{"id":4998,"date":"2023-07-25T14:19:26","date_gmt":"2023-07-25T14:19:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/?p=4998"},"modified":"2025-01-14T10:06:36","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T10:06:36","slug":"agency-sops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-sops","title":{"rendered":"Agency SOPs: From chaos to consistency in 8 steps"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you\u2019re running (or working at) an agency, there are many moving parts. So how do you avoid the inevitable chaos? The answer is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. That\u2019s right. To plan, operate, or even scale effectively, you need structure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agency SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (or standard operating procedures), will provide an infrastructure to respond to tough client demands. They\u2019ll help you and your team move effortlessly, protect your time, and ultimately free up more space for creativity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In this article \ud83d\udcd6<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-sops\/#Introducing-our-featured-agency-expert\" >Introducing our featured agency expert<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-sops\/#What-is-an-agency-SOP\" >What is an agency SOP?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-sops\/#Why-are-standard-operating-procedures-important-to-an-agency\" >Why are standard operating procedures important to an agency?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-sops\/#SOPs-for-different-agency-types\" >SOPs for different agency types<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-sops\/#Agency-SOPs-for-resource-planning-and-project-management\" >Agency SOPs for resource planning and project management<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-sops\/#How-to-create-SOPs-for-your-agency-in-8-steps\" >How to create SOPs for your agency in 8 steps<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agencies\/agency-sops\/#The-bottom-line-on-agency-SOPs\" >The bottom line on agency SOPs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introducing-our-featured-agency-expert\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Introducing our featured agency expert<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meet agency veteran <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/katie--bray\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katie Bray<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Head of Operations at 7-figure agency <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/flyingcatmarketing.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flying Cat Marketing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout this article, Katie will provide insight into why <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SOPs for agencies<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are often the hidden component behind high-performing agencies. She also shares tips for creating your own agency standard operating procedures.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-is-an-agency-SOP\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is an agency SOP?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency SOP<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a standardized procedure you or your team follow when performing routine tasks or processes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where workflows provide a bird-eye sequence for bigger tasks or processes, your SOPs get into the details. More specifically, they give a step-by-step process of performing tasks or activities from the broader workflow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agency-workflow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency workflows<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, SOPs play a big part in overall <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agency-operations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency operations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. They also create <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agency-efficiency\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency efficiencies<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that are often the precursor for scaling.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ll look into more SOP benefits next.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why-are-standard-operating-procedures-important-to-an-agency\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why are standard operating procedures important to an agency?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From increased consistency and efficiency to getting into the zone of genius, here\u2019s why <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> matter.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consistency\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWith multiple stakeholders and a thousand moving parts, agency operations can get a little untidy and overwhelming, to say the least,\u201d warns agency pro, Katie Bray. Using SOPs \u201censures consistency across the team and makes sure you\u2019re all singing from the same hymn sheet.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consistency helps with pricing and <a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/resource-capacity-planning-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">capacity planning<\/a>. Knowing how long a process takes means \u201cyou know how much to charge and how many resources you\u2019ll need,\u201d says Katie.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By not standardizing or documenting processes, you could both lose money and waste time if everyone is doing things their own way.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agency efficiency\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improving agency efficiency often feels like an uphill battle\u2014an uphill battle that impacts the bottom line. So, we keep clambering to the top. But what if the climb didn\u2019t have to feel so steep? Or you at least had a guide to follow?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHaving SOPs makes you more efficient,\u201d says Katie. That\u2019s because SOPs eliminate decision-making time and minimize room for errors. But it\u2019s so much more than making people more efficient individually.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOftentimes in an agency, the thing you\u2019re working on likely affects someone else,\u201d explains Katie. Following SOPs \u201censures all stakeholders are considered throughout the entire process.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agency scalability<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHaving SOPs means you can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/how-to-scale-an-agency\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">scale your agency<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and increase your clients without necessarily having to grow your team,\u201d says Katie.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou\u2019ve documented the most important part of the most important process, and now this can be repeated time after time by different people.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katie reiterates that delegating this way can be one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to scale your agency. And, that\u2019s not to mention the scaling opportunities you can unlock through improving efficiencies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3X6lT4Q\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-6582 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-943x242.jpg\" alt=\"A rectangle shaped banner in purple featuring a 3D book cover with a prompt to download an eBook about resource planning for agencies.