Capabilities Deck

Expert Tips

Whether you’re an owner of a digital marketing agency or part the agency team, communicating the unique value that your team can offer potential clients is crucial. Competition is high. This free template in Tome focuses specifically on showcasing the capabilities of a digital marketing or creative agency.

In fewer than a dozen pages, you have a visual opportunity to give a comprehensive overview of your agency’s strengths, services, and expertise. This type of a deck helps build trust and relevancy with potential clients. Use this template to demonstrate your group’s adaptability and forward-thinking approach so potential clients are assured that their business goals can be achieved with your team.

What is an agency capabilities deck?

This type of presentation is an essential instrument for marketing agencies and consultants. Why? Either of these cohorts need to be able to concisely and clearly outline their range of services and distinctive strengths for potential clients. If you’re a creative agency, use this deck to exhibit the wide range of design abilities with how you visually lay out your content. Potential clients will absolutely be taking note of how your team uses visuals and creative assets to communicate how you plan to tackle projects and accomplish objectives. Use this to your advantage.

By presenting a well-structured, thoughtfully designed and engaging overview of your marketing agency’s services, you are cementing your team’s authority and reliability in the overall industry. In addition, establishing what sets you apart from competitors in the space amps your credibility score. Be sure to include a range of proficiencies when applicable to your field. Share concrete examples in creative design, do a deep dive on marketing strategies based on the prospective client’s primary needs and be transparent with success metrics. Don’t be shy about sharing success stories or client testimonials of successful projects your agency has completed either.

What should be included in a capabilities deck?

Tome’s template is organized in a way that covers all of the groundwork and fundamental information needed for marketing agency capabilities deck. Whether your agency is rooted in creative services, design, ads, SEO or content marketing, the outline provided gives you a comprehensive leg up on competitors if completed thoughtfully and with attention to visual detail.

Let’s break it down page by page within the tome.

1. Introduction: Start with a compelling introduction that sets the tone for the presentation. This section should provide a brief overview of your agency, including your origin story, size, and core focus areas. Aim to engage the audience immediately with a narrative that captures the essence of the agency.
2. Mission: Clearly articulate your mission statement. This should reflect your agency's purpose and what it strives to achieve. Highlight how this mission drives every decision and strategy within the agency, aligning with clients' goals.
3. Values: Outline the core values that guide your team culture and business practices. This section should communicate what you all stand for and how these values influence your agency’s approach to work, client relationships, and problem-solving.
4. Team: Introduce your team, focusing on diversity, expertise, and experience. Highlight key members, their roles, and their unique contributions to the agency.
5. Offerings: Describe the range of services and solutions you offer. Be prescriptive and visual when it makes sense. This could include digital marketing, branding, creative services, etc.
6. Services: Go into more detail about specific services you offer. Explain what each service entails, how it benefits clients, and why your team excels in these areas. Include any unique methodologies or tools used in delivering these services.
7. Process: Outline your agency's approach to projects, from initiation to completion. Detail the steps involved in working with clients, emphasizing efficiency, collaboration, and results-driven strategies. This is the opportunity to clearly manage expectations and determine if the partnership is a good fit.
8. Work: Showcase a portfolio of previous work, including case studies, success stories, and client testimonials. This section is vital for illustrating overall capabilities and the tangible results achieved for other clients.
9. Clients: Present a list or showcase of current and past clients, especially notable or recognizable names. Include any long-standing client relationships you may have to demonstrate reliability and client satisfaction.

For tips on how to hone the content in your capabilities deck based on the specific vertical or type of agency you are, check these out:

• Creative and Branding Services: Consider your audience and do your homework. Research your prospective clients and understand their industry and unique challenges to see what they might be looking for in a creative agency. Think outside of the box literally and consider sketching out innovative ways to launch an out-of-home campaign or experience.
• Digital Marketing Services: If your agency resides in this space, leverage data and metrics in your presentation. Include relevant data to demonstrate your agency’s success in campaigns and that showcase how your strategies drove real results for past clients.
• Independent Marketing/Creative Consultants: If you’re a marketing or creative consultant, follow a similar strategy as the previous tips. Lean into data and insights in your capabilities presentation. Consider focusing on the collaborative aspects of previous projects and how you successfully navigated those relationships. Share customer testimonials—don’t be shy.

To get started developing your agency capabilities deck, sign up for a free Tome account and visit the Templates page for thought-starters, organizational frameworks and narratives built to win clients and more.

Use this template