Let’s be blunt. If you don’t lead your agency, they will. And chances are, they’ll steer it somewhere that’s easier for them, not better for you.
That doesn’t mean agencies are bad. It means they’re just not you.
They don’t know your goals, your customers, your margins, or your internal chaos. They can’t possibly make the right decisions without you driving the ship.
But here’s the problem: Most SMEs don’t have someone in the captain’s seat. So the agency takes the wheel. And that’s how projects go off-road, fast.
Flashback: When I Was the Agency
I’ve sat on both sides of the table.
As an agency co-founder, I remember trying to build great work with vague briefs, missing context, and guesswork. We’d ask questions. Clients wouldn’t answer. Or they’d say, “You’re the experts. You figure it out.”
So we did. Sometimes it landed. Other times? We missed the mark. Not because we were lazy, but because we were flying blind.
Fast-Forward: When I Was the Client
Years later, I stepped into client-side roles.
I hired agencies. Paid good money. And guess what I found? The exact same pattern, but now I was the one being frustrated.
- Strategies that missed the nuance.
- Creatives that didn’t reflect the audience.
- Deadlines that slipped without consequence.
- Metrics that looked good but meant nothing.
And it hit me: Agencies don’t fail because they’re bad. They fail because they’re unsupervised.
Your Agency Needs a Leader, and That Leader Should Be You
Let’s be real. No matter how good your agency is, they are not responsible for your outcomes. You are. If you don’t lead:
- The brief gets diluted.
- The message gets lost.
- The campaign goes live with gaps.
- And the results don’t land.
You wouldn’t hand a builder your keys and say, “Surprise me with the house.” So why are you doing that with your marketing?
The Brief Is the Brakes, the Wheel, and the Map
Most agency misfires start with a sloppy or missing brief. The team doesn’t know where they’re headed or what success looks like.
Brief Builder Template: Get It Right From the Start
This is the same structure I use to align teams, freelancers, and agencies across every project, whether you’re briefing a designer, ad specialist, or SEO consultant.
The Core Elements:
- What are we doing? → Clear description of the project or deliverable.
- Why does it matter? → The business objective it ties into (e.g. generate demo bookings, drive signups).
- Who is this for? → A short, sharp audience description (based on real customer insights).
- What are we saying? → Key messages, tone of voice, proof points.
- How will we measure success? → Be specific. “More traffic” is vague. “+20% trial signups in 4 weeks” is clear.
- What are the constraints? → Budget, platforms, design guidelines, compliance, etc.
- Who’s responsible for what? → Clear ownership for copy, design, feedback, sign-off, and final delivery.
The Power of a Feedback Loop
A great brief is just the start. You also need:
- Short feedback cycles (weekly or bi-weekly)
- Fast approvals (so momentum doesn’t stall)
- Clear red flags (to catch misalignment early)
- Performance reviews (so you can iterate intelligently)
When you lead with structure and clarity, agencies actually do better work. They want direction. They want to deliver. But they can’t read your mind.
So Who’s Steering Right Now?
If you’re outsourcing growth, creative, or campaigns, but no one’s watching the wheel, you’re not just risking wasted budget. You’re risking reputation, revenue, and time you’ll never get back.
You don’t need to micromanage. You just need to lead. Or bring someone who can.
That’s what I do for clients at Unlock Growth. I advise and drive. I brief, review, pressure-test, and course-correct so you don’t end up in the ditch.
Want a Sanity Check?
If you’re working with an agency (or considering it), please send me your draft brief. I’ll punch holes in it, suggest improvements, and help you tighten it up.
Clarity now saves chaos later. Let’s make sure your next project doesn’t just launch, but lands where you need it to.