How to Work Well with Your Web Design Agency

A perfect relationship between an agency and client would look a bit like this;

• The client gives the agency a clear, concise brief, detailing what type of solution they are after, exactly what the budget is, and how the solution will ideally support their business goals.
• The agency goes away and, inspired by a great brief, does some of their smartest, most creative work.
• The client is thrilled, but has a few minor tweaks, which they communicate clearly.
• The agency makes the requested changes, and everyone is happy.

Sadly though, these sorts of interactions are rare. Normally, what happens instead is that the agency has to guess at what the client wants, the client dislikes it (but is vague on why), and it takes 50 emails and a last-minute in-person meeting to get things straightened out. Don’t think that we’re blaming you though, clients. Handing your precious brand over to somebody else can be a terrifying process, but knowing how to communicate with your web design (or any creative) agency is important. Not only does it sweeten the relationship with the people you’re working with – always a good thing! – it’s also likely to result in work that better meets your vision. So, with that in mind, here’s our humble guide to communicating with ‘the other side’:

2. Delegate Responsibility
   On your end, we mean. Unless you’re a very small shop, chances are that there’s going to be more than one person inputting into this process, and if a chain of hierarchy isn’t established, this can result in a mass of opposing voices, all chipping in their two cents. Not only will this cause you a headache, it’s also detrimental to the creative process. There’s nothing more frustrating to a design agency than thinking a piece of work has been signed off, only to have some hitherto regional Brand Manager swoop down and kill it. Feedback can go around in loops in this manner, and the work can end up looking a bit Frankenstein’s monster – the result of too much haphazard feedback from too many conflicting angles. In other words, if everybody has their say, then nobody gets what they want, so decide early on whose opinion matters, and make sure that they have the final word.
3. Don’t be Vague
   Or, if we could be so bold, try completely eliminating any of the following phrases from your feedback; ‘could you make it ‘more jazzy’?’, ‘it’s just not very…us’ or, our favourite, ‘we’ll know it when we see it’. It can be difficult to put into words exactly why you don’t like a piece of design work, but interrogating your gut response is worth the effort. Even if you think that, ‘I just don’t like pastel pink’, sounds a bit basic, it’s at least something that your agency can work with. Ultimately, the more precise you can be with your feedback, the less rounds of amends you’ll have to go through, and the sooner you’ll arrive at web design nirvana.
4. Trust Us
   Finally, remember why you hired a design agency in the first place. Although no-one knows your product better than you, a fresh, objective pair of eyes will be able to distill your brand’s appeal, and communicate it to a wider audience. It can be a difficult process, but trusting a web design agency with your company’s image can be one of the most rewarding aspects of business, and there’s a great joy in not knowing what they’ll present you with. It’s important to have an opinion, and ultimately, you are paying for the work, but if your agency lands something beautiful and creative, yet completely unexpected on your desk, then be prepared to say, ‘Yes!’

SO Marketing offer a range of bespoke branding solutions, including web design, digital content, and BTL media. We’ve been #blessed with some truly great clients, but we’re more than happy to work with nervous ones too. If you’re interested in what we can do for your business, then give us a call, and we’ll arrange a coffee and a chat.