Marketers are dealing with difficulties in managing and using the data they have effectively. According to the Lotame and Cint 2024 report, 98% of marketing professionals face problems when it comes to working with data. One of the hardest things to do is find reliable sources for data, according to 54% of marketers.
Its worse for agencies than marketers. The complexity of agencies’ structure makes it harder for them. Internal data silos often prevent businesses from getting a full picture of customer behaviours, making it harder to personalise campaigns and deliver targeted content.
How Are Marketers Handling Data Fragmentation?
To overcome data fragmentation, many marketers are starting to use data collaboration platforms. These platforms, shown in the Lotame and Cint research, are helping businesses put together their data with others to gain better insights and expand their customer reach. Around 70% of marketers think that using these platforms is an urgent priority to improve the quality and breadth of their data.
What About Third-Party Cookies?
According to the report, 32% of marketers still rely fully on third-party cookies, and Google鈥檚 decision to delay their deprecation has offered temporary relief. Many marketers are now adopting alternative identity solutions like universal IDs and identity graphs to maintain their reach.
This is to let marketers go with the changes, so that they can still target the right audiences as third-party cookies gradually phases out.
Our Experts:
- Richard Stone, MD, Stone Junction
- Sam Budd, CEO and Founder, Buddy Media
- Kate Baldwin, Founder & MD, The Flywheelers
- Claire Ayles, Co-founder, Eleven Hundred Agency
- Lee Climpson, Partner/Production Director, Transmission
- Matt Baldwin, Founder, Coast
- Claire Crompton, Co-founder and Commercial Director, TAL Agency
- Doug Main, Creative Director and Co-Founder, The Bigger Boat
- Olly Fisher, Founder, Repeat Digital
- Ben Fox, Chief Executive Officer, Fox Agency
- Julio Taylor, CEO, Big Spring
- Lee Cullen, Co-founder, No Brainer
Richard Stone, Founder, Chart.PR
鈥淪etting up an agency is a balancing act. If you are lucky enough to have angel investors, providing substantial funding, it might feel easier than bootstrapping your business at first, but when you have to demonstrate ROI, those angels will start to feel like devils! Here are my top tips:
鈥淒efine your market early: Establishing a clear, specific niche helps differentiate your agency. Whether it鈥檚 working with tech startups or focusing on STEM companies, like my agency 鈥� Stone Junction, specialising allows you to build deeper expertise and stand out from competitors. In the long term, this is also what will make your agency sell-able; because generalist agencies are a ten a penny, and thus command lower prices.
鈥淐lient-team-media relationships over everything: Long-term success depends on the strength of your client, team and media relationships. A business is just a group of people agreeing to work together ultimately; albeit those agreements are formalised in contracts.
鈥淪o, the virtuous circle of client-team-media means everything. In this context, think of media as whatever third party is most relevant to you, it could be traditional media, influencers, advertising partners, search engines, whatever.
鈥淚nvest in talent: The strength of your agency lies in your team. Invest in professional development, hire specialists, and create a culture where creativity and innovation can thrive. When you do come to sell your agency, the buyer will be buying you, your clients and your people 鈥� nothing else.
鈥淚nvest overall: Don鈥檛 try and do everything on a shoestring but remember that nothing is easier than spending money.
鈥淎dapt to tech trends: Marketing is a tech-driven field in 2024. Whether it’s AI tools for content generation or automation for campaigns, staying ahead of digital trends will keep your agency competitive and efficient.
鈥淔ocus on scalability: From day one, think about how your processes can scale as you grow. Streamlining operations, adopting the right tools, and setting clear, repeatable workflows will save time and resources in the long run. Build something sustainable, scalable and replicable.
鈥淢easure results meticulously: Clients expect measurable outcomes. Ensure you have robust analytics and reporting systems in place to demonstrate the ROI of your strategies.鈥�
Sam Budd, CEO and Founder, Buddy Media
鈥淚n Elon Musk鈥檚 words, running a business can sometimes feel like 鈥渆ating glass and staring into the abyss.鈥� Starting an agency is no different.
鈥淥ne of the most important things you can do from the very beginning is get clear on what you offer, why it鈥檚 different, and what your vision and values are. Without that clarity, it鈥檚 hard to move forward with confidence.
