State of Agencies Survey 2025

State of Agencies Survey 2025
Thank you for taking the time to complete our short survey on the current state of the agency market in 2025. We will be choosing one lucky winner from those who have completed the survey to win a £250 donation to a charity of their choice and a £100 Amazon voucher!
Name

First NameLast Name
Email
example@example.com
Company
THE MARKET AND SENTIMENT
Which best describes your positioning?

PerformanceCreativePRFull-serviceOther
If other, please clarify:
How are you feeling about the demand for your services at the moment?

Very positivePositiveStableSomewhat concernedVery concerned
Do you think 2025 will improve on 2024?

Yes - I expect conditions to be significantly better than 2024Yes - I expect conditions to be slightly better than 2024About the same as 2024Slightly worseNo - I expect conditions to be slightly worse than 2024No - I expect conditions to be significantly worse than 2024
What level of growth rate is realistic for you in 2025?

Exceptional growth (30%+)High growth (20% - 29%)Healthy growth (10% - 19%)Modest growth (3% - 9%)Flat growth (0% - 2%)Decline in revenue expected (negative growth)Unsure / too early to predict
What are the biggest challenges your agency is facing right now? (Select all that apply)

Finding and retaining skilled talentClient budget constraints / pressure on feesAdapting to AI and automation changesEconomic uncertainty affecting client spendingNew business development / client acquisitionOther
If other, please clarify:
In your view, what will be the biggest challenge facing agencies in the next 2-3 years?

Adapting to AI and automation while maintaining service qualityManaging profitability as traditional services become commoditisedFinding / retaining talent with the right skills mixEvolving from service provider to strategic partner for clientsCompeting with new agency models and in-house client teamsProving ROI and value in an increasingly complex landscapeOther
If other, please clarify:
FINANCE AND REVENUE
Which category does your current revenue sit?

Under £250,000£250,000 - £750,000£750,000 - £1.5 million£1.5 million - £3 millionOver £3 million
Are you seeing the cost of people:

StabiliseIncreaseDecrease
What operating margin did you achieve last year?

Less than 10%10% - 15%16% - 20%21% - 25%26% - 30%31% - 40%41% +
What do you expect your margin to look like in 2025?

Expecting to see an improvementExpecting it to get worse
Have you noticed any recent changes in client budgets or spending patterns?

Yes - clients are reducing budgets / spendingYes - clients are increasing budgets / spendingNo significant changes observed
Which category does your hourly rate sit in?

Under £60£61 - £75£76 - £90£91 - £100£101 - £120£121+
SALES AND MARKETING
Have you seen an increase or decrease in new business opportunities over the past 12 months?

IncreaseDecreaseStayed the same
Which marketing channels have driven the most leads or clients for your agency in the last year?

WebsiteEmail marketingSocial mediaPrint advertisingDigital advertising
Which sales outreach methods have been most successful for your agency?

Email marketingSocial media outreachPhone callsConference and trade shows
How would you rate your use of marketing technologies (e.g. CRM, analytics, automation etc) to enhance your sales and marketing performance?

PoorAverageGoodGreat
What percentage of your clients come from inbound vs outbound efforts?

0 - 25% inbound26 - 50% inbound51 - 75% inbound76 - 100% inbound
How has the length of your sales cycle changed over the last year?

IncreasedDecreasedStayed about the same
How has your marketing budget changed in the last 12 months?

IncreasedDecreasedStayed about the same
How important is marketing automation to your agency's sales and marketing efforts?

Extremely importantSomewhat importantNeutralNot very importantNot important at all
What is the biggest challenge your agency faces in sales and marketing today?

Getting quality leadsConverting prospects into clientsMaking our agency stand outManaging long sales cyclesFinding time to market ourselves
What % of your revenue do you commit to marketing and sales each year?

Less than 2%2% - 5%6% - 10%11% - 15%More than 15%
OPERATIONS
Do you have a plan to invest in AI over the next 12 months?

Yes - we have a clear investment plan and budgetYes - but still developing our approachNo - but considering optionsNo - not planning any AI investment
How effectively do you track and manage workforce utilisation (i.e. how busy your staff is with billable work?

Very effectivelySomewhat effectivelyNeutralSomewhat ineffectivelyVery ineffectively
How often do you outsource work or hire freelancers to manage client demands?

Frequently (over 50% of work)Occasionally (25% - 50% of work)Rarely (less than 25%)Never
How have your staffing needs changed over the last 12 months?

Increased significantlyIncreased slightlyStayed the sameDecreased slightlyDecreased significantly
How would you rate employee retention and satisfaction at your agency?

ExcellentGoodNeutralPoorVery poor
How frequently do you invest in staff training and development to improve operational performance?

Regularly (monthly / quarterly)Occasionally (annually)RarelyNever
How important is automation (e.g. workflow automation, reporting, etc) to your agency's operational success?

Extremely importantSomewhat importantNeutralNot very importantNot important at all
How effectively does your agency manage project budgets and control costs?

Very effectivelySomewhat effectivelyNeutralSomewhat ineffectivelyVery ineffectively
How has your client turnover rate (clients lost) changed in the last 12 months?

Decreased significantlyDecreased slightlyStayed the sameIncreased slightlyIncreased significantly
Are you experiencing any pressures from clients?

Yes - significantlyYes - somewhatNo changeNo - not at all
CLIENTS
How often do you manage client satisfaction?

After every projectQuarterlyAnnuallyRarelyNever
How has your client retention rate changed over the last 12 months?

Increased significantlyIncreased slightlyStayed the sameDecreased slightlyDecreased significantly
Do you have dedicated account managers for key clients?

Yes, for all my clientsYes, for some clientsNo, account management is sharedNo, we do not have dedicated account managers
How often do you communicate with your clients on progress or performance?

WeeklyBi-weeklyMonthlyQuarterlyOnly as needed
How smooth is the client onboarding process from the client's perspective?

Extremely smoothSomewhat smoothNeutralSomewhat rockyVery rocky
How often do you identify and pursue up-sell or cross-sell opportunities with existing clients?

Frequently (with most clients)Occasionally (with key clients)RarelyNever
How often do your existing clients refer new business to you?

Very frequentlyOccasionallyRarelyNever
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State of Agencies Survey 2025

THE MARKET AND SENTIMENT

FINANCE AND REVENUE

SALES AND MARKETING

OPERATIONS

CLIENTS