Top 4 Ways Agencies Can Differentiate Themselves in 2017

Marketing, PR, and ad agencies know how to differentiate—it’s what they do. The ironic truth is that many agencies are so focused on helping clients differentiate that they lose focus on their own needs, going for years without finding a niche, an offering, or a voice that sets them apart. So, we’ve laid out 4 ways that agencies can set themselves apart this year:

1. Offer Access to Data – There are a couple of ways to use data as a differentiator. First, you can specialize in research, collecting and studying consumer and market info that clients crave. Second, you can find better, more comprehensive ways of tracking customer journeys—including the kinds of data that your average CRM often neglects, such as text messaging or phone calls.
2. Focus on an Industry – Focusing on the advertising and marketing needs of a specific industry might mean drawing from a smaller client pool, but it also generates greater demand from that sector. Prospects will trust that you understand the trends and challenges they’re navigating, and your industry-specific experience will be more valuable than that of broad agencies. It will also be much easier to target your marketing and outreach efforts, such as attending relevant industry conferences or writing a guest column in an industry publication.
3. Try a Unique Staffing Model – Rather than having a small full-time staff, try collecting a network of unique contributors with specialized skillsets and disparate styles. You’ll keep your creative fresh, your perspective diverse, and your customers surprised—in a good way.
4. Performance-Based Pricing – Instead of presenting yourself as a boutique provider with matching prices, why not base pricing on results? Cover your costs, of course, but focus more on the engagement and conversions you’re creating for your clients. Building a pricing model around leads generated, click-throughs, and calls sent to your clients proves your ability and can go a long way to building a solid rep that drives more clients your way. And it’s a novel way to pitch yourself as both different and very confident in your results.

In the end, clients want results more than they want an “agency experience.” Finding meaningful differentiation that connects with real client needs is the key to a successful long-term client/agency relationship.

Learn more about how CallTrackingMetrics is helping agencies showcase performance and optimize marketing ROI.