Introduction: Boutique Agencies vs. Big Agencies
Which one to choose?
We often equate the term “bigger” with “better.” It can influence decisions and choices, especially when it comes to choosing between boutique agencies vs. big agencies to build a website, build a brand, manage SEO, or perform other online marketing activities for a business.
The most frequent outcome? Many businesses tend to prefer big, traditional agencies over smaller, boutique shops. It is true that they have significant recognition, formidable track records, shiny awards, certificates and so on. But the question is, does that necessarily mean they are better for your business?
When choosing between boutique Agencies vs. big agencies, there are certain questions that hiring businesses must ask:
“Why do we need an agency in the first place?”
“How will they help us?”
“What are the fundamental differences between a big and a boutique agency?”
“How do these differences affect us, or our bottom line?”
Only then, can we decide which is the better choice for us. Here are some key areas to consider when choosing a design or online marketing agency. This will help hiring businesses make an informed decision, without exhausting resources better spent on determining what services the selected agency should provide.
The Role of Agencies
Primarily, businesses make the choice between hiring boutique agencies vs. big agencies because they need help with the creative, innovative, strategic, communicative, and technical aspects of marketing their business. Essentially, businesses hire expertise. In this way, the agency tackles the things they are good at, leaving business owners and managers to focus on running the business.
Obviously, the agency at work must have a profound understanding of the business they are working with. After all, a website or marketing campaign does not just promote a product. It also promotes the business’ brand.
Therefore, an agency must have a fluent communication, both with the business, and the potential clientele—the business’ target audience. They must understand products, services, and the brand. They are there use their expertise to help market the business in the best possible way.
So, when choosing between boutique agencies vs. big agencies, how do the two types differ?
Big Agencies – Or Should We Say Bulky?
Big agencies have dozens to hundreds of employees working for them. At any point in time, your contact is likely simultaneously working on four, seven, ten, who knows how many projects. The more, the merrier!
Usually, these behemoth agencies also offer a wide, yet fixed, range of services. They promote their “best-selling” products, smartly catalogued in expensive-looking brochures. Indeed, whatever shows, also sells.
And…they offer packages that come with names. Ah! The naming conventions are nothing less than exquisite. Royal, Heavenly, Platinum, and so on. Names that make their clients feel special, in a grand way. They even have the lustre and polish cloth to go with it.
What about the boutique agencies? How do they compare?
Boutique Agencies – The Essence of Subtlety
The term boutique means “any small, exclusive business offering customized service” For something to be customized, it must be unique. It is uniqueness that sets most boutique agencies apart.
Boutique agencies employ or work with small, yet dedicated teams of innovative designers, web developers, and other marketing professionals. Being closely knit, allows these agencies to be focused on their clients and can react quickly to their needs without affecting other clients because unlike big agencies there are not so many projects in their business pipeline.
All good boutique agencies also have subtlety. Subtlety in design, in style, in approach and, basically, in everything they do. They are there for you and will cater to your needs, not those placed on them by supervisors or because of work quotas often established by big agencies.
How do the differences between big agencies and boutique agencies affect you?
The Key Areas of Difference
We could offer a point-to-point differentiation of the two types of agencies. However, this would not be as fruitful as pointing out clear thematic differentiation. After all, these thematic differences should determine a business’ choice of agency.
Access
Remembering the ideal conditions, an agency must work in close communication with the business. In this regard, boutique agencies are often more accessible and nimbler than the big ones.
In most instances, a big agency assigns a relationship manager or a project coordinator for your project or campaign. Yet, as we know well, the same person is also working on other projects at the same time. Thus, the commitment is more professional than personal. This is both good and bad.
Good from a service perspective. But successful projects often require a personal touch that big agencies fail to provide. We cannot really blame them for that.
Working with a boutique agency, often allows communication with the entire team working on the project or campaign, and not with a single point of contact, who disseminates the requirements to the team. Such holistic discussions can often cause scope creep and lower quality results.
Ease of Action
Working with a big agency inevitably involves strict formalities and policies. Consequently, businesses must invest a lot of time, even before the project actually begins.
Moreover, these policies often are not flexible enough to suit your needs. Boutique agencies bring a major relief in this regard.
Specialization
While big agencies often tend to be the jacks of all trades, smaller boutiques have their specialized niche. The former might be good or even great at everything they do. But the latter is the best at what it does.
Cost
The overall costs of running a project or campaign with a boutique agency will likely be much less than with a big one. This is simple because they do not have as much overhead cost to cover.
Priority
Irrespective of whether your project is big or small, it is always the top priority for a boutique agency. This might not be the case with the big agencies. After all, they will obviously prioritize projects by size and profitability.
Conclusion
To conclude, remember the benefits of smaller and nimbler vs. bigger and slower (and more expensive) when deciding between boutique agencies vs. big agencies. Unless you have a resource-intensive project or campaign that only a large agency can support, it is almost always more beneficial to go with a boutique agency.
And.. since you are choosing a boutique agency, why not Contact SYZYGY 1 Media Group today?