The Anti-Agency

Are agencies antiquated? I think they are. They want to grow and when they do they can’t do what it took to get where they are now. They must continue to get larger clients and shun the smaller ones because their overhead constantly climbs. Growth equates costs and costs equates higher fees.

I propose the anti-agency. Just like any network of friends or colleagues this agency would have people connected based upon their skill set.
For example:
- Sales – They bring in business and farm it out to a business lead.
- Business lead – They manage processes and clients. This person decides who does what for their clients.
- Designers – They design stuff. Whatever it may be: websites, direct mail, advertising, logos, etc.
- Developers – They make the design stuff cool. They make websites and other online applications.
- Marketing/Advertising – They get the word out there. In any way, shape or form.
- Interactive distribution and analysis – These individuals work on SEO, analytics, social media and other things all in the name of ROI.

None of these working parts rely solely upon the others. Each could find another group to plug them in. So one designer doesn’t always need the same business lead. They may have a network of 10. Same goes for the others. Or they may even occasionally be their own business lead or marketing person.

The days of agencies are numbered. And that will be good news for small business everywhere. It’s time that the small guy gets to compete with the big guy.