Why Hire a Small Digital Marketing Agency the Next Time Around

Two weeks in at my new job with ArcStone and I'm NOT about to give my two weeks notice; I've come to more conclusions on why I made the right choice. This insider's perspective along with my recent job-search experience searching for the right company, gained me some insight into why customers might want to consider choosing a small digital marketing agency over a larger one.

If you have been searching for the right company with which to do marketing, web design or application development, I'm sure you can relate to the following. I started the job-search process interviewing for marketing roles at larger companies, with the idea that I could trust the big-name places since they were so well-known and seemingly successful. However with each interview, despite the great efforts on the part of HR to welcome me, I felt like just another cog in the machine, an easily replaceable small fish in a big sea. This could be true for you as you look for the best services for your investment: you're avoiding an agency you may have never heard of but not willing to work with a huge company that places you in their mass pile of projects. 

Stepping into ArcStone felt very different from entering my other interviews. I've quickly seen how vital each individual's work is to the end result and how their unique personalities shine through. This translates into keeping the work here vibrant and helps with catering to each individual client's needs. Now that I can closely witness the experiences of these customers, it is clear that the way in which this agency focuses on the individual - with both the employees and the work done for clients - is a rare feature that is necessary for quality marketing and design services. After some research, turns out this sentiment is echoed by others in business as well. Working with small agencies and teams can reap big benefits.

5 Key Benefits of Choosing a Small Agency:

1. The people: Being nervous to walk into a new company, I thought I would never remember all the names and positions of coworkers. Luckily I was wrong - I quickly became familiar with everyone and their roles. This becomes all the more beneficial at a high level as the right employee is assigned to the right projects for their skillset and as a client, you are more easily connected to the right person for assistance. What is more, as project needs shift, employees are easily able to get up to speed on your needs. Chances are they've come to your office or sat down for coffee and have a true understanding of your company.

2. The environment: The smaller size of the office creates a more intimate, open work place. No one is closed-off, ignoring the happenings of the company at large. The environment is highly collaborative as teams can easily communicate, quickly resolving any issues and jumping in when specific abilities are needed. This can be advantageous as we all can take in the information at various levels of projects and with several clients. Additional perks of the space: we sit on couches as in living-room style and all have a say on the level of air conditioning. We're all about making people comfortable when they enter the office.

   This Inc. article also describes the benefits of small teams and their effect on end results. "Going lean with small teams has been linked to improved work output, better communication, increased morale, and more satisfied customers. Larger teams, on the other hand, have been known to make group efforts more inefficient, less flexible, less coordinated, and less supportive."

3. The relationships: With the foundation of the agency happening in co-owners, Lisa and David's, own home in 1997, signing on to this company I speculated there would be a family-like precedent set here. I've noticed this carried through as I overhear phone conversations with clients and conference calls, picking up on an amicable and natural vibe.  Likewise, the noises in the office include cheesy throwback Thursday playlists and coworkers joking with one another rather than competing. This is fostered by the fact that Lisa and David work closely with all their employees and clients. They are not some distant figures one would hear about in a company newsletter. Employees and clients can easily reach them with any question that comes up. I even run into them while walking through my neighborhood. I know their dog. We're Facebook friends. Enough said.                                                                                    

4. The specialization: With around 20 employees, each person here is vital to our work. Because of our numbers, everyone has to be an expert at what they do and usually even takes on extra skills to cover more material. They each deal with a wide array of challenges so they have developed a breadth of experience. Most importantly, they each take full responsibility for their knowledge and their work, resulting in personal care for each client.

   The small business blog on Huffington Post goes further in saying that there are benefits to large corporations and big brands using boutique agencies for their niche expertise in various industries or campaign types. 

5. The attention to each individual: This was initially evident as I realized ArcStone would be training me and only me from the get-go. They invest hours each day in explaining what they do at each level of a project and what they believe on a broader scale. I have seen how this allows each employee to be 100% present and beneficial to the company. We are all on the same page, ready to deliver quality work and listen to your individual needs as a client. Read more about why this matters in this Advertising Age article on small agencies "trumping" the big ones.

This is not to say larger companies don't have a leg up with certain aspects of the industry. However if the above features resonate with you after all, a smaller agency may be a good fit. At ArcStone each individual's work and client's needs are integral to the operation as a whole. This allows employees to care about each project and do everything in their power to make it happen.