You Can't Be All Things to All Clients

The Key to Differentiation Is Relevance

Posted by Bart Cleveland on 09.09.09 @ 11:31 AM


Bart Cleveland

Differentiation is something that every agency preaches to its clients. Yet most ad agencies are a commodity. Very few have a distinct personality. I have no greater fear than my agency being without a mantra -- having no reason for being other than a paycheck. I realize it is a business that must make a profit, but if my agency has no personality, it is average. And to me, whether you're flipping hamburgers or making ads, being average is worse than not being at all. Being average in our industry means your agency is a commodity that fights for clients in a price war. Sound familiar?

My partners and I continually discuss what makes us different. This is a good thing. We understand the importance of agreeing on our reason for being. But there is a more critical thing we've learned from these discussions. Before we can answer how our agency is different, we must know what truly constitutes being different.

Differentiation is not found in an agency's process. It is not found in its award-winning work (though it may be evidence that it is different). Differentiation is not found in its personality, i.e. being quirky, methodical or specialized. It is not different just because it has a cool workspace. To clients these differences are subtle shades of gray.

OK, I've done the easy part. I've said what differentiation is not. So what is it?

Relevance. To have relevance, an agency must know what type of companies it desires to be relevant to. Identifying such companies clarifies and makes legitimate an agency's point of differentiation. For example, let's say that you define potential clients that would find you most relevant today and you really don't like the list. Perhaps that means you are not currently being true to whom you want to be. Could it mean you're settling? Maybe you have yet to make the decision to be non-relevant to 90% of the potential clients out there. A common piece of advice that ad agencies give clients is to not try to be all things to all people. It is ironic how we don't practice what we preach.

So relevance is pretty simple: Be true to what is relevant to you and it will attract clients who value that very thing. So, if it is so simple, why do we not have more distinct personalities in this industry? Perhaps it's a lack of faith in one's ideals. Maybe we worry living a brand isn't marketable enough to keep the doors open. That would be ironic.

To be relevant is a full-time job for agency owners. Making sure that the "who we are" is never ambiguous to employees, clients and potential clients requires dedication and nerve. It requires the conviction to chart a course and stay on it. Hats off to those who do so, because in my experience it takes extraordinary courage to risk everything for something as seemingly irrelevant as one's conviction.

5 Comments

By Tripper | Atlanta, GA September 9, 2009 01:04:12 pm:

Right on the money as usual, Bart. Great stuff.

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By AdinaCaron | Washington, DC September 9, 2009 01:36:01 pm:

Great article, Bart! And you're right, differentiation (as an agency) will reflect onto brands who share that conviction — after all, it's tough to make history with a "best value for the money" cross-category non-USP, isn't it :)

Adina Caron
VP, Creative Services, The Shoptaw Group
http://adinacaron.blogspot.com

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By websuccessteam | Calabasas, CA September 9, 2009 03:19:10 pm:

Nice thought provoking article. "Relevant" again this all ties into branding, marketing and selling. We all strive to be different and unique and in many ways we are.

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By dearadvertising | Toronto, ON September 9, 2009 04:14:42 pm:

Our agency is always trying to do something different. We've received some criticism but needed to find a way to stand out in a crowded industry.

www.whatsinyourbudget.ca

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By redbean | NEW YORK, NY September 11, 2009 07:21:05 pm:

Right on article so I thought I'd rather comment a couple of days after the fact than not comment at all. Differentiating your agency relevantly is paramount to success. And, it's very much a strategic choice. In an industry of specialists, most agencies tend to be generalists, in fact...In our market space, Redbean Society is the only marketing communications firm that's fully dedicated to targeting Latina women. Not because of feminist reasons whatsoever, but rather because we are firmly convincedof the overwhelming evidence that the majority of purchase decisions in Hispanic households are made by the woman of the house. And if not, she's a very strong influencer. Viva la diferencia!

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