Managing an agency means balancing creative work with operational efficiency—no easy feat when teams grow and project complexity rises. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) provide a framework that prevents confusion, improves consistency, and supports growth.
Whether you’re looking to operate efficiently or scale seamlessly, agency SOPs are foundational. This guide will walk you through creating agency SOPs that turn chaos into consistency.
So what ingredients go into a standard operating procedure for an agency that’s not just good on paper but great in action?
We’ll cover the details below step-by-step.
What Are SOPs and Why Do They Matter for Agencies?
Standard Operating Procedures are essential for agencies as they ensure a consistent and efficient service delivery. These procedures act as a guide, delineating roles and responsibilities within the team. They streamline operations, ensuring adherence to best practices at all times.
For instance, a well-defined SOP for client onboarding can ensure a smooth experience every time, building trust with clients and establishing a positive agency reputation.
By standardizing processes, SOPs;
- guarantee uniformity across different projects and teams,
- reduce the possibility of errors or miscommunication.
- And equip agencies for growth, enabling quick integration of new employees, efficient task delegation, and sustained quality control as the agency expands.
Benefits of Agency SOPs
- Consistency and Quality Control: SOPs create a standard for work quality, eliminating inconsistencies that could impact client satisfaction.
- Operational Efficiency: When everyone follows the same steps, time is saved, and errors are reduced.
- Scalability: SOPs make growth manageable by allowing new team members to onboard quickly and reducing reliance on individual knowledge.
- Enhanced Creativity: With clear processes in place, teams have more freedom to focus on creative and strategic tasks, rather than constantly troubleshooting.
Create your SOPs in under two minutes today!
In a nutshell, your SOPs allow you to step out of the business without everything falling apart. Instead, your team members can take ownership of specific tasks with consistency across departments.
Process documentation shouldn’t be perceived as a constraint on creativity; rather, it provides a foundational framework that allows your team to concentrate on their core competencies, with the SOPs handling the operational aspects.
For agencies aiming to scale their operations, developing comprehensive SOPs is a strategic move towards achieving long-term success.
Building Effective SOPs for Your Agency: The Step-by-Step Process
Okay so you know that SOPs are the secret to winning more client pitches and campaigns.
But how do you start? And where? We’ve got the process you need.
Step 1: Prioritize with the 20/80 Rule
Agencies tend to fall into one of two camps; they document everything (which leads to no room for creativity), or nothing at all (which leads to chaos).
Focusing on the most impactful processes is a more effective starting point. According to the 20/80 rule, prioritize the 20% of processes that yield 80% of your results.
For example, if your agency consistently works on content marketing, developing an SOP for content production and publishing will have a more immediate impact than smaller, occasional tasks.
If you already have existing processes;
- Check whether they actually deliver business results (the 80/20 rule!)
- Analyze how tasks are currently performed and pinpoint any pain points or areas that could benefit from improvement. Pay particular attention to tasks that are repetitive and consume substantial time and effort, as these tasks are prime candidates for the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Identify areas prone to errors or inconsistencies, such as tasks requiring collaboration among team members or involving complex steps.
Step 2. Pick Your Subject Matter Experts
You hire great people in your agency for a reason!
Get them on board and use their expertise. There’s no one better equipped to create your agency SOPs than the people who work with clients and accounts every day.
Check out how to choose your subject matter experts.
Step 3: Create a Clear SOP Structure
A structured SOP is more than a checklist—it’s a blueprint for quality and consistency. Start with a simple format and expand it as needed. Here’s a reliable framework:
- Title: Keep it clear and descriptive.
- Purpose: Briefly outline why the SOP exists and what it aims to achieve.
- Scope: Define which teams or processes the SOP covers.
- Roles and Responsibilities: Clarify who does what, listing specific roles involved at each stage.
- Step-by-Step Process: Detail each step, including key tips or common errors to avoid.
- Supporting Materials: Link to templates, diagrams, or tools that aid in task completion.
Remember that with tools, like Whale, you can create standardized processes from scratch using AI or through templates.
Step 4: Use Technology to Make Life Simple
Use SOP Software to make your life simple!
Agency SOP Software offers you;
- AI Powered SOP Creation
- Templates
- Automated onboarding flows
- Time-saving, automated employee training
- The ability to work in the apps your team uses
Step 5: Sharing is Caring so Centralize SOPs for Easy Access
Say you have a web design agency and your team uses email sequence software to fill your funnel. An SOP on your email campaign process would be helpful for new team members right? Or it’d be helpful for other team members working on different areas.
