Marketing Agency Processes That Work: Creative Agency Edition

Are you overwhelmed by disorganized workflows, missed deadlines, or unclear team responsibilities? Or you struggle to maintain quality and consistency (without proper processes), unsure how to handle increasing client demands or onboard new team members effectively.?

This guide is for you. We'll discuss marketing agency processes and how to optimize them. We'll also discuss a beautiful thing called automation and how you can exploit it to cut down on repetitive tasks and save a lot of time. 

And if you'd like to design your own processes from scratch, I have a few tips for you too. 

Okay let's jump in. 

Marketing Agency Processes 101

What are marketing agency processes?

Marketing agency processes are the systematic workflows and procedures which determine how tasks are completed, campaigns are executed and client relationships are managed.

These processes form the foundation of an agency’s operations, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and quality across all projects..

They impact every stage of a project’s life cycle, ensuring that tasks are completed efficiently, deadlines are met and client expectations are managed effectively. They serve as a roadmap for agency teams, providing clarity on who does what, how tasks are prioritized, and how deliverables align with overarching goals.

What roles do processes play in creative agencies? 

Creativity, if not controlled, can become disorganized, leading to inefficiencies and inconsistencies. Processes give creativity structure. They enable creative agencies to channel creativity into a structured workflow, ensuring that ideas translate into actionable strategies and executed with precision.

But what are these processes made of? 

Key components of marketing agency processes

Marketing agency processes generally include several interconnected components. Let's take a look. 

Project initiation

This defines the scope, objectives and deliverables of a project.

Resource allocation

These processes assign roles, responsibilities and resources and make sure that projects are executed efficiently. This defines team members’ tasks, timelines, and tools.

Creative execution

This includes the workflows involved in producing marketing assets, such as graphic design, campaign strategy and content creation.

Feedback and iteration

These procedures determine how quickly an agency integrates feedback and revise deliverables. 

Performance Measurement

These are methods for analyzing campaign performance and generating reports to refine strategies and demonstrate value to clients.

Now, why are these processes so important to the operations of agencies? 

The importance of processes to agencies

Processes make the various aspects of the operations of a creative agency predictable.

This empowers teams to work confidently, assured that there are laid down procedures which address challenges, resolve conflicts and manage timelines.

Poor processes negatively impact agencies

When processes aren't clear, chaos, inefficiency and frustration increase.

Communication breaks down leading to costly errors and missed deadlines.

And without a structured feedback loop, poor-quality work (without the clients' input) is delivered, damaging the agency’s reputation.

Clients can definitely tell when an agency lacks organization. Team members, on their part, may become demoralized and burn out as they scramble to meet unclear or unrealistic demands.

In a nutshell, poor processes cost agencies resources that are essential for growth — time, money, and client trust. 

How processes impact agency performance

🚀 They boost efficiency

Well-structured processes eliminate redundancies and streamline workflows. This allows teams to accomplish more in less time.

For example, an agency with a standardized client onboarding process can quickly gather project requirements, align expectations and set clear timelines without wasting hours on back-and-forth communication. In contrast, an agency without a standardized process will be over the place. 

An efficient agency is hardly plagued by resource burnout. When team members know their roles and have clear guidelines for completing tasks, they spend less time troubleshooting and more time focusing on high-value work.

This balance enables agencies to meet tight deadlines without sacrificing the quality of deliverables. When an agency is efficient, they can take up even more work and deliver consistent results.

🚀 Processes guarantee consistency

Processes ensure the standard of quality is maintained across projects, regardless of their size or complexity.

All projects are subjected to the same strict review process before being delivered to the client.

This reduces errors, preserves brand reputation and builds trust with clients. 

Also, when there are standardized consistent processes, new team members are onboarded more easily as they can quickly adapt to established workflows.

🚀 Increased client satisfaction

Processes ensure transparency and timely communication.

With robust processes in place, clients are carried along. They're informed about progress and potential roadblocks.

This transparency helps to build client confidence and reduces the likelihood of disputes or dissatisfaction.

Processes for handling client feedback and revisions ensure that the client’s voice is heard without derailing the project.

When clients are satisfied, they do business with you for a long time and refer you to others. 

