Even in 2023, it’s still possible to be a unique marketing agency & stand out from the rest
The do’s and don’ts
To be successfully unique as a marketing agency, you have to ensure that your differentiators are both true and important.
If you miss either of these, you’re going to waste time trying to stand out when you sound like everyone else.
Have you heard of those agencies that say “we’re a team of data-driven experts!”?
That translates to “we do what every marketer does”. It’s not special and it’s definitely not unique, many assume that prospects/clients will be in absolute awe of this line when in actuality, they’ve already lost interest by the time they read ‘data’.
So let’s get into it, how can you stand out as a unique marketing agency?
Service offering or industry focus
The most obvious two are by your service offering (e.g.- optimising Amazon products) or industry focus (e.g.- tiki torch manufacturers).
We’ve got a cool article about niching it up (or not) so we won’t bore you just yet. Don’t assume that picking a niche automatically makes you a unique marketing agency though unless you’re one of the few with knowledge/expertise that your competitors don’t have.
technology offering
Do you have proprietary tech that is useful and rare? (Remember our rules for differentiators).
Are you reselling any white-labeled Martech / marketing automation software?
Depending on your industry focus, showing clients that they can gamify their marketing solution can really help you differentiate your marketing services from others.
Target audience
Really get to grips with marketing to a specific audience.
I saw an agency recently that was focused on OoH (out-of-home) marketing to Baby Boomers. Their clients included grooming & whiskey brands and the agency is growing fast!
Certifications/accolades
Some agencies only employ marketers who have a CIM qualification (Chartered Institute of Marketing). Some ensure that they’ve all passed the Google Ads course.
Picking a differentiator like this means you CAN actually boast about having a team that are experts in X and Y; which would then be both true and important.
Company size
You can focus on working with small businesses only (but don’t be that vague, they vary by headcount & revenue a lot).
Many marketers are focused on working with startups now. I’m assuming to get that sweet Series A money their way.
Whatever works, as long as you know WHY you serve companies with those headcounts (e.g.- you’re an ex-startup founder).
TL;DR – Pick one of the above and zone in on it to become a unique marketing agency. Ideally, pick a few!
