“We Just Need a Strategy” Isn’t Enough
If I had a pound for every time an agency leader said, “We just need a proper strategy,” I’d be somewhere warm and smug right now.
But let’s interrogate that.
Saying “we need a strategy” is like saying “we need to get fit.” It’s not wrong - but it’s not a plan.
Strategy isn’t a vibe or a to-do list. It’s a decision. About what game you’re playing, how you’ll win it, and what you won’t do anymore.
And here’s where most agencies get stuck: they call growth the strategy. But growth is an outcome, not a strategy.
So how do you set a real one? Let’s break it down.
Step 1: Pick Your Play (Using the Ansoff Matrix)
There are only four real types of growth moves. Each has its own risk profile.
1. Market Penetration – Sell more of the same thing to the same people
Example: An SEO agency focused on e-commerce brands decides to go deeper with existing clients. They introduce strategic account management and upsell additional keyword clusters or content sprints.
Tactics might include:
Building a Client Growth team
Creating tiered retainer packages
Offering benchmarking reports as value-add
Incentivising account managers on upsells
This play increases share of wallet, not just new logos.
2. Product Development – Sell something new to existing clients
Example: A performance agency starts offering landing page optimisation to complement paid media.
But it only works if you go all in.
Tactics might include:
Hiring a dedicated CRO lead
Packaging CRO and media into one outcome-based fee
Building blended CPA case studies
Training your client team to sell both
Adding a service casually is distraction, not strategy.
3. Market Development – Sell your existing services to a new audience
Example: A UK creative agency expands into fintech after years of working with charities.
Execution might include:
Launching a sector-specific campaign
Rebranding and repositioning
Showing up at fintech events
Building proof points with case studies
This move takes time. Be honest about whether you have the runway to commit.
4. Diversification – New services, new market
The riskiest play. Sometimes necessary if your core offer dries up.
Example: A web agency specialising in Umbraco saw their pipeline collapse during lockdown. They pivoted into digital transformation consultancy for local government. Big move, but properly resourced and ringfenced.
Execution might include:
Creating a spinoff brand
Building a separate team and P&L
Ringfencing budget for 12 months
Clear go/no-go metrics
This isn’t a side hustle. It’s a bet.
Step 2: Connect Strategy to Reality
Picking a play isn’t enough. Strategy only exists if it drives real choices.
Here’s how you know you’ve made them:
You stop offering services that don’t fit
You restructure roles and teams
Your marketing and targeting shift
You say no to misaligned clients
Your KPIs change to reflect the new direction
If your plan doesn’t change how you spend time and money, it’s not strategy. It’s wishful thinking.
Step 3: Build the Infrastructure to Support It
Let’s take Market Development as an example - a brand agency expanding into sustainability.
People
Appoint a sector lead
Hire a researcher to map 100 ideal-fit firms
Run internal workshops to surface sector experience
Marketing
Launch a sector-specific landing page
Host a roundtable for sustainability leaders
Create a lead magnet: “The Sustainability Brand Audit Toolkit”
Sales
Build a separate pipeline
Track conversion rates by sector
Test sector-specific messaging and offers
Finance
Budget for 6–9 months before break-even
Adjust compensation for selling into new verticals
Track acquisition costs separately
Strategy isn’t a slide deck. It’s operational shifts across people, process, and P&L.
Three Mistakes That Kill Agency Strategy
Too much hedging
Choosing a play but keeping everything else running spreads resources too thin.
Fix: Commit for a defined period. Ringfence time and budget.No ownership
Strategy is “agreed” but no one’s responsible for making it happen.
Fix: Appoint a clear strategy owner - not a committee.Not specific enough
“We’ll move upmarket” isn’t a strategy.
Fix: Attach numbers, timelines, and non-negotiables. Clarity creates commitment.
Recap: How Agencies Build Real Strategy
Step 1: Pick a play (Ansoff Matrix)
Step 2: Make the hard calls
Step 3: Build the infrastructure
Step 4: Stay the course long enough to see results
Final Thought: Strategy Requires Focus
The agency leaders who make real progress aren’t the ones with the cleverest ideas. They’re the ones who hold focus when things get tough.
That means sticking with a play even when pipeline dips, the team wobbles, or a tempting project comes along “just outside” your positioning.
That’s the shift - from founder hustle to strategic leadership.
So, one question remains: what’s your strategic move?
Talk to us at GYDA. We help agency leaders define, commit, and execute strategy that sticks.