🚀 They boost growth

With the right processes in place, you'll grow in a sustainable way while still maintaining your agency's core values and operational efficiency. 

As agencies grow, managing larger teams and more complex projects becomes increasingly challenging.

The right processes will provide much needed structure for handling increased workloads without compromising on quality.

For example, an agency which uses automated systems for time tracking, invoicing and billing, and reporting can save a lot of time as its clientele increases.

Also with the right processes in place, new team members can hit the ground running immediately. 

🚀 Increased creativity

Contrary to widespread belief, processes support creativity and not kill it. Processes guarantee that things work the way they should — operational stability and consistency. 

When team members don’t have to worry about administrative hurdles or unclear expectations, they have more time and mental energy to focus on creative and innovative work.

Processes remove the chaos from day-to-day operations, creating a stable environment where creativity can flourish.

A design team, for example, which operates within a structured workflow knows exactly when projects should be delivered, when they’ll receive client feedback and what revisions are expected.

This stability and predictability lets them focus on doing their best work rather than getting bogged down by logistical challenges.

Good and fine, but how do you find the right mix of creativity and structure? It's not exactly easy. Well, let's try to do that. 

Finding the balance between creativity and structure

Creativity requires flexibility and freedom to flourish. On the other hand, structured processes are needed to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget and to the client’s specifications.

This is why sometimes, there's a clash between creativity and processes. The solution lies in finding balance — the right mix of the two. 

Without structure, even the most creative ideas could fail. Lack of planning might lead to poor output and missed deadlines. 

Conversely, excessively rigid processes can hinder creativity and make work mechanical and boring.

Solution?

Freedom and accountability

The key to achieving this balance lies in giving creative teams the freedom to try new things without deviating from the agency's goals and client expectations.

To this, they must be held accountable. 

Easier said than done? Not really. 

This can be done through processes which are flexible enough to accommodate the exploratory nature of creative work but also firm enough to maintain consistency and quality.

Leadership holds all the cards

Agency leaders must take up the responsibility of finding this balance between creative exploration and operational efficiency. One shouldn't be sacrificed for the other. 

Leaders must set clear expectations and make available necessary resources. 

They must also encourage team members to communicate openly and share ideas.

Processes aren't set in stone. Leaders must also recognize when processes need to be changed or adapted to better support creativity. This is especially important as the agency grows or as clients change.

Having gotten the foundation out of the way, let's now turn to the crux of this guide... 

Core Processes for Creative Agencies

We now know that processes boost efficiency and consistency, and guarantees high-quality output irrespective of agency size or project scope. 

But what are these processes in particular? Let's look at them in detail. 

Client Onboarding

Client onboarding is the critical first step in any agency-client relationship. It is your agency’s opportunity to set expectations, build trust and establish a strong foundation for a successful partnership.

If you get the onboarding process wrong, the project will struggle — confusion, misalignment and frustration. Of course your relationship with your client won't last. 

On the other hand, a streamlined and professional onboarding experience reassures clients that your agency is organized, capable and invested in their success.

Onboarding goes way beyond paperwork or contract signing. It's mainly about understanding your client — their needs, goals and expectations — and aligning your efforts to those. 

It's essential that both parties are clear about deliverables, timelines and communication frequency and channels.

Whatever you do at this stage will impact the quality of the relationship you'll have with the client. 

📌 Understanding the client’s needs and goals

Use this time to understand your client’s business, target audience, and marketing objectives. No empty or soulless chatter here. 

Ask detailed questions to pinpoint their brand identity and what they hope to achieve. What challenges are they currently facing? What are their short-term and long-term goals? What are their metrics for success?

Are there any potential roadblocks —  limited resources, unclear priorities or unrealistic expectations. Address these  early to avoid misunderstandings and ensure everyone is on the same page.

📌 Set clear expectations

Outline project scope and revision cycles, define key milestones and agree (with the client) on measurable outcomes. Transparency is extremely important. 

Let clients know exactly what they should expect from you and what will be required from them to ensure success. Make sure agreed deadlines are realistic. 

📌 Leverage technology for efficiency

Use technology to automate workflows and save time. 

ManyRequests will help you manage documents, track progress and coordinate all the aspects of the project.