\" width=\"943\" height=\"242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-943x242.jpg.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-1042x268.jpg.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-1536x395.jpg.webp 1536w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-310x80.jpg.webp 310w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1.jpg 1836w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Blog-banner-1-310x80@2x.jpg.webp 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A gateway to the \u201czone of genius\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Implementing something as seemingly mundane as standard operating procedures \u201cfrees up more brain space for the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/briannawiest\/2018\/09\/26\/how-to-get-into-the-zone-of-genius-and-unlock-your-highest-potential\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">zone of genius<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u201d says Katie.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s because \u201chaving a tried and tested process to follow eliminates analysis paralysis and means you spend less brain power on decision making.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can redirect all your brain power and time to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/flow-state-scheduling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">being in the flow<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. (Or, as Katie aptly says, spending \u201cmore time making the magic happen.\u201d)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you\u2019re in the flow, inspiration doesn\u2019t just come easy. It\u2019s limitless.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/media.giphy.com\/media\/l44QeKZpev4mViC6Q\/giphy.gif\" alt=\"Being in the zone\" width=\"480\" height=\"478\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contingency planning (and sharing the load)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe job doesn\u2019t always have to be done by you,\u201d says Katie. \u201cA well-documented process can be picked up and executed by almost anyone.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SOPs mean \u201cthe knowledge is shared and available to all, instead of being stuck in one person&#8217;s head,\u201d Katie reiterates. That means \u201cyou can take time off, you can have a change in team members, and you can offer new starters an easier onboarding and training period.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But if you don\u2019t have a contingency plan for those instances? Your client projects may screech to a halt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Team well-being\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we\u2019ve covered, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> help with capacity and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/workload-planning-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">workload planning<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. With a firmer grasp of who you need for tasks and how long they typically take, you can balance the team workload.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you can have something like a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/booking-approval-workflow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">booking approval workflow<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in place as part of your resource management SOP. That way, you\u2019ll protect in-demand teammates&#8217; time and make sure their <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/ad-agency-work-life-balance\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">work-life balance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> isn\u2019t compromised.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because SOPs also help with resource contingency through process documentation, and you\u2019re not relying on a single overburdened teammate to do a task this means more manageable workloads. That lowers the likelihood of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agency-burnout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency burnout<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Continuous improvement\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SOPs help your agency \u201cachieve better results, faster,\u201d according to Katie. \u201cSOPs are constantly being updated, and each time someone finds a better, faster, more efficient way of doing things \u2014the SOP is updated.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That means \u201ceveryone else can follow the exact same new process, just by following the SOP,\u201d says Katie. Updating processes and finding improved ways to achieve better results is continuous improvement in action.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you follow an agile <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agency-project-management-methodologies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency project management methodology<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, your interest is likely piqued. But even if you don\u2019t follow a specific PM methodology, continuous improvement through SOPs will help your agency stay competitive.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SOPs-for-different-agency-types\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SOPs for different agency types<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No matter the type of agency, your organization can benefit from standard operating procedures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s how different agency types may use SOPs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">General <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (relevant to all agency types)<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Global and remote team management. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This SOP should give your leaders a framework for guiding teams across different time zones and when reduced visibility is challenging.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Client onboarding. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Client onboarding (or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-initiation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project initiation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) is integral to your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agency-project-management-process\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency project management process<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This SOP will make sure you kick off client projects the right way. It should get everyone\u2014in-house and externally\u2014on the same page. And reflect the project goals, budget, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-team-roles-and-responsibilities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">team roles<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at a minimum.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Reporting. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A reporting SOP gives you a standardized process for reporting on client work, internally and externally. It helps you show your value to clients early and keep everyone updated on project progress.