Positioning Your Agency To Make It Pop

Hello and welcome to AAR Partners’ new biz quick tips shared exclusively with our AAR Agency Growth Program Partners.  

Did you ever sit and think about, “Why your agency?”  Why does your agency exist?  What does your agency do that another does not?  How does your agency provide services that stand out amongst the pack?  It boils down to, “Why you?” 

After evaluating hundreds of capabilities presentations over the past two decades, those agencies that really stand out are those that have anchored their agency with a positioning statement or a north star.  And that positioning or storyline is weaved throughout all materials.

But why do you need a clear positioning strategy?  For starters, it helps you to define why you exist as an agency.  It often leads to a stronger win ratio since your strengths are more clearly defined.  And it often leads to fewer competitors since there are fewer agencies who can say what you do.  Your positioning becomes your differentiating factor.

As Tim Williams notes, a well-positioned agency strikes a balance between “authenticity and aspiration”.  

So how do you find your perfect agency positioning?

1. Separate your positioning from your philosophy – your philosophy is a statement about your beliefs.  You positioning is how these beliefs translate into value for clients.  For example, “ABC is a digital agency obsessed with driving more ROI” doesn’t help you stand out.  What really matters is showing prospects what you’re great at and why.  For example, Argonaut positions itself as the following: We’re a full-service advertising agency specializing in creating brand comebacks, and our ambition is to make the most effective creative work in the world.
2. Answer the ‘Why’ – Why should prospects belie that you can deliver on your positioning?  Show proof of your target expertise with case studies.  Prove your expertise with results, reviews, and testimonials.
3. Establish reference points – don’t have a prospect land on your site and wonder “what does this agency do?”  Think you the way your prospects categorize and contextualize agencies.  Then establish points of reference to help them evaluate your services.  

Finally, take the litmus test.  Look at your website and honestly ask yourself if your agency logo can easily be replaced with one of your competitor’s logos?  Be neutral and brutally honest about it.  Are you making generic claims or really highlighting your why?! 

Remember to find a balance between authenticity and aspiration, and “Why You” should pop.

There you have it.  That’s my counsel on this topic and I hope it helps.  Look out for more of my new biz quick tips shared exclusively with AAR Agency Growth Program Partners…