Campaign Planning and Strategy Development

Without a clear plan, your creative ideas can fail. This ensures that every piece of content, design project and messaging aligns with the client's business goals, vision and the audience’s needs.

A strategy provides a roadmap for the campaign and guides teams while keeping them focused on achieving measurable results. 

A strategic, deliberate approach leads you to success. A haphazard, reactive one to colossal failure. 

📌 Understanding client objectives and target audience

Before diving into the creative process, it is essential to fully understand the client's objectives.

Have thorough conversations and workshops with the client to identify their short-term and long-term business goals and objectives. Are they looking to increase brand awareness, drive sales or engage a new demographic? 

These objectives will shape the strategy moving forward.

Knowing their target audience is just as critical. Conduct research to gather insights into the demographics, psychographics, behaviors and pain points of the audience. The more you know about their target audience, the more accurate and personalized your campaigns will be. 

📌 Define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Once you've sorted client objectives and audience insights, the next thing is to define measurable goals, or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). 

These metrics will be your benchmarks for success. The specifics of the KPIs will depend on the campaign’s goals. 

KPIs are a fundamental part of the strategy development process. Without predefined KPIs, it becomes difficult to measure success or justify the ROI of the campaign. 

📌 Choose your channels and tactics

The channel you choose will depend on the nature of the campaign and the target audience.

For example, for younger consumers, TikTok or Instagram may be the most effective. For B2B campaigns, you're better off targeting decision-makers on LinkedIn or via email.

📌 Collaboration and client approval

For the strategy to be executed to a tee and creative assets developed, collaboration between teams must be smooth. Different departments (creative, media buying, copywriting and analytics) must work cohesively.

Keep the client updated throughout the duration of the campaign. Regular check-ins, presentations, or milestone reviews will ensure that the campaign is on track and aligned with the client’s expectations. This reduces the risk of major time-wasting revisions later on.

The approval process should be defined early on to avoid unnecessary delays or revisions.

📌 Refine and adjust as you go

Monitor data closely and make adjustments in real-time based on performance.

If an ad, for example, isn't generating the desired engagement, or a piece of content is underperforming, work on them.

Creative Workflow Management

This ensures ideas are translated into tangible deliverables. 

Proper workflow management eliminates bottlenecks, reduces revisions and makes it easy for team members to work collaboratively to complete a project.

Without an efficient creative workflow, the creative process can quickly spiral out of control.

Multiple iterations of the same design, lack of clarity and constant delays due to poor communication will be the result.

A streamlined creative process is one where everyone knows their tasks and are focused on completing just that. 

This ensures faster turnaround times, which is essential in keeping your clients happy and staying competitive in the industry.

A typical creative process would normally include the following stages. 

📌 Ideation and briefing

This is where you brainstorm, gather ideas and get to understand the client's vision, goals and target audience. 

You can achieve this through clear project briefs, detailed questionnaires, and stakeholder interviews. 

📌 Concept development

After your team has studied and understood the information they gathered, the next phase is to come up with a number of campaign strategies or designs.

Whether it’s graphic design, copywriting, or video production, all team members should contribute their unique perspectives.

Make sure you receive feedback from stakeholders, especially the client before moving to the next stage.

📌Execution and production

Once a concept is approved, creative work can now begin.

This is where the bulk of the design, writing and content creation happens. Tools such as ManyRequests can help assign tasks and deadlines to team members and ensure everyone is on the same page. 

This is particularly important when multiple creative teams are working on different aspects of the project.

📌 Review and feedback

A structured review process is to ensure that the work meets the client’s expectations. Set defined rounds of feedback (at the onboarding phase) to prevent endless revisions.

Make the review process as transparent as possible so that the client can communicate their thoughts clearly so the creative team can act on it. 

ManyRequests makes this process seamless. 

📌 Final delivery

Once the final deliverables have been approved, the last step is the delivery phase. This involves handing over the assets to the client, ensuring everything is in the correct format, and making sure the client is satisfied with the final product.

All the project files should be organized and properly stored, making future revisions or repurposing easy. The team should also prepare a debrief to discuss what they learned from the project. 

Also gather feedback from the client on their experience.

Now, creative workflows can be disrupted by even the tiniest of issues. What could these hindrances be? Let's find out. 

