choose the right perspective
Getting good advice will accelerate your progress. So embrace your mentors, peers and networks – especially now that their experience and objectivity are so necessary.
Even just saying your challenges out loud will organise your thoughts and lead to better decisions. And a timely observation or suggestion from someone outside your personal vortex can be game-changing.
If you’re lacking an outside perspective, you have a range of options. But choose wisely, because compromise may be required.
- Many good advisors lack experience with modern agencies of different sizes, disciplines and life-stages
- Consider the breadth, depth and bespokeness of growth advice – NEDs often maintain a distance, mentors are less operational, Business Development consultants have a single focus
- Most require a hefty investment and long-term commitment.
These distinctions matter. Not only is every agency different, but also CEOs and Founders need different advice at different times for different reasons.
No wonder that on any given day, you might need a blend of consulting, coaching or mentoring. From shaping strategy to crafting that critical email; setting priorities to getting buy-in; handling bad news to making a plan.
And it shouldn’t cost the Earth to have someone to call.
Co:definery’s guidance is designed around these nuances – and to realise a significant new opportunity for growth.
Differentiate through customer experience
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated changes in how clients buy. They’re facing new problems with less money and higher risk.
This creates an opportunity, but only if your agency can adapt. For example:
- Make the brief, don’t take the brief
- Help don’t sell
- People don’t buy people, they buy experts
- Being easy to buy is paramount, but ‘land-and-expand’ can hold you back.
This progressive approach to differentiation may not be news to you, but it’s moved from important to critical.
So how can you make these changes quickly? By considering your agency’s entire customer experience.
Just like brands, simply stating your case isn’t enough; you need to prove it. Once you’re clear on the promise you’re making to clients, everything you say – and do – should serve as proof.
Create your roadmap
Now more than ever, expertise defines your market, but it’s your provenance that drives revenue.
Co:definery’s Growth Advisory Service is based on our Agency Transformation Roadmap – a process for embedding your provenance into every aspect of your business.
With this roadmap in place, agency leaders can:
- Validate strategy and define priority changes
- Implement at the right speed and make change stick
- Address the psychological, operational and cultural hurdles to growth
- Accelerate change with proven frameworks, designed for agencies to adapt.
Co:definery’s Growth Advisory Service offers business-wide guidance for growth, designed around you and delivered where you need it most.
Your personal trainer for growth
To thrive as the market recovers decisive action now. But focusing on a grand pivot or tactical tweaks won’t optimise growth. And one-size-fits-all advice won’t help you connect the two.
Agencies are people businesses. Although they often face similar challenges, every solution is unique. There is no ‘average’, ‘ASAP’ is too slow and ‘best practice’ sets the bar too low.
Both big picture and hands-on, Co:definery’s Growth Advisory Service is like having a personal trainer. You get bespoke guidance combined with accountability for change.
It’s delivered remotely via tailored three-month sprints and month one is offered with a money-back guarantee.
To find out more, get in touch.