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Quality assurance. <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-monitoring-and-control\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project monitoring and control<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> SOPs help you maintain a high level of quality throughout the entire <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/project-life-cycle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project life cycle<\/span><\/a> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">across<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> your agency projects.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SOPs for creative agencies<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ideation and brainstorming. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An SOP for this type of creative process might sound counter-intuitive, but it will actually speed up the process of coming up with amazing creative concepts for your clients. It can include techniques to use, how to best evaluate ideas, and how to best document them.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Creative asset creation.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A creative agency SOP for asset creation lets your team know who\u2019s responsible for what (i.e., copy or design) across campaigns. And the different stages they need to follow depending on the creative asset.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SOPs for digital marketing agencies and traditional marketing agencies\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Strategy development. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This SOP outlines the general tasks involved in developing a client marketing strategy. You can then tailor it depending on the needs (goals, marketing channels, industry, etc) of a specific project.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Onboarding freelancers. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marketing agency SOPs for onboarding new freelancers give your project managers a framework to follow for each new hire. They\u2019ll cover key things like ensuring freelancers fill in and revert onboarding paperwork.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Email campaigns. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your email campaign SOP could outline the email flow sequence, how to trigger asset creation (copy and media), quality checks, and more.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Social profile optimization.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> As with strategy development, this digital marketing agency SOP outlines the general process of social profile optimization. You can customize it for specific profiles like Instagram, Twitter, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO agency SOPs<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Keyword research. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">keyword research SOP could highlight things like choosing the best keywords for different content types or matching search intent.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>How to source subject matter experts (SMEs). <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your SOP will outline how to choose the right SME for a project, where to find them, and how to collate\/document their insights. <\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Content production. <\/b>This SEO agency SOP should outline the order of content production\u2014i.e., assigning the brief, first draft, feedback, edits, and final approval.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Agency-SOPs-for-resource-planning-and-project-management\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agency SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for resource planning and project management<\/span><b><\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/what-is-project-scope\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Defining project scope<\/b><\/a><b>.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Every project team needs to know what goes into determining the project scope. If you don\u2019t, your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/client-agency-relationship\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">client-agency relationship<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> might suffer. A poorly defined scope will lead to misalignment that could be detrimental to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/drive-project-success\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project success<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/features\/resource-management\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Resource capacity planning<\/b><\/a><b>. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This SOP helps PMs and resource managers optimize resource allocation and scheduling depending on utilization rate, skills, and availability.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/features\/resource-scheduling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Resource scheduling<\/b><\/a><b>.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A resource scheduling SOP provides a general framework for scheduling team time against tasks. It should factor in the project timeline, milestones, work required, and resource availability.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Resource optimization. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Show your project managers how to keep project teams happy, healthy, and projects on track. This SOP should outline how to adjust workload as needed throughout client projects using techniques such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/resource-leveling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resource leveling<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/resource-smoothing-team-performance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resource smoothing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/resource-allocation-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Resource allocation<\/b><\/a><b>. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A resource allocation SOP will guide how your agency project, resource, or OPs manager oversees their teams throughout a project. This SOP will likely factor in capacity planning, scheduling, and optimization.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Choosing project tools.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Each project might have unique needs when it comes to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/agency-project-management-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">project management software<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/industries\/agencies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resource management tools<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, design tools\u2014you name it. An SOP for how to best identify and choose your <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency tech stack<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will save you a lot of time (and money).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How-to-create-SOPs-for-your-agency-in-8-steps\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to create SOPs for your agency in 8 steps<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There can be valid pushback about <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Be it how much time they take to create upfront or the worry that standardized processes may stifle your creatives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But with the help of our featured expert, Katie Bray, we\u2019ll show you how to tackle your <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in a strategic manner and make sure you create them with the end product in mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1. Zoom out (with the 20\/80 rule)<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating your first SOPs can feel overwhelming. But it\u2019s important to create them with the right mindset and understand that <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">it\u2019s about creating efficiencies in the long term<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step? Zoom out and take a look at your processes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhen we first started, we went a bit granular and documented every little part of the process (e.g., how to log into a website, yikes!),\u201d Katie recalls.