Common bottlenecks

❎ Poor communication

Whether it’s unclear feedback or a lack of transparency about deadlines, miscommunication often leads to delays. Clear, concise communication, coupled with regular check-ins, can help prevent these issues.

❎ No pre-defined approval processes

An unstructured approval process can lead to unplanned back-and-forth revisions.

Solution? 

Establish defined feedback rounds.

For example, drafts should go through a set of approvals, ensuring that each stakeholder provides input at the appropriate stage without causing unnecessary delays.

❎ Lack of task prioritization

Tasks should be completed according to their importance and urgency. By using a tool such ManyRequests, you can visually track progress and highlight key tasks that need immediate attention, thereby reducing the chance of getting sidetracked by lower-priority ones.

❎ Communication and collaboration 

For a project to be executed successfully, stakeholders (clients, designers, copywriters, project managers, and other team members) must work together on a project,m. There must be seamless communication. Else, confusion ensues like it did with the builders of the Tower of Babel. 

Without clear communication, a project can easily be derailed, resulting in client dissatisfaction.

What must you do? 

🚀 Create effective communication channels

The first step is to establish clear channels through which information can be shared. Email alone won't suffice. It can lead to important messages being buried or overlooked. Using a platform where all the conversations happen in one central place in real-time can be a game-changer. 

Using an all-in-one platform such as ManyRequests, team members can communicate quickly. They can centralize conversations around specific projects, ensuring that every team member has access to the most current information. 

Clients also need to be brought into the communication loop to ensure they have access to real-time information. This well help manage expectations and avoid unnecessary delays.

All of this is possible in ManyRequests client portal. 

🚀 Facilitate collaboration between teams

Collaboration involves a shared understanding of goals, the pooling of expertise, and joint decision-making. For creative agencies, collaboration often involves different departments, from the creative team (designers, writers, and developers) to account managers, marketing strategists, and clients.

Stakeholders must work together, bringing to bear their different roles and expertise.

They must understand how their contributions fit into the broader project. 

For example, the creative team must not only design but also ensure that their work is aligned with the strategic marketing goals set by the marketing department.

Also, copywriters need to ensure that their content complements the visuals and overall message.

Establishing roles and responsibilities early on ensures that each team member knows what is expected of them and how they contribute to the overall success of a project. This prevents overlap and reduces confusion. 

The client must not be left out. They're the star of the show after all. Their input must always be sought and acted on. 

Again, ManyRequests can come in handy here. It can be used to strengthen the client-agency relationship.

The client can view project timelines, check progress and offer real-time feedback on deliverables.

Client Feedback and Revisions

Feedback provides valuable insight into how well the creative work aligns with the client's brand, objectives and target audience. This will help teams make adjustments to ensure that the final product meets the client's expectations.

However, without a structured process, feedback can quickly become a nightmare. 

How do you manage feedback? 

Setting clear expectations from the start

Trash this out with the client at the beginning. 

How will feedback be handled and what will the timelines look like? What about the frequency and the number of revision rounds? 

Agreeing on these early on is the best way to prevent scope creep, where a client keeps making new requests which push the project beyond its original boundary (scope) 

Create a structured feedback process

Now that clear expectations have been set? How do you gather feedback? 

The best way to do this is through a centralized system (such as ManyRequests) where both the creative team and the client can track comments, revisions and changes.

This will keep all parties updated and ensure feedback isn’t lost as is often the case with email.

When the client makes a wild request

Sometimes clients may provide unclear, conflicting, or even downright wild requests. 

In these situations, you just be proactive and ask for clarification.

For example, instead of acting on ambiguous requests such as "make it sharp", ask the client to be specific. 

And when decision makers from a client have differing opinions, it's best to hold a meeting so that a consensus can

be reached. 

Don't ignore documentation 

Keep detailed records of all client feedback, changes and key decisions made as the project evolves. The agency and the client can refer to it when the need arises. 

Reporting and Performance Analysis

This process enables you to communicate the value of your work to your client.

You'll also gain insights for future projects. 

So what do those KPIs say? 

Now that you know these processes, let me show how you can optimize them using a magnificent piece of software. 

How ManyRequests Streamlines Processes

What is ManyRequests and how does it fit into agency workflows?

