Connecting with the right editorial or content marketing agency for your brand can be a daunting task. It's hard to know whether to entrust the growth of your brand messaging to a large firm or boutique agency admits Steve Knipp, a content marketing editor and former advertising writer.

With previous work on campaigns for Hennessy Brandy, InterContinental Hotels, Mercedes-Benz and more under his belt, Steve shares his top four reasons why smaller boutique agencies give more bang for your buck than large corporate ones.

"When using a large legacy marketing agency, much of what you’re paying for is not the sizzling creative talent — nor their savvy marketing gurus. It goes to fund these agencies’ prestigious urban locations and lavish over-the-top office décor. Plus the floor-to-ceiling windows that provide those pricey riverine views. Sure, all that posh paraphernalia is useful to the agency itself because it always impresses potential clients... just as it did you, right? Yet none of this helps you market your own product or service."

"The chances are good that at your first meeting with a large marketing firm, you'll meet their celebrated A-Team, the high-flying creatives and marketing merlins responsible for many of their employer’s successful marketing campaigns, or award-winning show reels.

But it’s no secret that a large firm’s top guns spend a stack of their time pitching for new business. This is the ruthless nature of the business for brand name marketing companies: an endless need to refresh the client list, to quench the thirst for ever-higher profits. So, what happens to your account? Quite often, once you’ve signed on the dotted line, they will assign your business to junior staff. Or outsource it to freelancers.

Not only do the large marketing firms have far more staff, they also need far larger offices — which typically accounts for eye-watering overheads. They also must handle the habitual barking from “headquarters” about the need to generate more money to keep revenue-ravenous stakeholders happy."

"While they may not be able to offer the vast range of services that large agencies have, the advantages that smaller boutique marketing agencies have over big-box firms are many and substantial. For starters, the service to your account will always be more personal. The agency’s owner will have your name on speed-dial.

In 1960s USA, two rental car companies competed for the booming new business in rental cars. A company called Hertz was the larger market leader but its smaller rival, Avis, launched a TV campaign with the brilliant tagline: “When you’re only No. 2, you try harder. Or else.” It proved so successful, that within a few years, Avis worried that it couldn’t continue to promote their No. 2 status.

When a creative boutique shop has only 20 clients, losing any one can have a serious impact on the firm’s revenue. So, keeping every client happy with their work is the way that small agencies thrive."

"Within large marketing firms, creative teams aren’t always given direct access to clients. They’re told what’s required through account managers. What’s more, in big agencies, creatives and accounts people don’t always work together; sometimes they don’t even like each other!

Whereas in small firms, everyone — from senior writers to junior accounts people to the company’s founder — all work closely together. Most everyone will have direct contact with all their clients — making for fast, accurate feedback. With small agencies, every client is a mega-client. For that reason, every staffer in a boutique agency must give their best to every client. There’s no time for egos or space for corporate-style deadwood. Every employee must produce results. Smaller agencies hire for raw talent, not mere numbers.

Remember Robin Hood? His band was modest, but their talents magnificent. And they were scandalously merry."

As a boutique editorial agency, the ALHAUS team prides itself on being agile: we can be as small or as big as your project demands. Work with us and you’ll tap into a unique blend of creativity, story, design and strategy.