How to Operationalize and Create Templates at Your Agency

Suzanne Marsalisi from Austin Lawrence Group joins the Agency Journey podcast to discuss how agencies can adopt an operational mindset, document their processes effectively, and create templates that drive consistency and profitability.

Adopting an Operational Mindset

Suzanne explains that the most successful agencies are the ones that continuously ask themselves, “How do we operationalize this?” Whether it is a new service offering, a client onboarding workflow, or a reporting process, the goal is always to find ways to make it repeatable and efficient.

This mindset shift is what separates agencies that scale from those that plateau. When every team member thinks about how to systematize their work, the entire organization moves faster and delivers more consistent results.

Documenting Processes as You Go

One of the biggest mistakes agencies make is trying to document processes after the fact. Suzanne recommends a different approach - capture the solution while you are solving the problem. When someone figures out a better way to do something, that is the moment to write it down.

This real-time documentation approach is more efficient and produces more accurate process guides. Waiting until later means details get lost and the documentation effort feels like a burden rather than a natural part of the workflow.

Creating Templates That Scale

Templates are the natural extension of good process documentation. Once you know what works, packaging it into a reusable template means the team can execute faster on every subsequent project. Suzanne shares how Austin Lawrence Group developed templates for common deliverables that cut production time significantly.

The key is making templates flexible enough to adapt to different clients while maintaining the core structure that ensures quality. A good template is not a straitjacket - it is a starting point that gives the team a head start.

Balancing Process with Creativity

A common concern is that too much process stifles creativity. Suzanne pushes back on this idea. Brainstorming sessions can remain freeform and open-ended, but the follow-up actions should be structured. Process and creativity coexist when you apply structure to the right stages of the work.

Clients also appreciate this balance. When they see that the agency has a clear, documented method for delivering results, it builds confidence. They know their investment is being managed by professionals who have control over the process.

Bottom-Up Process Development

Rather than imposing processes from the top down, Suzanne recommends letting team members identify friction points and propose solutions. Leadership then formalizes the best ideas into official processes. This approach saves time, leverages the expertise of the people closest to the work, and creates buy-in because the team helped build the system.