ManyRequests is a client portal and project management tool designed to help creative agencies streamline their processes by providing a centralized platform for collaboration, communication and client management.

ManyRequests addresses the unique needs of creative teams, helping them efficiently manage multiple clients, track project progress, and maintain transparency throughout the entire process.

But it’s more than just a task management tool. It keeps creative teams organized, enables seamless communication with clients and ensures that project timelines are met without sacrificing quality or creativity.

For agencies that juggle a large volume of client requests or projects, ManyRequests provides a portal where all interactions are documented and easily accessible. 

Centralized client management

It can actually be a challenge for creative agencies to manage client requests and keep track of all communication.

Without a centralized system, client interactions can become disjointed, leading to confusion and missed details.

ManyRequests solves this problem by consolidating client information, requests, and feedback into one easily accessible portal.

Each client gets their own dedicated space within the platform, where they can submit requests, track the progress of ongoing projects and communicate directly with the creative team.

This centralized approach eliminates the need for endless email or juggling multiple tools.

Since all project-related conversations and files are stored in one location, no message goes missing. 

Streamlining the creative process

ManyRequests simplifies complex workflows by allowing agencies to create customizable workflows that align with their specific creative processes.

Agencies can design their workflows based on the type of service they offer — web or graphic design, content creation, or branding. 

The tool enhances collaboration by allowing team members to work on the same project simultaneously (impossible in some other tools), review each other’s work and provide feedback directly within the platform.

Managing client feedback and revisions

Clients can submit feedback directly on their project portal instead of sending long emails, 

ManyRequests allows agencies to set up revision limits to help prevent scope creep.

The platform also streamlines the approval process by providing clients with a clear, intuitive interface to review deliverables.

Clients can approve, request changes or ask for further revisions within the portal. 

Automating repetitive tasks and admin work

ManyRequests automates repetitive tasks, freeing up time for your team to focus on more creative work.

The platform can automatically send out project briefs, contracts or invoices once certain milestones are reached. It can also track time spent on each task or project, generating accurate billing without the need for manual input.

Improving transparency and client trust

ManyRequests enhances transparency by providing clients with real-time access to their project’s status.

They can view project timelines, track progress and see which tasks have been completed and which is still pending. 

Scalability and customization

As your agency grows, ManyRequests grows with you. 

You can manage a larger number of clients without sacrificing quality or efficiency. Whether you’re working with one client or 100, ManyRequests ensures that each project is handled with the same level of care and attention.

The platform is also highly customizable, allowing agencies to tailor it to their specific needs. You can customize the client portal with your brand's colors and message, even your own domain name. 

You can test out ManyRequests here.

Now, do you want to design your own processes? I have a few tips for you. 

Tips for Building Scalable Processes

💡 Document your processes

When building scalable processes, always start with documentation. 

Documentation is also a reference point for processes to be replicated and refined over time. 

Whether you’re creating a new workflow or improving an existing one, documenting every step allows your team to understand expectations, reduce errors, and ensure consistency across projects.

💡 Automate whenever possible

Automation takes care of repetitive tasks so your team can focus on higher-value creativity. 

💡 Standardize for consistency 

Standardizing certain tasks such as client intake forms, campaign reporting templates and content approval workflows helps to create consistency. Every team member can easily follow the same procedures. 

💡 Teach your team to adhere to processes

No process will succeed if your team is not committed to following it. Therefore teach them a culture of process adherence by communicating the value of these processes to them.

All right, to the questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are processes important for creative agencies, especially when creativity is meant to be flexible?

Processes provide a structured framework that supports creativity rather than stifling it. They help streamline repetitive tasks, reduce confusion and free up time for teams to focus on innovative ideas.

What tools are essential for implementing and managing agency processes?

It depends on your agency’s specific needs. It may include at the very least project management and automation tools such as ManyRequests, Zapier and Airtable. 

How can agencies ensure team members consistently follow established processes?

By documentation, training and regular reinforcement.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading through this guide. You've seen the power of processes. Now, go and implement according to your needs. 

While you're at it, remember ManyRequests, an all-in-one solution built specifically for creative agencies will make things a lot easier for your agency. 

A 14-day free trial at zero costs to you awaits here. 

All right. See you on the next one. Bye.

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