Whether you’re starting an agency, scaling it up, or have a long-established business, growing your client base is no easy task. From defining your growth goals to developing a scalable business model, achieving success in such a crowded field requires careful planning, a willingness to push boundaries, and a desire to learn from your successes and failures.  

So how do you grow your client base to scale up? Here are Ingenuity’s top five tips on how to scale an agency: 

Tip 1 – Develop robust processes 

To grow your client base and scale your business you’ll need processes in place to support new business growth, while also ensuring your efforts are balanced with nurturing existing clients to minimise churn rates. Building strong client retention strategies is therefore crucial and shouldn’t be overlooked. It helps to maintain relationships with current clients and ensures new ones feel valued. This balance is key in any strategic business growth plan. 

Tip 2 – Define clear goals  

Having a clear idea of which part of your agency you want to grow and the sectors you want to target is crucial for scaling. One of your primary goals should be to clearly define your market, and your offering to clients within that market. Without well-defined objectives, measuring and assessing success will be impossible. Begin by analysing your current position in the market, identifying areas for improvement, and setting realistic KPIs that align with your agency’s capabilities, resources, and overall growth goals. In addition, the more specialised your agency is, the more you can leverage your understanding of your clients’ business areas and needs. This clarity will guide strategic efforts and keep your team focused, forming the basis of an effective marketing agency growth strategy.  

Tip 3 – Showcase your content 

A creative/marketing agency should live what it preaches. Using creative and insightful content can help you tell a story and showcase your expertise to future clients. Measures of effectiveness and Testimonials from current clients also help here. Your audience wants to learn more about you, connect to your story, and learn some actionable tips before buying into your products or services. Additionally, using different channels to reach potential clients, such as email, LinkedIn, social media, and mobile phone content supports outreach by starting a conversation. Be willing to explore different channels: this can give you a competitive edge and enhance your agency's appeal to potential clients. This approach is a fundamental part of a creative agency marketing plan.  

Tip 4 – Leverage existing relationships 

Ask yourself: are there any existing relationships where you can upsell your services or find new opportunities within a holding company? Existing clients who are satisfied with your services are more likely to consider additional services you offer. Exploring these relationships can lead to new business opportunities, requiring minimal additional marketing efforts. Regardless of your agency’s pedigree, always see yourself on a level playing field with potential clients. Confidence balanced with humility are is vital to building strong business relationships. This tactic is an essential component of any advertising agency growth strategy.  

Tip 5 – Beware of growing too fast 

Rapid growth can be tempting, but it’s important to scale at a sustainable pace. Growing too fast can lead to overstretched resources, compromised quality of service, and potential damage to your agency’s reputation. Ensure you have set up the necessary infrastructure, talent, and processes to support your growth before significantly expanding your client base. Look for opportunities to grow organically, such as upselling services to existing clients or finding new opportunities within a holding company (see Tip 4). This approach ensures your strategic business growth is effective and sustainable.  

Scaling your business is a journey that requires careful planning, strategic effort, and a willingness to learn from both successes and failures. By developing robust client acquisition and retention strategies, setting clear growth goals, showcasing your creativity, leveraging existing relationships, maintaining humility, and growing at a reasonable pace, you can effectively grow your client base and scale your agency. 

Stay committed to your vision and remember that every step forward, no matter how small, is progress towards your ultimate goal. Using these tips for scaling a business, your agency can grow and thrive in a competitive landscape.  

At Ingenuity we have nearly 20 years of experience helping agencies grow through business development, PR and Content. Get in touch with Emma Robson our Head of Growth at emma.robson@ingenuitylondon.com