I've switched agencies three times in two years and it's always the same. The first few weeks are great, then the problems start: the designs don't represent the brand, the reports say nothing useful, results don't show. Sound familiar? Almost every SMB owner I know tells me the same thing. And most of them reach the same conclusion: 'I haven't found the right agency yet.' But the problem isn't the agency. The problem is that nobody is integrating.
Here's what happens in most SMBs: you have a freelance designer doing the graphics, an agency handling social media and ads, a developer maintaining the website, a photographer doing product shoots, and maybe a part-time community manager. Each one does their part. None of them talk to each other. And the only person with the full picture of the business is you — who is also busy with operations, finances, suppliers, and a thousand other things.
The result is predictable: every vendor works with incomplete information.
The agency launches a campaign without knowing that the product they're promoting has stock issues. The designer creates pieces that don't match what the agency needs. The developer updates the website without telling anyone. The photos from the last shoot never reach the social media team. Everything works in pieces. Nothing works as a system.
And when things go wrong — which happens often — everyone points at each other. The agency says the brief wasn't clear. The designer says nobody sent the photos on time. The developer says changes were requested last minute. And they're all right. Because nobody is coordinating.
The difference between having vendors and having a director is enormous. Vendors execute tasks. A director defines which tasks need to be executed, in what order, with what objectives, and makes sure all the pieces fit together. It's the difference between having musicians and having an orchestra conductor. Without a conductor, everyone plays their instrument. With a conductor, you hear a symphony.
An external director does exactly that. They sit between you and all your vendors. They translate your business objectives into clear briefs. They coordinate timelines. They review deliverables before they reach your desk. They cross-reference campaign data with your actual business numbers. And they make operational decisions without you having to be on top of every detail.
Most importantly: an external director doesn't replace your vendors. They make them perform. That agency that 'wasn't working' often works perfectly when someone gives them clear direction. That designer who 'always delivers late' turns out to deliver on time when someone gives them actual deadlines and a real process.
If you've been through several agencies and the result is always similar, before switching again ask yourself: is the problem who executes or that nobody directs? If you want a concrete answer for your case, take the free diagnostic at levywald.com/diagnostico. In 8 minutes you'll know exactly what you're missing.