STANDOUT agencies are built through systems.

STANDSTILL agencies rely on MANAGEMENT.

STANDOUT agencies rely on SYSTEMS.

Good people management is vital to agency success, but STANDSTILL agencies are over-reliant on it.

In the early days an agency depends on its founder for almost everything. Winning business, delivering business and running the business. The founder’s ability to delegate work and manage people to deliver it is the key driver to growth. It’s why freelancers become micro agencies, and micro agencies grow into small agencies.

There are diminishing returns of effectiveness here though. Once you reach about 10 people it becomes harder and harder for one person to manage everything. Some of the plates start to stop spinning when everything is being “hand cranked”. It’s at this point growth can slow down and stall.

STANDOUT agencies transition from an over-reliance on management to a focus on systems. Implementing processes in your agency, increases consistency and speed and reduces unnecessary communication and reliance on micro-management.

So what stops agency owners deploying systems?

– Fear – a desire to be in control.
– Myopia – lack of understanding.
– Distractions – being too busy to think about new ways of working.

Whatever stage of the agency journey you are on, systems are your friend. Embrace them.

#StandoutOrDie #StandoutSecrets