Agency Leaders Top Tips For Expansions in the US

On the digital grapevine of the Agency Hackers Guild Forum, a bunch of agency leaders recently swapped notes on the ins and outs of setting up shop in the United States.

It’s clear from the discussions that crossing the pond is no walk in the park – but that doesn’t mean people aren’t keen to take the jump.

Below is some key advice on how to ensure you are navigating the market properly:

Make sure you’ve maximised your opportunities in the UK before deciding to try operating in another market – another country is an added layer of complexity for an agency and not for anyone who isn’t already ‘reasonably large’ or specialist
Despite speaking the same language, it is very different in the US – culturally, legally and fiscally. The time differences and long journeys for face to face can also pose problems that could be easier to sort by opening shop in Europe instead
You should ideally already have a client over there so that their revenue can fund setup costs
It can be a huge distraction from UK business, so make sure not too many members of staff are focusing on the expansion
Be aware that in the US, potential clients will see you as a startup – reputation in the UK may count for nothing to them
Test the market from in the UK first before making any big moves

The consensus? Do your homework, make the most of your home turf first, and when you do jump in, go in with both eyes open.