While the traditional agency model works for many agencies and clients, there are others looking for something different. Agency/client surveys consistently reveal what clients want from agencies: better communication and responsiveness; more efficiency and cost-effectiveness; strategic thinking and breakthrough creative that speaks to the voice of the customer. Some agencies struggle to deliver because they can’t or won’t change, or agency leaders don’t recognize the need to change because they no longer have client visibility.
How do you feel marketing agencies are changing?
The good agencies are constantly changing and growing. The challenge is trying to figure out what’s really working for clients and how to make it even better! Clients deserve agencies that challenge them and bring them new ideas — no matter how new or old the relationship. Agencies need to be nimble and have a continuous growth mindset. As media channels evolve, agencies and clients need to constantly experiment and evaluate what is working. It doesn’t mean you abandon the tried-and-true strategies, but you must adapt and grow.
How does this impact DMG Communication?
This new reality for successful, effective client/agency relationships is the driver behind DMG Communication, a virtual agency. We offer clients an alternative to the same old way of doing things and hone in on what both sides really want: senior-level experience and ideas – without endless bureaucracy, process and cost – aimed at growing their business. We certainly aren’t suggesting we have everything figured out, but we’re excited to offer a new solution that brings clients a new – and we think better – approach.
What are some of the biggest assets of a “virtual agency?”
For clients, there are very tangible advantages. The first is more undivided attention, meaning we’re working more on client work and less on agency process, internal meetings, typical office distractions, etc. Also, we don’t have a lot of overhead, meaning clients are paying for ideas and creative, not bricks and mortar. With a virtual agency, we easily bring the right expertise to the table, giving you the right team of talent and expertise for the specific project. With a broad base of experienced talent from which to draw, we can bring the right level of thinking to each new project while also offering continuity, responsiveness, and scalability to meet the needs of the specific marketing challenge.
How can clients get the most out of DMG Communication?
The clients we work with today have a few things in common: they are open to new ideas, they want customer insights informing their strategies and creative, and they want a feedback loop (providing feedback to us and listening to feedback from us). We’re relatively new as a group but experienced as marketing communicators. We continue to refine our approach to challenge our clients and bring them new thinking and solutions while staying true to the fundamentals — keeping the voice of the customer front and center, offering great client service and delivering efficient, high-quality execution!