Freelancer, agency, or in-house? Which does your problem call for?
Freelancers execute, in-house designers help with ongoing volume, and agencies bring judgment, strategy, and senior execution to the table. This is what marks the difference between a pretty brand and a brand that lands!
Take for example, HumanisRx, a healthtech company with an innovative product in the group health insurance market. They came to us to rejig their messaging, and they left with a full rebrand. A logo that speaks to them, the stakeholders, and the customers. A website and supporting collateral that clearly explains the value-proposition, defines each stakeholder, and uses clear, custom messaging tailored to each of the recipients, whether they're buyers, influencers, or beneficiaries. You can take a closer look at the case study here.
They could've simply redesigned their logo, followed the latest trends, and even invested thousands of dollars in advertising. But without strategic work, they'd be in the same spot as they were before we worked together.
Instead, now they are established in the market, their brand is recognizable as a healthtech leader, and the MQLs (marketing qualified leads) are starting to show up.
What questions should you ask a design agency before hiring?
You got a meeting with a design agency. Good! But now it's time to prepare for the meeting and how to navigate it.
My first advice is to let the agency run the meeting and look for the following:
- Do they ask about you, your business, and your clients before they show you their work?
Even though their work is important, it's useless to know what they can do before they even know what your needs are. - Who actually does the work: the senior team or is it handed to a junior?
Many agencies are hiding junior designer work with an expert face. Make sure you understand who's doing the work or, at least, supervising the work that’s being done. - What happens after launch?
Most issues come up after launch. That's also when all the data comes in. A freelancer will do the work that was asked. An agency should be monitoring and partnering with you in order to tweak, adapt, and validate the efforts are landing results.
- Do they push back on your assumptions, or do they just execute it?
Not pushing back just for the sake of it. When asking strategic questions, as an outsider, it's easier to notice important information, needs, and mistakes that your company might be making. Choosing to execute a flawed or superficial brief will do nothing for the success of your business. - Can they explain why a past design decision was made, not just show the result?
It's important for things to look beautifully crafted, but are they serving the brand?
How do you actually evaluate an agency's portfolio?
There's a lot of fireworks out there but the real work is done behind the scenes. Look for the problem that was solved rather than only looking for how beautifully crafted the elements were. Visuals are important, but beauty without content/strategy won't do much for you.
A pretty portfolio proves good taste, but doesn't guarantee good judgment.
Simply look for before/after context, strategic problem resolution, and results.
When you see the design, does it speak to the brand? Do you have a defined idea of the price of the product, the vibe of the company? Does the ad or flyer have a clear call to action?
When looking at all their work, does it all look the same? Between AI and templates you might end up looking like any other brand. The difference is in the details, and the strategy behind them. It's one thing to have a signature style, it's another to shoehorn it into every customer's work.
Ideally there would be a case study stating the problem, solution, and result. Design is ultimately about solving problems, not simply creating something eyecatching.
How should the pricing conversation actually go?
Pricing is one of my favourite topics to discuss. If someone sends you a cute pdf with nice fonts and colours but isn't there to have a conversation with you, you're probably unlikely to sign the contract, right? Especially if this is the first time you're seeing the amount.
As a business owner, I'm always looking for the best bang for the buck, and if I'm left to myself to decide without the ability to discuss it with the other party, there's probably a big chance I might leave it in the backburner, even if this is the right thing for me to invest in.
The agency should have already asked about what your budget range is, so that they can make a proposal that fits your needs according to the level of comfort for the investment.
You should welcome a proposal call, where you understand the needs and possible outcomes of said investment, and you get to ask questions in order to make an informed decision, not a decision only based on a number.
5 Red flags: how do you know an agency is wrong for you?
Based on the text above, you might already know the answer to this question. Nonetheless, let me make a cheat-sheet for you so you avoid the most common pitfalls:
- The agency pitches their services before even understanding your business or the root issue
- You don't know/aren't sure of who's going to be doing the work
- You face no pushback. Every request gets a “yes” or "no problem”
- Their portfolio is all aesthetic, no strategy
- They claim to do everything for everyone
The 3-question gut check
As an empathy-driven agency, gut-checking, along with strategic thinking is part of our decision making. Here are 3 questions you can ask yourself before booking your next meeting:
- Do I need someone to follow instructions, or tell me what I'm missing?
- Do I need a vendor who validates, or a partner who'll disagree with me when I'm wrong?
- Am I buying a deliverable, or an outcome?
If your answers lean strategic, then it's more than worthy to contact an agency rather than a freelancer.
Go Banana! is a creative agency that blends strategy with creativity to help businesses establish themselves, grow, and make an impact. We dream of making the world a better place, one small business at a time. (Including ours).
Let’s chat about your next project!
FAQ
How much does a design agency cost for a small business?
The honest answer is: it varies. We had projects costing $3,000 and others $20,000. The best way to find out is to have a chat with the agency. Don't trust “one-size-fits-all” pricing. You'll usually end up with things that aren't tailored to your unique business.
How long does a rebrand take?
A full rebrand can take anywhere from 2 months for a focused refresh to about a year for a full rollout. Where you land depends on how many pieces it touches.
What's the difference between a design agency and a freelancer?
Freelancers execute. A design agency brings judgment, strategy, and senior execution to the table.
Do I need a full rebrand or just a logo?
Each case is a different case. In our experience, a logo by itself isn't usually the only problem for why a brand isn't landing clients.
