Bulletproof Growth Hacking Strategies for Agencies
Time = money.
Nowhere is this truer than in the creative industry.
CMOs want work delivered yesterday.
They are setting the pace, and it’s fast.
With the clock always ticking, how should agencies keep up with the sky-high expectations?
Here, we'll dive into some of the strategies fast-moving agencies are using to shave off precious hours and mental load.
These steps have helped them deliver faster without compromising quality and creative talent.
#1 Track Client-Relevant KPIs from the Start
Let’s start with the one everyone's eyeing today: revenue growth.
For most CMOs, this means juggling projects with tight budgets while always being on the hook to deliver. And as a consequence, they're expecting a lot more from you as their agency partner.
Right off the bat, clients want to see that what you’re doing is making their business grow. If you’re just ticking boxes and not showing results, you're going to fall behind. That’s why it's key to start measuring the impact of your creative work from day one.
Tracking the right KPIs early on helps you paint a clear picture of your success. This proves your value and builds trust and confidence, paving the way for more exciting projects and growth.
For example, showing clients how you capture attention, improve clicks, and boost conversions will highlight the strategic moves that guide your creative direction. Agencies that bring fresh insights to the table are becoming the go-to partners for CMOs who are tired of the same old strategies.
So, in short, quantify relevant KPIs, visualize them, and make them a key part of your client check-ins.
#2 Test During the Creative Process, Not Post-Launch
Many agencies think that testing creative ideas is just a big drain on time and money.
But the reality is that creative testing isn’t as costly and time-consuming as they think.
In fact, it's actually cheaper to get testing done during the creative development phase rather than waiting until after your campaign is already out in the wilderness.
A lot of agencies test their creatives only after they've launched—by that point, though, the budget's spent, the campaign's live, and there's not much you can do to tweak or improve. Sure, you'll learn something for next time, but you've missed your shot to make this campaign really shine.
Getting feedback early on in the creative process means you can catch and fix issues before they turn into expensive problems. Let's face it, the further you get in a campaign's development, the more it costs and the riskier it becomes.
Why not move testing earlier in the creative process? Test wherever it makes sense in your established processes—it’s beneficial at any stage, from the initial brief through execution to reporting. This way you save money and reduce the risk of going live with something that's not quite right.
So, how can agencies effectively test their creatives? How can they ensure their designs are both appealing and effective? Tools like Neurons AI offer a quick solution.
For example, Neurons AI gives instant feedback on creatives, showing data on how they'll likely perform in the real world. It's like working with a data-driven art director who can tell your creative team which designs are hitting the mark and which ones might need a bit more work.
It’s not just for your creative team, though. Sales reps can use it to show clients how designs are expected to perform, backing up their pitches with solid data. Plus, the tool’s also for specialists who need to track campaigns, muddle through data and create reports.
#3 Rely on Insights, Not Opinions
And, if you’re worried about stakeholder doubt, it helps here too.
Dealing with feedback from a bunch of different stakeholders can be tricky. Everyone has an opinion, and it's easy to just let the loudest voice in the room — often the HiPPOs (the highest-paid people like founders, CEOs, or other leaders) — make all the calls.
But going down that path often leads to decisions that are all opinion and no substance, which can stifle creativity and amp up the risks in your campaigns.
Using quantifiable data from your creative tests can really smooth things out when it's time for approvals. It’s like having a secret weapon in those client meetings — proof that your campaign proposals are grounded in real results, not just creative hunches.
Show your stakeholders how you base creative decisions on data at every step of the process. Show that you don’t just make decisions based on subjective assumptions but on science-backed data.
#4 Run Projects with Fewer Check-Ins
This follows naturally from what we’ve discussed earlier.
Your creative team craves fewer disruptions so that they can focus on creative work. Ideally, they want to dive deep into their creative zone and produce their best work without the constant need for feedback.
But typically, agency processes involve multiple rounds of revisions — usually three or more — where clients provide feedback, and designers make necessary updates. While this is standard, it's also a resource-heavy process that can lead to repeated reworks and potentially derail projects.
The real challenge for agency leaders is finding the balance from an operational perspective. Cutting down on check-ins can be effective, but only if your team has access to the right creative and testing tools.
When you start to streamline the process to your creatives’ needs, you open up headspace for them to engage more deeply with the campaigns. The focus here is on smart resource management and using the right tools to keep projects moving efficiently.
Summary
In summary, here are the strategies fast-moving agencies are using to save time and give more headspace to creative teams:
- Tracking client-relevant KPIs from the start
- Testing within the creative process, not just post-launch
- Collecting insights over opinions
- Running projects with fewer client check-ins
Where to Start Scaling Your Client Projects?
Neurons can help your team scale creative processes while saving time and budget.
Get your session now & put your assets to the test for free!
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