Trust Trumps Size: Why a Founder Chose Us Over a Big Agency Freebie

Hello 👋 🤓

Last week, a biotech founder chose to work with Make Business Social over accepting a completely free offer from a much larger agency. Their reason?

"Trust. I connected with you. I liked you."

That moment highlighted something I've observed repeatedly: authentic relationships often deliver more value than impressive corporate credentials.

The Big Agency Challenge

The typical big agency experience follows a familiar pattern:

✅ Senior directors dazzle you with strategic vision and credentials during the pitch.

❌ Then the "A-team" steps back, and your work gets delegated down to junior staff.

It's not because agencies want to disappoint, it's their business model. With directors’ billing rates at £2,500+ per day, they can't stay hands-on without exhausting your budget.

This is particularly problematic for media relations. Junior team members pitch to journalists without industry context or established relationships. When these efforts fall short, clients miss out on crucial profile-building opportunities, and often get offered an expensive white paper instead.

A Different Approach

The model I've built with Make Business Social operates differently:

• Direct access to me as your lead strategist

• A network of senior specialists brought in as needed (quickly)

• No juniors learning on your time (or budget)

• Rapid response & decision-making without layers of approval

Real-world impact: We recently took over for a client whose previous agency had grown stagnant, simply posting milestone updates on LinkedIn with no thought leadership strategy. Within a few months, we positioned the CEO as an industry voice rather, than just a company spokesperson.

The Personal Commitment Factor

That founder's trust didn't just win business—it created a deeper obligation. His decision made me even more determined to deliver exceptional results.

This accountability gets diluted in large organisations. When responsibility is spread across multiple team members, that determination to deliver for someone who's placed their trust directly in you can fade.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

I'm not suggesting big agencies (where I ‘grew up’) don't have their place—many deliver exceptional work. But if you value direct relationships, specialised expertise without the overhead, and partners who are personally invested in your success, a different approach might serve you better.

Does this resonate with how you prefer to work? I'd love to chat about your communications objectives. I'd be happy to have a chat about how we can support you and your company. Feel free to get in touch here.

Warm regards,

Chris
Founder
Make Business Social
Strategic Communications | PR & Media | LinkedIn

I help life sciences leaders cut through the noise, humanise their science, and secure the visibility and investment they and their company need to scale innovation.