How to Choose the Right Agency for your Digital Investment
Written by Fredrik Bergstrom
Collaboration with your chosen agency is a prerequisite for a successful project. Here we share our tips on what you as a client can think about when choosing a new agency partner.
Digital agency, web agency, UX agency, communications agency - today there are a plethora of different types of agencies. It is not easy to know where to start when looking for a new business partner. In addition, more than just the right skills are required for collaboration to be successful. Here are 5 tips to help you along the way:
What do you need?
Make a proper analysis of what you need. Partly which skills the assignment requires and partly which other parts are important to you. Do you want a niche agency with cutting-edge expertise or a full-service agency that knows a little about a lot? Are you looking for a strategic partner for a long-term collaboration or a quick production partner before a short deadline? Discuss internally what is important to you and develop a basis for evaluation. It makes it easier to assess the different agencies you meet.
Does the agency understand your business?
Regardless of what the assignment is about, it must ultimately deliver results, usually in the form of increased sales, reduced costs or some type of transfer. Ensure the agency has a business perspective on what they do. It is one thing to deliver a nice design, quite another to produce something that increases conversion or contributes to increased loyalty among users. A good agency gets involved in your business and can have a discussion about what is a reasonable end result of a concrete assignment.
Does the team understand your challenge as a client?
An investment that will lead to a change requires more than design and technology. As a client in a larger organization, you often struggle with anchoring the change internally, getting colleagues on board and getting time and resources from management. Does the agency understand your everyday life and can support you in that role? Can they come in and run a draw for the management team or help with internal anchoring when you need it?
Are you a good match?
In a long-term agency collaboration, you will have a lot to do with each other. Therefore, it is important that culture and values are a good match. Make sure to meet the entire team you will be working with so that you get a feel for who it is you will be in daily contact with. Feel free to visit the agencies you choose between, it usually gives a good feel for the atmosphere and culture. And don't forget to discuss what the work process at the agency looks like and how well it matches your way of working.
Try it out
It is always good to start with a smaller, clearly defined assignment to test the cooperation. Does the daily collaboration work as you intended and did the result come as expected? Also ask for references and talk to other clients who have worked with the agency.
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Last but not least, trust your gut. Does it feel like you got a good picture and that you and your team will enjoy working together? Personal chemistry is important and hopefully, you will work together for a long time to come. And it should not only be value-creating - but also fun!
Good luck!
We design and develop digital products and services that create benefits for both users and businesses. Our customers say that they appreciate that we dare to challenge them, question them and say it like it is. Do you want to know more about us? Get in touch with Fredrik Bergstrom.
