When budgets get tight, one of the first things many clients ask is, “How can I get the same or a better result from my agency but spend less money?”
Effectively, it’s a question about value. And it’s a fair one to ask in both good times and tough times. In the agency world, doing things for less means something needs to give: usually best practice, time, or quality.
I’ve been thinking back to the days when I was on client-side, managing a large marketing and comms team. There was always pressure to deliver more for less, especially when things got tight through the Global Financial Crisis. Here are some of the things I did – or at least tried to do – to drive more value from my agency partners. Hopefully there are some lessons here that help clients drive better value without resorting to cutting corners or compromising on quality.
1. A clear, focused brief
It’s amazing how often projects veer off track simply because the starting point wasn’t clear. A good brief doesn’t have to be long, it just needs to be focused. What are we trying to achieve? Who are we talking to? What do we want them to think, feel or do?
The clearer the brief from my team, the less time my agencies spent guessing, clarifying or revisiting early thinking. It felt like I got sharper, more effective solutions, faster. And that’s real value straight away.
2. Define success
Everyone wants the work to work but what does that actually mean? Whether it’s stronger engagement, increased sales, improved brand perception, or something else entirely, the earlier you define success, the more the agency can zero in on what matters most. It helps both the client and the agency stay focused, make better decisions, and track the right things. Otherwise, the agency’s making assumptions and, in my experience, that’s rarely a recipe for great ROI.
3. Make a decision and back it
Often agencies present a few strong ideas and the temptation is to blend two or even three together. While it might feel like we’re covering more ground, it actually dilutes our messages and impact. In my view, the best work usually comes from having a strong single-minded idea, refining it, and backing it. And the faster the call was made, the more of my budget seemed to go towards making the execution more impactful.
4. Trust your agency’s expertise
I chose certain agencies for a reason: their smarts, creativity, and ability to think differently. So I had to keep reminding myself to trust them to bring that to the table. My best agencies didn’t just take orders, they thought about what would deliver the best result. They challenged me to think differently and often suggested new approaches. Occasionally that felt uncomfortable but, more often than not, it delivered great results.
5. Plan and stick with it
Scope creep and drifting timelines are two of the biggest reasons projects go off the rails and over budget. Things changed, more often than I liked them to, but when everyone’s aligned from the start on what’s in scope, who’s doing what, and when decisions need to be made, everything ran more smoothly. I always used to encourage my teams to stick to the plan and hold the agency to account for doing the same. This ensured budgets are being spent where it delivers the most value. And when things did need to shift, we worked with the agency on a new plan we could all then stick to.
6. Raise issues early
It’s natural to let small concerns slide - a word that doesn’t quite land, a layout that feels slightly off – to see where things settle. Small things that just don’t feel right have a habit of growing. Left too long, they get harder (and more expensive) to fix. I learnt the hard way that flagging what my gut was telling me early gave the agency the chance to ease my concerns or to fix them before they become bigger.
7. Invest in the agency outcomes you want
Want your agency to deliver more value, faster? Help them understand your world. The more they knew about my business, industry, strategy, and the way I liked to work, the more instinctively they seemed to respond. They got to know what’s likely to get approval, and just as importantly, what’s not worth pursuing. And it wasn’t a huge time commitment. A little effort upfront made a big difference in how well - and fast - most of my agencies delivered.
Key learning: it’s a two-way street
Reflecting back on those client days, and sitting in agency land now, everything still feels like it holds true. Getting better value from your agency isn’t about squeezing harder, it’s about setting up the relationship for success. When agencies feel like true partners they go the extra mile. Not because they have to but because they want to.
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They invest emotionally in your success.
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They put in extra hours to add something special to the work.
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They proactively bring you ideas and insights that drive results.
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And they find ways to keep making working together better value for both sides.
If you’re being asked to deliver more for less (and let’s face it, most of us are at the moment), a few small shifts in how you engage with your agency can unlock a lot more value than you think. And if you’re not sure where to start? Just ask. We’re always up for a conversation about how to get more out of working together.