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They realized they\u2019d gone a bit far and were making SOP documents overwhelming and pointless. This will defeat the purpose (and definitely stifle creativity!)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, Katie recommends using the 20\/80 rule. That means \u201cyou only need to document 20% of the process that produces 80% of the results.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">H4: Step 2: Foster a mindset focused on collaborative improvement<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katie reiterates that the over-arching idea behind SOPs isn\u2019t to take anyone&#8217;s creativity away. \u201cEspecially in creative agencies, there might be people that prefer not to have to follow a process,\u201d says Katie.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That said, \u201cIf we didn\u2019t use SOPs or if we didn\u2019t update them, we\u2019d have one person with a better way that no one else knows about.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because ultimately, SOPs have one job: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to ensure consistent quality in the work you deliver<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get team buy-in and foster a mindset of collaborative improvement, reiterate that SOPs are mutable. \u201cJust because something is documented this way now, it doesn\u2019t mean that\u2019s the way it has to be done forever. That\u2019s just the way it worked best at the time,\u201d says Katie.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then let your team know that if anyone has a better idea, they\u2019re \u201cmore than welcome and even encouraged to bring it to the table.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3. Define a structure for your SOPs<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that your mindset is right and your team knows they have the autonomy to change processes, it\u2019s time to create the structure for your SOP.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You could use tools like Google Docs or Notion to get started. As for the format, it doesn\u2019t have to be overly complicated\u2014start simple and build on it as you go.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, the structure could look something like this:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Effective Date: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep this at the very top of the document to indicate the date from which the SOP becomes active and applicable.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Title: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clearly state the name or title of the SOP. It should be short and descriptive, indicating the process or activity it covers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Purpose: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provide a brief explanation of the purpose of the SOP. State why the it\u2019s important, what it aims to achieve, and what problem it solves.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Scope: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Define the scope of the SOP by specifying the activities, processes, or departments it applies to. Clarify what\u2019s covered and what\u2019s not.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Responsibilities: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Outline the roles and responsibilities of individuals involved in the process. Clearly state who is responsible for each step or action and who to contact for questions or issues.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Steps: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the core section of the SOP and should provide a step-by-step explanation of the process. Use a clear and logical sequence, and consider using headings, bullet points, or numbered lists to make it more readable.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Supporting documents: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where appropriate, include flowcharts, diagrams, tables, or other visuals to provide additional clarity to the steps covered.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Approval: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Specify who has the authority to approve the SOP and its revisions, along with the date of approval.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katie suggests starting your SOPs with the why (aka, why the process happens) and always having a purpose and end goal for each process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Short-term that will keep you focused as you develop your <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> further. Long-term, when your team knows <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">why<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> they\u2019re doing something, they can give input on <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> they do it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 4. Record a walkthrough\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the practical front, Katie recommends recording a walkthrough of the process and including it in the SOP. Depending on the process, you could use a tool like Loom to do this step.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A recorded walkthrough forms part of your SOP documentation, giving your team a visual reference point to refer to. It can also help you think through the process as you create your SOP template. That\u2019s because you don\u2019t have to recall each step from memory.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katie also uses Tango, a tool that \u201cfollows your location around webpages and then generates screenshots and annotations\u201d on the fly. This is a seamless way to add static images to your SOPs, letting team members know exactly what\u2019s happening where in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using a tool like this means you don\u2019t have to spend any extra time thinking about how to capture the right screenshots for specific processes. All you need to do is hit \u201cRecord\u201d and go through the process yourself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 5. Get feedback from stakeholders<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve established the right mindset, your team will feel <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2023\/02\/what-is-psychological-safety\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">psychologically safe<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> enough to share their honest feedback. You especially want to encourage anyone directly involved in the process or tasks to share their insights.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feedback from other stakeholders (i.e., teammates in different departments who come in at various process stages) is also invaluable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Pro tip: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For SOPs related directly to client projects, stakeholder feedback could highlight mismatches between <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/effort-vs-scope\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">effort and scope<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Maybe you\u2019ve not considered how much work is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">really<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> required to meet the scope?