Projects propel agency growth more than retainer clients

We hear a lot of jargon being thrown around when it comes to digital marketing strategies. However, the one word that describes the secret of an agency’s success is consistency. It creates exceptional value, showcases our expertise and helps build a strong relationship with your clients.

Tech and innovation rule our decisions, our work and output. But in this era, showing that you care consistently for the client will change the game.

This is why, having just a retainer account that does 15 or so social media posts a month for your clients is simply not enough. We need to go beyond.

To me, establishing a retainer with your client is just the first step in the grand scheme of things. The professional relationship takes off from there when the agency works closely with the brand to understand their business, goals and the challenges that make it harder to get to the goals. This way, we can meet their specific needs halfway with the right sort of content strategies.

Draw back the curtains of retainer content

Brands that are simply on a generic retainer do not help with growth, both for the agency and for the brands themselves. For the agency, it is a steady stream of income, but that’s where the potential ends. The brands keep getting generic content churned out to meet the requirements of the month and their growth stagnates.

Retainers take care of the day-to-day hygiene for the brand’s media space and financial aspects for an agency, but we need to dream bigger. The difference between getting by and succeeding lies in the out-of-the-box ideas that turn into scalable projects.

The real opportunities lie in projects. The moot point is, how do we define a project?

For me, it is going above and beyond regular retainer media and creating ones that can potentially increase reach and make people sit up and notice the brand, trust it and get behind their product or service.

At Social Panga, we do that with productions and larger campaigns that tell a story. Storytelling via content films and other productions shows nuances of the brand that retainer content usually doesn’t.

Projects give you and the brand a breath of fresh air

The best part about looking past just retainer content is the way it provides the opportunity for both agencies and clients to grow. Projects help generate substantial value for both the brand and the agency.

Let’s face it; being flush with cash is the best proposition for anyone looking to monetise their creativity. But creating and executing campaigns that generate attention, engagement and acknowledgement among creators can go beyond just revenue for the brand and in turn, the agency.

It becomes a way for both the agency and the brand to learn on the go and genuinely have fun doing what they love. It can boost team morale and help them gather experiences that give them an edge in a market filled to the brim with creatives and very little audience retention. When agencies take the time to understand their client's needs and show genuine care through their projects, they build stronger, more lasting partnerships where both parties benefit in the best ways possible.  

Let your work speak for itself

The blunt truth is that agencies are replaceable. The market has plenty of options and a brand can switch over if you don’t bring your unique ability to the table.

Retainer content alone won’t do anymore. High-quality projects that emphasise the brand’s strengths make you irreplaceable.

Once an agency is established in this space, its work must speak for itself. Pitching to get clients is a solid approach, but establishing your brand in such a way that a potential client chooses you based on your body of work is the ultimate goal.

The idea is to look at each project as more than just work to check off your list. It serves a bigger purpose and goes permanently under your name. It has the capacity to gain attention and create a portfolio that can automatically bag new clients for your agency.

Agency On Record (AOR) is just the beginning

Clients are now more open to working with multiple agencies that fulfill their media needs, making the competition more intense than ever. This gives agencies more incentive to produce high-quality work, unique projects and intelligent storytelling to ensure firm footing for years to come. So, the idea is to dedicate time and effort on projects.

With projects, agencies have the opportunity to handle every client’s story with care, ingenuity and solid teamwork. This way, you grow. They grow. You are valued. They gain value. You are rewarded. They are rewarded. It is a win-win situation all around. Mutual value generation drives partnerships with our clients and projects are the answer. It’s that simple!

Gaurav Arora, co-founder of Social Panga