鈥淲hen it comes to finances, I believe you don鈥檛 need to raise money to get started. If you have good sales and marketing skills and can pull together a team – even if they鈥檙e freelancers -you can deliver great work and build strong relationships with clients.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about doing your best, not aiming for perfection, and letting your results speak for themselves. Good work leads to trust, and trust helps your business grow.
鈥淢y advice is to focus on a specific area or niche. If you can become an expert in one field, it鈥檒l be easier to build a reputation and attract more clients.
鈥淥n a personal note, be ready for sacrifices. The late nights, financial stress, and lifestyle changes are part of the process.
鈥淏ut if you鈥檙e prepared for those tough times, you鈥檒l have a better chance of making it through and growing. Find mentors to guide you, and if you can, consider bringing on a co-founder to share the load – it can make all the difference.鈥�
Kate Baldwin, Founder & MD, The Flywheelers
鈥淥ne of the most common mistakes I see from marketing and comms agency founders is that they don鈥檛 launch with a clear proposition. Don鈥檛 get me wrong; launching with aspirations to do more creative and strategic work is an essential goal.
鈥淏ut many don鈥檛 look at it through the lens that, for example, a SaaS startup founder typically would: What problem am I solving or what unmet need am I meeting? And how will I do it differently and better than existing players in the market?
鈥淭here are clear examples of this. At The Flywheelers, we launched a Subscription Model approach to service delivery to replace the traditional and inflexible professional services model that doesn鈥檛 work for startups.
鈥淲hile Klaxonn responded to the unmet needs of experiential companies that exploded onto the market post-COVID. This USP is crucial for everything from hiring your first employees, winning your first clients, and giving you a true north of the market you鈥檙e servicing as you grow.鈥�
Claire Ayles, Co-founder, Eleven Hundred Agency
鈥淢ilk your network. Word-of-mouth referrals are vital when you first set up a company, as it’s unlikely you’ll have existing clients or lots of marketing assets to publicise.
鈥淭he people you’ve worked with in the past often turn out to be invaluable advocates, so talk to them first so they can spread the word about your agency throughout their own networks.
鈥淵our first employee will be the most important hire of your career, so make sure it’s the right person. Take your time to make sure they are the right cultural fit, as well as having the prerequisite skills and experience. When you’re working in a small company, personality matters.
鈥淩emember your worth. When you’re just finding your feet, it can be tempted to say ‘yes’ to business that you don’t really want – either because the work isn’t interesting or because the fee is too low.
鈥淭he danger here is that you’ll become stuck with it long-term or will gain a reputation for the wrong thing. Stick to your guns and remember the true value of the services you’re delivering.鈥�
Lee Climpson, Founder, Transmission
鈥淲hen starting or running a marketing agency, there are a few key things to keep in mind:
1. Build Real Relationships: This is number one for a reason. First off, focus on developing the relationships you already have, and prioritise developing those as long-term clients. Don’t just go for quick wins. A lot of our clients have been friends for over 10 years, and those relationships are built on trust. The better you know your clients, the more solid you’ll be as a supplier.
2. Stay Flexible: Marketing changes fast. Be ready to adapt to new tech, platforms, and trends so you don鈥檛 fall behind. And take your clients with you. Your proactivity will be their proactivity.
3. Hire Smart: Your clients aren’t buying a campaign, they’re buying your team’s talent. Your agency is a people business. Bring in people who are passionate, add to your agency鈥檚 vision and bring fresh ideas. A strong team builds trust in the mind of your client. Ultimately, your people are your client’s route to results.
4. Manage Finances: Cash flow can be tricky, so keep a war chest for tougher times. Don’t live hand to mouth. Focus on sustainable growth. Slow and steady wins the race.
5. Deliver Quality: Focus everything on creating high quality work, giving your clients wonderful service and getting results. Everything will build from that. But remember – don’t get complacent – you’re only as good as your last campaign.鈥�
Matt Baldwin, Founder, Coast
鈥淔ind your niche. Trying to be all things to everyone is a fool鈥檚 errand, particularly when starting your journey. Building a strong reputation in one area will help you stand apart in what is a crowded market.
鈥淏uild a network and work it all of the time. Be generous with your time, but learn quickly who will waste your time.鈥�
鈥淏e creative and build in discipline in your own marketing and business development. No one will do this for you.鈥�
Claire Crompton, Co-founder And Commercial Director, TAL Agency
鈥淢arketing isn鈥檛 a one-size-fits-all service; it鈥檚 made up of multiple disciplines, each with its own specific skill set that will suit different businesses based on their goals, budget, and industry.
