Webinar: Building an Agency Brand.

Last week I hosted a webinar on building an agency brand that actually cuts through in a very crowded market.

I was joined by 3 absolute professionals - Kathleen, Sandra, and Nick. Huge thanks to them for their time.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the session (my words, not theirs):

• Brand strategy has to line up with your business strategy, otherwise you end up doing a lot of marketing stuff that goes nowhere.
• In a sea of similar agencies, relevance usually matters more than being wildly different (ie, differentiation can be a red herring).
• The three R's for agency brands are a useful filter: relevant, relatable, remarkable.
• Differentiation often comes from your people, your culture, and how you show up in the industry, not from a clever list of services (yeah, I know, I said it's a red herring).
• Thought leadership and PR are practical tools to build authority, profile and trust, not fluffy extras.
• Consistency and visibility build brand over time, but they only work if what you are putting out is genuinely useful and aligned with your values.
• Awards can be worth the time and money if you are selective, have proof of impact, and link them back to your positioning and team development.
• Case studies, press releases and content work best when they are baked into BAU processes with clear owners, KPIs and templates.
• If you want to build a personal or agency profile, you need to pick your channels and just start, even if imposter syndrome is loud to begin with.

My absolute favourite though was one from Sandra:

"If your brand isn't claiming earned space, your competitors probably are…so get started".

A bit more context and commentary from me

I put this webinar together because almost every agency I work with feels crowded out. There are thousands of agencies across Australia and New Zealand, all selling broadly similar services, often chasing the same clients and the same talent. The usual response is to shout a bit louder, post a bit more or enter some awards, and hope something sticks.

What came through strongly from Nick, Sandra and Kathleen is that more activity on its own does not solve the problem. You need a clear position first. Nick talked about brand positioning as the reason you exist and the space you occupy in your client's head. If you cannot explain what makes your agency distinct, desirable, engaging and credible in a few words, it is very hard to expect your market to do it for you.

We also spent a fair bit of time on the link between brand and business strategy (or at least, I kept harping on about it). This is where I see agencies fall over most often. There is a business plan sitting in a folder, and a separate deck called "marketing strategy", and the two do not touch. If you are trying to diversify your client mix, your marketing has to help you get in front of those new sectors. If you want to grow quickly, you need an employer brand that attracts talent before you brief a recruiter.

People and storytelling came up again and again. Kathleen made the point that in B2B, people buy people. The agencies we referenced as doing this well are not only talking about their work. They are showing up as humans, sharing what they care about, how they think and what they stand for. That is true for founders and senior leaders, but also for the broader team. Sandra made the point that some agency owners are nervous about staff building their own profiles, but in practice, when you support that properly and wrap it in strong agency IP, it usually deepens loyalty and lifts the agency brand with it.

On the PR and thought leadership side, Sandra outlined a pretty straightforward playbook: have something useful to say, stay in your lane, and use the familiar levers like research, opinion pieces, speaking, awards and media outreach. PR is no longer about blasting a generic press release to every publication you can think of. It is about targeted outreach, strong relationships, and a clear view of which audiences you actually care about.

I was keen to get everyone's perspectives on awards, and they delivered. Most agencies have an opinion, usually based on whether they have had a good or bad run with them in the past. The panel view was fairly consistent: they can be very useful, as long as you are selective and realistic. They can create internal accountability, keep you honest about results, lift morale, and help in close pitches. They also cost time and money, so they should be chosen with the same discipline you would apply to any other investment.

The last big piece for me was about making all of this sustainable. It is one thing to say "we should do case studies, press, thought leadership, and awards". It is another thing entirely to build that into how the agency actually runs. The more practical approach is to incorporate it into your processes. For example:

• Case studies written at the same time as the post campaign report, and signed off with the client then and there.
• Standard structures and templates.
• Clear KPIs in role descriptions.

If you missed it, you can check the recording out here.