Agency confidence has taken a hit. At the start of the year, the Agency Confidence Indicator sat at 69. Now, just a few months later, it has dropped to 56.

That tells us something important. The first part of the year has been tough for agencies. Growth feels harder, clients are cautious, and confidence is no longer something agency owners can take for granted.

But the latest BenchPress data also shows that growth is still very much achievable.

In this session, Peter Czapp shared fresh insights from 811 agencies and explored four powerful levers that can make a real difference to agency performance: growth strategy, new business, type of client and account management.

Here are the key takeaways:

A clear growth strategy drives better profit

Many agencies are still relying on instinct when it comes to growth. And while some agencies can grow quickly by riding a wave, the data shows that profit needs more intention. Agencies with a more integrated approach to growth strategy, where sales, marketing, resourcing and finance plans are aligned and reviewed regularly, achieve stronger Gross Profit.

One of the biggest opportunities is focus. The data continues to show that agencies offering between two and five services perform best. They are more likely to grow and more likely to generate stronger Gross Profit. Too narrow, and there are fewer opportunities to sell to existing clients. Too broad, and the agency risks looking like a generalist rather than a specialist.

Fees are another major lever. Only 43% of agencies are planning to increase their fees this year, but that number should be much higher. With costs rising, agencies that don’t increase fees risk being squeezed.

The question isn’t just whether you can increase your fees. It’s what would need to be true for you to have the confidence to do it.

New business works best when it’s focused

There is a clear sweet spot when it comes to sales and marketing investment. Agencies spending between 6% and 15% of fee income on sales and marketing were more likely to grow and achieved stronger Gross Profit. Yet 62% of agencies are currently underinvesting.

But spend alone isn’t enough.

The highest-performing agencies are intentional about where their leads come from. Referrals from existing clients remain the most effective source of qualified leads, followed by referrals from strategic partners, in-person networking, LinkedIn posting and running your own events.

The opportunity is to stop leaving these things to chance. Only 24% of agencies have an active client referral scheme, despite referrals being the strongest source of leads.

Strategic partnerships, networking, LinkedIn and events all work better when they are planned, measured and followed up properly. It’s not about doing more new business activity. It’s about doing the right activity, with more focus and intent.

The type of client you work with matters

The data shows a clear link between client profile and agency performance. Agencies with global clients outperformed those working only with clients in the UK and Ireland, achieving higher growth and stronger Gross Profit.

For agencies looking to grow, international opportunities could be worth exploring, whether through existing clients, strategic partners, overseas communities or new markets. 

Retainers also play an important role. The more income agencies have on retainer, the stronger their Gross Profit tends to be. Retainers create predictability, reduce the energy spent constantly winning and onboarding new projects, and make delivery easier to plan.

But there is a balance to strike. Project work can still be a powerful growth driver, especially when larger clients come in. The key is to be conscious about the mix of retainer and project income that works best for your agency.

Average client value is another major factor. The larger the client, the stronger the profit tends to be. Agencies with higher-value clients consistently outperform those working with lots of smaller accounts.

So the question becomes: how can you increase the value of the clients you work with?

Better account management unlocks more growth

For many agencies, the biggest growth opportunity is already sitting inside the business. The data shows that agencies with formal account management processes generate significantly stronger Gross Profit.

Those conducting joint account planning reviews with clients and creating written plans to increase spend are achieving much better results than those without formal reviews.

This is where structure matters. Strong account management means having clear plans for key clients, understanding what those clients are trying to achieve, identifying the problems you can help solve, and mapping out future opportunities.

It also means being proactive. Clients don’t always know everything you can do. If you aren’t regularly showcasing your thinking, your ideas and the full range of ways you can help, another agency might be.

Client retention matters too. The longer agencies keep clients, the stronger their Operating Profit becomes. That’s because constantly replacing clients is expensive. Keeping and growing existing relationships is often far more profitable than always chasing new ones.

Watch the full webinar

This is just a snapshot of the latest BenchPress insights and the key trends shaping agency growth in 2026. 

To explore the full findings, including the benchmarks, deeper insights and practical actions you can take, you can watch the full webinar below. If you’d like to download the 2026 BenchPress reports, you can find them here.