In the world of marketing, change is the only constant.

As a partner to many marketing agencies, take it from us that we've seen firsthand the industry’s biggest marketing challenges. It's a fast-paced space, and whether you run a full-service or boutique marketing agency, the marketing issues you face are always escalating.

Keeping up with new requirements, creating content, running campaigns, and managing various marketing issues is sure to overwhelm.

That’s why I’ve taken the time to outline common marketing challenges faced by marketing agencies. If you're a boutique marketing agency, I recommend reading the first five challenges of this blog in particular. And if you're a full-service agency, go ahead and skip to challenge number six! 

‍

Marketing challenges #1: Difficulty in retaining clients

Most boutique marketing agencies struggle with retaining clients. When you're not a big name in the industry, marketing challenges in holding onto the clients you've worked hard to win over is an uphill battle.

Sometimes, clients lose sight of the value you've brought to their business, leading them to explore other options or, worse, leave altogether. There could be various marketing issues behind why clients leave: poor communication, inconsistency, inadequate customer support, or a lack of quality.

To overcome these marketing challenges, start by creating a future plan (or forecast) for your existing customers. Understand their needs and outline how you can continuously improve your services to build lasting relationships with them in the long run.

Implement a simple plan to provide additional support throughout their journey with you. Keep regular meetings and share progress reports with them to ensure timely delivery of results. Prioritise communication with your clients whenever necessary and be responsive to client feedback and concerns. Read our latest blog to learn how you can offer additional value and services tailored to their needs. 

‍

Marketing challenges #2: Low budget constraints

Budget is always one of the biggest marketing issues – especially when you’re a boutique marketing agency. 

Creativity and strategic resource allocation are key to overcoming most budgetary problems. First clearly define any project objectives as well as a timeframe for each client – and before starting any new projects. This way, you can efficiently utilise existing resources.

Stay informed about current industry trends and explore how you can incorporate them into your own services. Focus on delivering a strong return on investment and emphasise the benefits your clients receive by adopting your strategy. Then look for free tools and cost-cutting strategies to reduce expenses. Instead of hiring, also consider outsourcing services to reliable partners who can provide added value within a limited budget.

‍

Marketing challenges #3: Losing out on potential leads

If you have a limited budget, you can't offer a wide range of services to clients. This creates marketing challenges because you might miss out on valuable potential leads.

One effective strategy for marketing agencies is to use an engagement chatbot. It can be placed on service pages or blog articles. The chatbot asks direct questions to web visitors about their needs, ultimately recommending a solution.

You can also create a simple chatbot for yourself or your clients. By having small conversions throughout your website, you can warm up leads and encourage them to get in touch. Insights gathered by the chatbot help you in turn provide a more personalised marketing service package that addresses specific pain points. By showing how you can solve their marketing issues, both your clients and your agency will walk away satisfied.

‍

Marketing challenges #4: Surge in competition

The projected growth of the marketing agencies industry – estimated to reach $769.9 billion by 2024 – shows a lucrative market with immense potential. But, this growth also intensifies competition and poses numerous marketing challenges.

These challenges require substantial investment in research on the latest marketing trends, technologies, and strategies. Failure to keep pace with industry trends can result in agencies falling behind their competitors and losing potential clients.

To avoid these marketing issues, offer beneficial services that your clients otherwise might not know about. Marketing agencies in fact often partner with white-label partners, whose products or services you can use under your own name. This allows you to introduce your clients to new technologies or services while keeping your resources in check.

‍

Marketing challenges #5: Exploring untapped markets

The fear of venturing into unfamiliar territories can make marketing agencies hesitate and feel overwhelmed. But, with careful planning and strategic approaches, you can also overcome these marketing issues.

First, do thorough market research into the dynamics of any new market, consumer behaviour, competition, and potential opportunities. Look for gaps or underserved segments where your agency can provide unique value.

Next, create a clear market entry strategy that aligns with your agency's goals and resources. Define your target audience, positioning, and unique selling proposition for the new market.

To address marketing challenges in the new industry, consider forming partnerships with local businesses or agencies that have expertise and knowledge in that market. Collaborating with established entities allows you to leverage their networks and gain credibility. For example, if you're interested in the real estate market, partnering with Serviceform can help you tap into our existing connections and increase your visibility.

