BIGGER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER.

Commissioning work is never an easy task. You may want help with a rebrand or a specific marketing campaign, but whatever the project you must be sure you’ve chosen the right agency to support you.

Here are 5 reasons why a small agency may be the better choice for you…

Larger and smaller agencies can both meet their clients’ needs depending on the project, but there are some extra benefits when choosing a smaller agency that you might have never thought about:

Flexibility

Larger agencies will tend to have heavier workloads and much stricter procedures; the term “red tape” comes to mind. Due to this, larger agencies can be less flexible with how they deliver their services.

Working with a smaller agency means you can often enjoy direct contact with the designer rather than messages being funnelled through the account handlers. Designers can make changes and give advice on specific requirements over the phone, making the design project a smoother process.

Creativity

“Big Agency” doesn’t mean you’ll get their best people; working within a larger agency tends to mean sticking to one large account – leading to less experience in other industries and reduced exposure to different campaigns.

The staff in smaller agencies work across multiple accounts and disciplines, giving the designers exposure to more projects, widening their knowledge and ultimately benefiting their client.

Finished article

Larger agencies often just do the concepts and leave you to pay a third party for completing the job. Alternatively, if they do offer the finished article you may be unwittingly paying for a junior or freelancer to do the work and may have to wait! A larger agency means larger clients and if you’re not the biggest you might have to wait in line!

A smaller agency is more likely to provide everything from the first concept to the finished article and much more – even helping to source suppliers and project manage everything from concept, design, print all the way through to delivery. Ultimately, smaller agencies can’t rest on their laurels, so have to go above and beyond.

Cost

Sadly, it is generally true to say that the bigger the agency, the bigger the fees! Normally the larger, well-known agencies stick to expensive areas and offices, have more staff salaries, and face numerous sponsorship fees for events, awards and conference. All this gives them higher overheads which are shown within their fees.

Small agencies are different. Take us, for example. We have a beautiful studio, no doubt – but it’s not located in the heart of London! We have a smaller, more agile team, and we aren’t spending a small fortune on sponsoring industry shindigs. We don’t have the same overheads, so you won’t face the same charges.

Direct

A personal service. Closer relationships. Open door policy. You get to speak direct to the designers not go via account handlers, juniors or people sitting behind closed doors. Smaller agencies work within a “doors always open” workspace.

If you’d like to discover the benefits of a smaller agency yourself please get in touch