card-maker
New Member
Several times a week, I come across 'full service' agency websites that are less than impressive. They say that they offer every service imaginable under the sun, when in fact they offer them through freelancers. May as well hire the freelancer and not have to pay a middleman, imho. Then again, if the agency does a good job managing the creators/subcontractors, that's a big headache out of the way.
In any case though, it'd worth asking yourself what business you're really in so that you focus and specialize, and that way your client can't find equivalent quality elsewhere. Look at the sigs and sites of other designers on this forum and consider what they have in common. Personally, many of these sites look generic and boring and just like every other web design consultant/company's site.
And I just don't mean the graphics. They all offer the same services, have similar copy/branding/positioning ("we serve small/medium business") etc. Are you just another web design/graphics/flash agency? Or are you the single greatest layout guru around? Are you a minisite creator? Do you do landing pages well? Do you turnover product faster? Do you make your designs easy to update/edit in order for the marketing team to test? Do you serve a particular industry? Make flash animations with a particular purpose?
Earlier this summer I did an interview for a large agency that mostly gets clients because of their name, imho (many of you would recognize it). The people there certainly didn't strike me as very savvy or as producing great work (plus I'd used/seen the sites before, so I know that I'm right). One of their guys applied to a job I'm now hiring for and it reflects negatively on him, to come from a company that has a meh reputation for trying to do it all, and doing nothing well.
I'd love to hear back from you if this makes you think and how you're going to work to differentiate your business.
In any case though, it'd worth asking yourself what business you're really in so that you focus and specialize, and that way your client can't find equivalent quality elsewhere. Look at the sigs and sites of other designers on this forum and consider what they have in common. Personally, many of these sites look generic and boring and just like every other web design consultant/company's site.
And I just don't mean the graphics. They all offer the same services, have similar copy/branding/positioning ("we serve small/medium business") etc. Are you just another web design/graphics/flash agency? Or are you the single greatest layout guru around? Are you a minisite creator? Do you do landing pages well? Do you turnover product faster? Do you make your designs easy to update/edit in order for the marketing team to test? Do you serve a particular industry? Make flash animations with a particular purpose?
Earlier this summer I did an interview for a large agency that mostly gets clients because of their name, imho (many of you would recognize it). The people there certainly didn't strike me as very savvy or as producing great work (plus I'd used/seen the sites before, so I know that I'm right). One of their guys applied to a job I'm now hiring for and it reflects negatively on him, to come from a company that has a meh reputation for trying to do it all, and doing nothing well.
I'd love to hear back from you if this makes you think and how you're going to work to differentiate your business.
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