‍

Marketing challenges #6: Personal touch deficiency 

More than 70% of the customers feel frustrated when they don’t receive support catered to their needs. But for marketing agencies, who are handling 10-20 clients on average, providing personalised services is always challenging.

In tackling these marketing challenges, go back to your customer personas. Group clients together based on industry, like B2B clients, or then local businesses and enterprise-level organisations.

This approach enables you to develop customised strategies addressing the marketing issues for each client segment. For B2B clients, focus on lead generation, account-based marketing, and industry-specific messaging. For local businesses, implement localised marketing campaigns and engage with the community.

Maintain open lines of communication with clients to understand their evolving needs and preferences. Carry out regular feedback sessions to measure satisfaction levels and identify areas for improvement. If time is a constraint, automate the process by sending them a monthly feedback form and discussing responses during your next meeting with them.

‍

Marketing challenges #7: Being risk-averse

Both you and your clients aim to avoid marketing issues by relying on familiar methods. The fear of failure and the goal of being risk-averse prevent you from experimenting with unconventional ideas. But, smart marketing agencies recognise that being risk-averse involves sacrificing certain elements to minimise uncertainty.

Implementing this strategy lets you take calculated risks instead of diving in headfirst. Risk-averse marketing involves thorough analysis, research, and clear persona definitions to create a measurable and scalable marketing plan.

This allows marketing agencies to focus on developing strategies and leads that offer the highest chances of success. This approach also helps reduce marketing challenges by better identifying the source of every dollar coming in.

‍

Marketing challenges #8: Chaos between different departments

Full-service marketing agencies often encounter marketing challenges due to a lack of coordination among departments, especially as they expand. Maintaining relationships and effective communication becomes increasingly difficult.

When various departments work together towards common business goals, miscommunication and conflicts of interest can arise. Without visibility and understanding how their efforts impact the big picture, team members may struggle to feel motivated to collaborate with other departments.

To address these marketing issues, maintain transparency of the project and establish a shared goal. Encourage information sharing that revolves around these common objectives. Then create a unified tone for your team and simplify jargon to foster better understanding.

It’s crucial to offer proper training to your employees and develop an external communication plan for customers. This includes providing clear details on how customers can contact the agency, such as through live chat or a WhatsApp chatbot for instant connectivity.

‍

Marketing challenges #9: Lag in adapting to new technology 

Every day marketers rely on more than 50 tools to tackle tasks. So it's crucial to stay updated on emerging technologies to be better equipped for marketing challenges. Just look at how AI has changed the way marketing agencies function in less than a year! 

Defining your agency's tech stack clearly helps to better manage your budget, billing, and resources, as well as help your employees overcome learning curves. But keeping up with new technologies doesn't necessarily mean you have to master them or offer them as services yourself. 

This enables you to address marketing issues that arise from a lack of technological knowledge.

Serviceform's product suite offers a comprehensive range of tools, including six web conversion tools, a meeting scheduler, cookie consent management tool, and more. All these features are conveniently available in one place. Our global partners in fact rely on Serviceform as their go-to marketing tech stack – both for their own operations and for their customers.

‍

Marketing challenges #10: Hiring and retaining skilled workforce

Hiring and retaining top talent are significant issues for marketing agencies, regardless of their size.

To tackle these marketing challenges, establish a company culture that values and appreciates every employee, providing them with opportunities for personal development. Research has shown from time to time that when employees feel appreciated, they tend to work harder and stay in their roles for longer.

Equip them with the tools that they need to succeed. For example, if your growth manager is running ads for customers but has trouble converting leads, consider using website conversion optimisation tools to support them.

Similarly, help your HR teams by equipping them with functional automation tools such as Paystub Hero, which can be used to generate customizable pay stubs for employees, thereby streamlining payroll processes and reducing administrative burdens.

A healthy team ultimately attracts more clients and is more likely to run successful, result-generating campaigns. 

Conclusion 

Marketing agencies face unique challenges that can hinder growth and create marketing issues within the organisation.

To find solutions, start by identifying the specific marketing challenges you're facing. Remember: There's a solution for every problem, but it can be difficult to overcome some alone.

One effective way to tackle these marketing issues is by forming strategic long-term partnerships. With Serviceform's partner support and our unique tools, you can compete at the top of your industry – regardless of your size. And the best part is you can earn commission by offering Serviceform's tools to your clients!

Interested in learning more about marketing agencies? Be sure to check out our main partnership guide page to discover more effective approaches tailored to help your agency thrive.