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/effort-vs-scope?utm_source=block&amp;utm_medium=banner&amp;utm_campaign=copm&amp;utm_content=organic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5005 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/brett-harned-in-blog-CTA-943x242.jpg\" alt=\"Brett Harned shares his lessons about project scope.\" width=\"943\" height=\"242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/brett-harned-in-blog-CTA-943x242.jpg.webp 943w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/brett-harned-in-blog-CTA-1042x268.jpg.webp 1042w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/brett-harned-in-blog-CTA-1536x395.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/brett-harned-in-blog-CTA.jpg 1836w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 943px) 100vw, 943px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 6. Roll out company-wide<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can put anything down on paper. But when hypotheticals meet reality, you discover whether it\u2019s feasible. So even though it\u2019s nerve-wracking, don\u2019t wait for perfection. Roll out your SOP company-wide and find areas for improvement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Pro tip:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To embed SOPs firmly within your <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency culture, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katie says, \u201cEmpower people to find answers themselves by using SOPs. For example, if someone asks a question about a process that\u2019s documented clearly in an SOP, point them in that direction rather than giving them the answer.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 7. Store in a user-friendly SOP home<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe place that people go to find the SOP is vital,\u201d says Katie. Ask yourself, \u201cIs it easy to find and use?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katie recommends creating a dedicated (and user-friendly) home where you file your SOPs for quick access. Whether that\u2019s a Google Drive folder or Notion doc, doesn\u2019t matter, as long as everyone has access and can find relevant SOPs fast.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, you want people to easily be able to find and add relevant <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to a booking when scheduling people and resources for your projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5008\" style=\"width: 940px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5008\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5008\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/agency-sops-in-resource-guru-930x671.jpg\" alt=\"Adding relevant SOPs to the project details when making a booking in Resource Guru.\" width=\"930\" height=\"671\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/agency-sops-in-resource-guru-930x671.jpg.webp 930w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/agency-sops-in-resource-guru-986x711.jpg.webp 986w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/agency-sops-in-resource-guru.jpg 1248w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 930px) 100vw, 930px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-5008\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Add links to relevant SOPs or specific project documentation to any booking in Resource Guru.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 8. Review and update with any improvements<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your first <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are a starting place from which to improve continually.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you onboard new staff with fresh perspectives, change approaches, or even trial processes for the first time, your SOPs may change. And they <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">should<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> change as and when it makes sense.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBy all means, update the process if it benefits the company, clients, and team. Just make sure the SOP is updated and the update is communicated so that everyone can benefit,\u201d says Katie.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katie reiterates updating the process and SOP documentation \u201ccan be done when following the SOP at any moment.\u201d And if the SOP hasn\u2019t been used for a while, Katie recommends \u201ca quarterly SOP audit to check for efficiency improvements.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-bottom-line-on-agency-SOPs\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bottom line on agency SOPs<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agency SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> transform chaos into consistency. Consistency means better capacity planning. You know who you typically need (and how much) against tasks. That insight helps with pricing and scope creep. SOPs also help balance workload, which means happy, healthy, and high-performing teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Long story short? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agency SOPs<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are your ticket to sustainable scaling and operational efficiency.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can create your own agency standard operating procedures in three phases. First, you should zoom out and adopt the right mindset. Second, you\u2019ll need to create your <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">agency SOP structures and templates<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The final phase involves getting stakeholder feedback, releasing SOPs company-wide, and improving them when it makes sense.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"freetrial freetrial--text-light freetrial--alt\"><div class=\"freetrial__image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"310\" height=\"286\" src=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/free-trial-alt-310x286.png\" class=\"attachment-freetrial size-freetrial wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/free-trial-alt-310x286.png 310w, https:\/\/resourceguruapp.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/free-trial-alt.png 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 310px) 100vw, 310px\" \/><\/div><div class=\"freetrial__text\"><h4>The #1 scheduling and time tracking tool trusted by thousands of project teams<\/h4>\n<p>Join thousands of project managers who have made scheduling a breeze.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"button\" href=\"https:\/\/app.resourceguruapp.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Start Your Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you\u2019re running (or working at) an agency, there are many moving parts. So how do you avoid the inevitable chaos? The answer is agency SOPs. That\u2019s right. To plan, operate, or even scale effectively, you&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":5000,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","mc4wp_mailchimp_campaign":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agencies"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Agency SOPs: From chaos to consistency in 8 steps<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Agency SOPs help improve efficiencies and scale your agency without the chaos. 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