EMEA Blog

The marketing services industry experienced a hugely tumultuous year in 2016. In 2017 the differentiator will be how well agencies develop new techniques and ways of working to cope. Read more about what’s in store for the marketing services industry in 2017

The creative industry has never been one for early nights, but what toll does this take on your teams when they are routinely having to work late or on weekends?

Whilst marketing agencies are seeing revenue increases across the board, many are finding it difficult to turn this into profit.

It is natural human behaviour to resist or be concerned about change – after all, it is a step away from what is known. But how does this work in an environment such as the creative industry where change is not only continual but more often than not, seen as the pathway to success?

Over-servicing has historically always been a part of agency life but what we are seeing today is an industry which has seemingly reached its limit, now being detrimentally affected by over-servicing levels.

When looking at over-servicing it is very easy to only consider the consequences for the agency in terms of financial loss but in reality, over-servicing has an even bigger impact on your most valuable assets – your staff.

According to a report by PR Week and Deltek, over-servicing results in seven percent of billable time not being collected. It is no secret that this is a major issue for agencies but how can they combat this cycle?

One of the greatest challenges faced by creative agencies today is resource planning and management – particularly when it comes to staffing.

What happens when you’re operating in an industry where income growth is positive but margins are depressed? And what can be done to counteract this trend in Marketing and Communications firms?

Discover the key lessons we learnt throughout 2015 and our top predictions for the Marcoms industry in 2016.

Learn more about a growing trend that presents a very real threat for creative agencies.

Ashley Miller discusses the top things she learnt in 2015 about what is going on the the UK creative industry.

Marketing and Communications talent is beginning to dry up and addressing this skills gap will be essential to the future of the industry.

How should agencies judge their success? In this blog we look at the criteria success should be judged against and how agencies can achieve it.

New business pitching is arguably the most disliked necessity within a creative agency. How does your Agency combat the stress of pitching for new business?

Agencies within the creative space have been working hard to rebuild following the crash in 2008. But how can agencies build on this momentum and continue to grow – what are the next steps?

A merger or acquisition can be a great way for an agency to expand its services, win new clients and enter new markets. But it can have a huge impact on clients and employees, so the whole process requires careful consideration.

Does the traditional agency billing model enable agencies to truly maximise their profitability, or do they need to move towards a value-based model?

Scope Creep has been identified as one of the biggest factors in the decline of profits in the Marketing and Communications industry. How are you managing it?

Avoiding scope creep helps maximize your margins from each client, project and employee

Resource planning and management is one of the greatest challenges faced by creative agencies today. Find out why.

Choosing a performance- and value-based remuneration model can make a big difference to an agency’s profitability and help build stronger client relationships.

Are agencies damaging their profits by failing to embrace changes in the way they work?

Deltek and Click Z recently set out to try to get to the heart the issues troubling global creative agencies as they strive to mark their creative success and grow their businesses. Here are the results.

Does it still make commercial sense to make a big city your base, and is moving further afield a viable alternative?

Digital is no longer an exception as clients expect their agencies to deliver multichannel campaigns. So does your agency need to go digital just to stay afloat?

Learn how to make sure you protect your agency's margin by keeping your projects on track, on time and within budget.

Is your marketing agency using historical business data to plan for future activity?

Agencies who operate across multiple locations face a variety of challenges. However having the right business systems in place can help you to grow efficiently and profitably.

Managing the complexities of your Agency doesn't have to be daunting - from the daily administrative tasks to resource allocation and utilisation, use these 6 best practices to ensure your success.

Do you know how to get the right people on the right projects at the right time? Callum Broderick shares the secret to resource management.

Consider these 5 quick tips to ensure success and build stronger relationships that will drive profitability in your creative agency

Use these 5 tips to make sure your Agency gets paid quickly for the work you are doing.

Stop time and money slipping through your fingers by considering these 5 important points

What is your Marketing Agency doing to ensure it stays relevant in a changing industry?

Timesheets are an important part of every marketing agency. Here three reasons why accurate timesheet recording will benefit you and your agency.

Minimise the administrative headaches and burdens on your team and your overall agency. Learn how to stay focused on what matters most – your clients.

In this blog series our experts share best practices to help you to manage the complexities of your Marketing Agency.

Discover the role that ERP software plays in effective acquisitions.

Many agencies still struggle to find the most effective way to manage their projects so that they balance creativity alongside project and finacial control.

Discover how using an agency management system to improve communication can boost your team’s productivity.

Give your team access to Agency Management Software that will help to improve productivity and increase profits

In step four of our five step guide, find out how you can achieve integrated reporting using the right agency management system

Is there a better way for Agencies to balance creativity with accountability in order to boost their profits?

In step three of our five step guide, find out how measuring estimates versus actuals can help to improve your Agency's bottom line

In step two of our five step guide, find out how you can better utilise capacity planning in your Agency and enable greater profitability

In step one of our 5 step guide, find out how better scheduling and resourcing can enable marketing agencies to improve their profitability

Over-selling in pitches and under-delivering in services is a problem that is costly for many services firms. Discover how you can prevent it from happening.

Marketing and PR professionals can ready themselves for promotion by 'walking the walk' before waiting to be asked.

As a strong managerial candidate, the support of an effective team is vital because it will free up the time and resources you require for initiating growth strategies and driving business success - both of which are the key to getting you noticed in the boardroom.

Learn how you can prevent timesheets from being a chore and use them to your advantage.

Learn how you can ensure your marketing or PR firm is able to keep up client demands and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive industry.

Learn how you can increase revenues in your marketing firm and make yourself a candidate for promotion by identifying existing client upsell opportunities.

Discover how you can ensure that you deliver value to all of your clients and keep ahead in a rapidly changing PR industry.