鈥淏efore diving in, consider the niche area you want to focus on – will you specialise in the quick-wins of PPC and paid social, or the more long-term, slow-burn strategy of organic?
鈥淥nce you have identified your niche – whether it鈥檚 a particular service offering or a specific sector – it鈥檚 important to remember that you鈥檙e stepping into a highly competitive industry.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also one where there鈥檚 a great deal of 鈥榗owboys鈥� advertising quick wins and false promises (like Google鈥檚 top spot) in ways that will achieve nothing at best, and result in penalties at worse.
鈥淚t鈥檚 difficult to do at first, but remaining committed to your niche and your pricing structure will set you up for more success in the long run rather than underselling yourself or turning to black hat techniques.鈥�
Doug Main, Creative Director and Co-Founder, The Bigger Boat
鈥淲hen starting or running a marketing agency, it’s essential to ensure clients are just as right for you as you are for them. Having a clear process to check for alignment is key: do you share the same values?
鈥淒oes the client trust your expertise? And what does success look like for them? Establishing this early on sets the foundation for a long-term, productive relationship.
鈥淵our business strategy must also evolve as you grow. What works for a team of 10 won鈥檛 necessarily work for a team of 30, so think about how your operational model and processes will need to adapt as you scale. Be proactive in planning for growth.
鈥淎nother crucial consideration is identifying what your agency excels at and how that uniquely benefits your clients. It might not be industry-specific; instead, focus on solving recurring problems for your ideal customers.
鈥淎lso, measuring data from the start, even when your business is small, is one of the most important things you can do. Set KPIs that reflect both the current health and long-term sustainability of your agency.
鈥淔inally, focus on work that excites you and avoid projects that don鈥檛 align with your passions. No one delivers their best work on tasks they don’t believe in. Passion fuels excellence.鈥�
Olly Fisher, Founder, Repeat Digital
“As you grow and hire new team members, always be thinking about how you can make yourself redundant. Sounds crazy to do this early on, but the later you leave it, the harder it will be and the more disruption you will cause to the business.
“It also empowers your team, because you’re less likely to be breathing down their neck, stifling their development. Ultimately, when the business is not as reliant on you, it creates a much more valuable business, which you may want to sell in the future.”
Ben Fox, Chief Executive Officer, Fox Agency
鈥淪hit is going to get serious. Agencies will be forced to up their game or face the consequences. The role of the B2B CMO has evolved; there鈥檚 no turning back. Beyond 鈥榖rand-level activity鈥�, there鈥檚 a laser focus on driving growth and impacting opportunity and revenue. For CMOs this means a vast and ever-expanding remit, with huge expectations and pressure to perform. Quite rightly, they will demand more from their agency partners.
“Agencies who are still acting purely as 鈥榚xecutors鈥� will be left behind. With a challenging global economic backdrop, general market uncertainty, a continuous quest for marketing and sales alignment, shifting audience demographics, and ever-expanding communication channels, the agencies that will thrive are those that can credibly perform across the three Cs: creativity, commerciality, and consultancy.鈥�
Julio Taylor, CEO, Big Spring
“Marketing agencies are not for the faint of heart. It’s an industry that’s naturally susceptible to market volatility 鈥� when times get tough, many companies tighten marketing budgets, so agencies are often at the cutting edge of economic disruption.
“In addition, the rise and rise of AI has now made constant change and disruption, and a guaranteed and permanent factor. Over the next decade, marketing agencies will need to embrace massive disruption and transformation, to their own business models, while simultaneously guiding and advising clients on how to do the same.”
Lee Cullen, Co-founder, No Brainer
鈥淧eople will always be your biggest asset as a marketing agency – you need to have a relentless focus on company culture and creating the best place to work. It鈥檚 hugely important to test and measure team happiness and always look to implement improvements as you grow 鈥� that will help keep your best people with you as well as attract future talent.
鈥淗ybrid working has been another crucial factor for us. Since Covid, it鈥檚 still something that people place a lot of importance on, and really value the opportunity to work from home. We know some businesses have gone back to five days a week in the office, but I believe in our sector, a hybrid model can work really well.
“It鈥檚 important to consider the right structure for your organisation, and to think about using days in the office for more collaborative work – team catch ups, client meetings, brainstorm sessions, workshops – as opposed to home days, which can often allow people to be more productive and task based.鈥�
