At Third Sun, we're always happy to be considered for branding and web design work, from potential clients who have brick and mortar businesses to nonprofits that serve critical needs in our community. When we start working with a client, we love to learn more about their unique qualities and potential opportunities, looking for ways that we can help them communicate more effectively with the goals to hopefully play a small role in their success.
Clients come in all shapes and sizes for us, from one-person consultants to large nonprofit teams. What matters most and impacts the success of a project is that we're all on the same page about the goals and objectives. This process starts from the first time we talk to a potential client — before we've provided a proposal or gotten a signed contract — to assess if we are the right people to help them achieve their goals.
Six things to look for when choosing a web design agency
1. Values Alignment
Find yourself a web design agency that aligns with your values, and you'll be off to a good start.
2. A Track Record You Can Verify
Look for a web design agency that you can trust, which you hopefully can determine by having a conversation about your goals for your project and then receiving a proposal that reflects the scope of work you've discussed. Be sure to do your due diligence by asking good questions: What does their portfolio of work demonstrate to you? What do others say about them? How long have they been in business?
3. Clear Expectations on Both Sides Before the Proposal
Creating a good working relationship depends on clear expectations both ways. From the client side, before you ask for the web design agency to provide a proposal, be sure they have a clear understanding of what you expect, including who will be involved from your team and what your timeline needs are. From the web design agency side, there should also be clear parameters set out, like how the process works, what a realistic timeframe may be, what they need from you to create a polished and finished work. Successful and meaningful creative work is something that requires input from both sides.
4. Today's Web Essentials Included By Default
An agency's website should portray real work they have done in the real world. Good-looking websites are the first indicator, but beyond that, there are some essentials that you should make sure your web designer can accomplish, including mobile-friendly responsive websites and ADA accessibility. In the world today, both should be included and executed as part of your project. Accessibility, in particular, should not be considered 'nice to have' because the risk of not having your website be accessible can lead to some website visitors who use screen readers or may have vision issues struggling to navigate your website. At worst, it can lead to potential lawsuits under the ADA law.
5. Long-term Value, Not Just Upfront Cost
Choosing a web design agency or any service by cost can be tricky when you may be comparing an apple to an orange. Cost to get a project done comes with many considerations including how long the process will take, what kind of expertise you are getting as you go through the process, what the long-term benefit is of the product you are getting from the agency. Once you have paid for the website to get launched, will you have the support and training you need to manage it effectively going forward? What tools does the web design agency offer that allow the level of management or flexibility that you want and need? In short, will your investment yield something you will be happy with for 2-3 years, and have you chosen a partner who will be there to help you evolve?
6. Get Ready to Be a Good Client
Clients have valuable perspectives that will inform the process that leads to the final design product. Clients are also, hopefully, hiring a web design agency for what we may know or have skills to achieve that they do not. When both sides go into a project willing to learn and work together, projects get the best outcomes. Good and clear client feedback, along with expectations, is a must.
In Summary...
After doing this for 20+ years, we know that there are many good designers and agencies out there. Speaking for Third Sun, we may not be the best fit for everyone, and we tell potential clients that when we can see that's the case — whether they want to work in a platform that isn't our specialty, or they have needs that are outside our sweet spot or capacity. As far as we're concerned, it's OK to not be the right fit for everyone, and it makes our process to choose clients that we can help all the more meaningful.
And that's the final piece of advice — ask your self: is the web design agency you're considering doing its own selection process asking the right questions and ascertaining if you are the right fit for them? Because they should be. Winning the opportunity to do creative work with clients is no small thing, and the web design agency you choose to work with should have its own standards for what the right fit looks like.