Too Small to Be Comfortable

Imagine the type of people who say “bigger is always better.” Now, ask yourself: would you trust those people to work on projects that you and your team care deeply about?

Would you rather work with a team that’s willing to travel a few miles to put in some face time with you and your colleagues, or one you have trouble getting on the phone because they have too many projects going on simultaneously?

Let’s face it—it’s really tough being a small agency. There’s a lot of competition for small agencies out there because all of the good advertisers and marketers who got sick of working at bigger agencies have left to join underdog teams.

That, or they’ve left to start their own agency.

Knowing that, it’s easy to see why you can now find dozens of small agencies packed with wickedly smart, clever creative-types. These are usually the kinds of people who are already highly resourceful in times of crisis or ambiguity. These are the people who are always operating in their element working at a smaller agency—and they’re killing it in their own special way.

When you look at those larger agencies, with well-known projects and more established reputations, it’s hard not to be impressed. We like brand names and are cautious to try new things. We tend to champion those we already expect will deliver and feel surprised by those who rise to the top of the pile every now and then.

Think about the way you go shopping for groceries: you buy the brands you’ve already heard about and are familiar with. Unless you do your research beforehand, you tend to go with what you know. It’s hard to take a chance on something new, but changing up your routine is often the only way you’ll discover that there’s something better out there.

Talent

In an article in AdAge, one writer sat down to ask clients why they decided to go with a small agency. It wasn’t a surprise to hear some of the same benefits expressed across multiple companies:

"I think a lot of times when dealing with the big agencies, there are things that get in the way of just doing the best work. I think with a small agency the focus is on the work.

The main takeaway was that smaller agencies generate passion for the cause and that reverberates among the people they hire. In that sense, small agencies create a level of competition that’s driven by the caliber of the people they employ.

As a Writer, it was something I personally realized when joining a lean, non-traditional agency. There’s a level of commitment among your colleagues that’s hard to compare. Also, since you have much more contact with clients, you’re more likely to give them your undivided attention as an agency.

There’s also another less-talked-about reason that small agencies win when it comes to forging stronger relationships with clients: it’s a necessity of survival. The caseload of a nimble agency is going to look anemic compared to a big agency—and that’s exactly what a client should want.

As a business owner, your company should be looking for an agency that is going to give you 100% of their energy. Your business only means that much more to a small agency’s overall revenue at the end of the day and so they’ll do their absolute best to make sure you’re happy.

How’s that for special treatment?

Creativity

As mentioned before, there are some very witty people out there working at small agencies. They’re also insanely creative by nature. Something that wasn’t working in the Status Quo of big agencies forced them to want to leave to pave their own path, and that’s generally a key ingredient for real, lasting success.

Although both types of agencies can come up with great ideas, small agencies are often more willing to try new things. Thinking outside-of-the-box is generally the motto among nimble teams because they don’t have as behemoth of a reputation at stake.

If one person up the totem pole is worried that something might not hit sales targets, it might kill a perfectly good campaign idea.

An article in Huffington Post sums it up pretty well:

“In fact, small agencies often get their start when creatives decide to blaze a trail, innovating new approaches to meet changing needs. Smaller agencies may not only be more willing to try new things, it is often their bread and butter.”

Working with a small team also cuts away a lot of the excess nonsense that exists in larger work environments. You’ll find much less bureaucracy inherent at a small company. That means there’s more time to do actual work and less time spent pushing paper around.

It’s understandable that there are more obvious reasons to play it safe, instead of taking a chance on a small agency.

Ultimately, it takes a certain kind of person (or company) to make the switch from a big agency. Fortunately, this is great for the people working at small agencies, because they end up landing some of the best clients! Like tends to attract like.

You can think of it like working in the start-up world vs. taking a government position: there’s security in doing business-as-usual, but it’s probably not going to make any exciting news headlines.

At a small agency, it’s easy to get to know your colleagues and share ideas. It helps employees to feel received and valued, as well as adding value to client campaigns. Would you rather have just one person working on advertising ideas for your business, or five?

When you’re working in a small office, playing around with the next great approach, you can walk up to a real person to do some brainstorming instead of having to take a couple of elevator trips.

Whether you’re looking to work for or with a small agency—it’s worth the risk to break the mold and do something different. Change is one of the only ways to grow.