· Chand Lal · originally posted on LinkedIn
Agency Problem or Ownership Problem? Why DTC Growth Stalls Without a Marketing Owner
Every agency optimises its own channel, so dashboards look fine while revenue stays flat. Why DTC brands need a marketing owner, and the 4 basics to fix first.
Key takeaways
Most DTC brands I meet don't have an agency problem. They have an ownership problem.
Every agency optimises its own channel, so every dashboard looks fine and revenue doesn't move. Someone needs to own the whole picture, and often that means a few days a month, not a full-time hire.
If that sounds familiar, book a free 20-min check.
The video
Every agency optimises its own channel
Meta looks good. Google looks good. Email looks good. Revenue doesn’t move. Each report is right on its own terms. Together they don’t add up.
Nobody owns the whole picture
Budgets, targets and briefs get set channel by channel, not from the P&L. So every partner hits its target while the business stands still. Swapping the agency rarely fixes that: the next one optimises its own channel too.
Four basics an owner fixes first
- One source of truth for the numbers
- A clear budget split by channel
- A 90-day test plan
- Briefs agencies can be measured on
You don’t need a full-time CMO
Often it’s senior strategy a few days a month, next to the team and agencies you already have. That’s what a fractional CMO does.
Video transcript
Agency problem or ownership problem? Most brands I meet have the second one.
Every agency optimises its own channel. Meta looks good. Google looks good. Email looks good. Revenue doesn’t move.
Nobody owns the whole picture. Budgets, targets and briefs get set channel by channel, not from the P&L.
Four basics: one source of truth for the numbers, a clear budget split by channel, a 90-day test plan, briefs agencies can be measured on.
You don’t need a full-time CMO. Often it’s senior strategy a few days a month, next to the team and agencies you already have.
Book a free 20-min check at chandswebsite.com. I’ll tell you honestly whether you need me.
FAQ
How do I tell an agency problem from an ownership problem?
If every channel report looks fine but revenue doesn’t move, it’s usually ownership. Budgets, targets and briefs are set per channel, and nobody steers from the P&L.
Will changing agencies fix flat revenue?
Rarely, if the issue is ownership. A new agency still optimises its own channel. Someone has to own the whole picture.
What does a marketing owner fix first?
One source of truth for the numbers, a clear budget split by channel, a 90-day test plan and briefs agencies can be measured on.
Do I need a full-time CMO for this?
Often not. Senior strategy a few days a month, next to your current team and agencies, is usually enough. That’s the fractional CMO model.