Sharing is caring.
One of the pivotal keys to success is making sure you have a centralized knowledge base with all the relevant information your hires need.
Step 6: Commit to Regular SOP Reviews
You know that a campaign you ran last month worked well.
So why not use that knowledge to improve your Agency SOPs?
Set regular reviews so you can keep giving your clients the best possible service and results!
PS On Whale you can set these reviews automatically.
Step 7. Adopt Agency SOP Version Control
SOPs are living and evolving within an organization. You might have a completely different process for prospecting six months from now than you do today. For example, you might discover LinkedIn lead generation becomes an important source of leads for your agency in the future, and you’d add that to your prospecting SOP.
So it’s important to have a definitive protocol for the modification of SOPs. Identify individuals with the authority to make changes and outline a structured review and approval procedure to ensure quality standards are upheld.
Document every amendment in a version history record, noting the individual responsible for the change and the reason behind it. This record will provide a valuable reference for training, audits, and refining processes.
The good news is you don’t have to manage your library of SOPs and each of their versions manually. SOP management software can help organize all your documents into a dashboard so your team can access what they need easily. You can also use software like Whale to create engaging SOP content and add elements like GIFs and videos.
How Chris Do Scaled His Agency
The Ultimate SOP Checklist for your agency
It doesn’t stop at documenting your agency processes.
You’re going to need to have them organized and share them with your team.
The best software will allow you to;
- Onboard and train your team members on your processes and will include features like automated roll-out.
- Review and update your processes with automated review reminders.
- Provide ROI.
SOPs by Agency Type: Tailoring SOPs for Your Unique Needs
Every agency has its own focus areas, and SOPs can be tailored to match:
- Marketing and Digital Agencies: Create SOPs for client onboarding, email campaigns, and social media strategies, emphasizing collaboration between strategy, design, and analytics teams.
- Creative Agencies: Include SOPs for brainstorming sessions, content approvals, and client feedback loops to support structured yet flexible creative workflows.
- SEO Agencies: SOPs for keyword research, content planning, and reporting can streamline processes, helping ensure deliverables align with client SEO goals.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in SOP Creation for Your Agency
- Over-Documenting: Avoid overwhelming details that make SOPs cumbersome to use.
- Neglecting User Feedback: SOPs should work for those who use them daily. Skipping feedback can result in impractical or overly complex SOPs.
- Failing to Update: SOPs should reflect current practices. Outdated SOPs can cause more harm than good.
Bottom line? Use SOPs at Your Agency to Boost Productivity
You’ve seen how step-by-step instructions in SOPs can minimize chaos. Agency SOPs are key to consistency, customer happiness and the happiness of your team.
When you write standard operating procedures, you’re not just jotting down necessary steps, you’re crafting a blueprint for success.
By documenting essential processes, agencies can create a reliable structure that allows team members to focus on high-value, creative work while reducing errors and bottlenecks. Start small, prioritize key processes, and remember that SOPs are a living document designed to evolve alongside your agency.
FAQs about Agency Standard Operating Procedures
What SOPs do I need for my Digital Agency?
For a digital agency, essential SOPs include processes for employee onboarding, client onboarding, project management, content production, campaign execution, and reporting.
Additionally, SOPs for common marketing tactics—like social media management, email marketing, and SEO—help ensure consistency across client projects. Tailor each SOP to fit your agency’s specific workflows and team roles.
How Do SOPs Help My Agency Scale?
SOPs support scalability by providing a standardized framework that allows your team to deliver consistent quality as the agency grows.
With SOPs, new team members can quickly learn and execute tasks independently, freeing up time for senior team members to focus on high-value activities.
SOPs also help distribute workload efficiently, making it easier to onboard more clients without increasing the risk of errors.
How Often Should I Update My SOPs?
It’s a good practice to review and update SOPs quarterly or whenever there’s a change in tools, processes, or team roles. Regular updates ensure SOPs stay relevant, helping prevent outdated practices from disrupting workflows. If your agency uses agile project management, incorporate SOP updates as part of your regular retrospectives.
How Can I Get My Team to Use SOPs Consistently?
The bottom line is that you shouldn’t have to nag your team to use SOPs.
Get a tool like Whale which offers;
- Team members the ability to access information when and where they need it
- A Mobile application
- Quizzes
- Insights for use in compliance
