11 things to look for in a web design agency
You're looking to commision a new website. How do you differentiate between the bewildering array of companies vying for your business?
If you’ve ever been in the position of commisioning a website, you’ll know how difficult the task can be. A badlly conceived website can cost money, drive away customers, and damage your reputation.
How do you differentiate between the bewildering array of web design companies out there vying for your business?
We would say that there are 2 overriding factors:
- Working relationship – you need to be sure that the experience of working with your chosen web team is a good one. An enjoyable, productive experience is always to be favoured over a difficult, protracted, dissatisfying working relationship. You don’t need us to tell you that I suppose!
- Results – you need to be sure that the team you choose will give you the best chance of achieving your optimum desired results, whatever they may be.
Bearing these 2 general overall criteria in mind, here’s what we feel are the 11 main criteria you should look for when shopping for your web team:
1. Recommendations
A hearty recommendation from a trusted friend or colleague is gold. It’s common sense, but if someone you know has had great experience with a web agency, chances are you’ll have a similar experience too.
Ask around other businesses or friends you know to see who they’ve used, and if they’d recommend them to you.
2. Testimonials
Do any of the companies you have in mind publish client testimonials? If they do, read them.
Of course, a company will only pick and choose the best ones. But chances are that if a company are able and willing to post a good amount of gushing praise from happy clients that they have at least a reasonable crowd of pleased customers.
Don’t be afraid to ask a prospective web design company to verify and back up their claims – can you telephone any of those quoted to discuss things further?
3. Knowledge
There are many web design agencies whose idea of promoting themselves is by posting a few screenshots of recent websites, saying “Our work speaks for itself”, as if that is enough to convince you they’re the team for the job.
Be deeply wary. Does a screenshot (lovely as it may be) give you an insight into how that particular website solution solved their client’s business problems? Does it explain an understanding of their client’s situation and the results their solution provided?
If we were commisioning a website we’d want to see evidence that a prospective web design company not only knew what they were talking about, but were willing to share their knowledge freely. If a particular agency on your shortlist writes regularly on issues affecting your business, in an easily accessible way, there are huge chances that that company are competent, clued-up and are open and transparent about their services.
4. Guarantee
Do your chosen web design agency offer a 100%, no-quibble guarantee? They should.
You wouldn’t buy, say, a new car without a reasonable guarantee that it’ll work as advertised, and we see no reason why commissioning a website should be any different.
Ask for a 100% guarantee on the work – if you’re not satisfied, you can have your money back.
5. Listening
We occasionally discuss the experiences our clients have had with other web design companies. One issue that arises time and time again is this issue of listening (or rather, of not listening) – do your possible web design agency really listen to your problem, your needs, your aspirations?
Only you know your business inside and out. Any web design company worth its salt should not only listen carefully to your understanding of your situation, but should respect your unique position in knowing what’s best for your business.
If you feel like a company are imposing pre-determined, fixed web design packages on you – walk away.
6. Benefits, not features
Most web design companies fall into what we call the ‘me too’ category – giving a list of services or features they provide (that actually everybody else provides!) in the hope that if they have a longer list somehow they’ll appear more worthy of your business.
Our recommendation would be to steer well clear of agencies that only promote their services. You know the ones – “We do web design! And email marketing! And hosting! And search engine marketing! Yay!!!!!”
Instead, look for companies that focus on the benefits they can provide for your own individual business problems, regardless of services or technologies.
If an agency want to discuss how they can help you make more money, save more time or generate more leads (and can back up their claims) we’d highly recommend going with them above the “We do web design too!” crowd.
7. Collaborative meetings
We’ve heard several horror stories of web design companies who provide a quote for a website upfront, right there and then.
Don’t even think of choosing a company to handle your website design without several face-to-face meetings. Importantly, a few meetings will help you ascertain whether you like the people you’ll be possibly working with for several months. But also, at least 2 meetings helps you get a feel for how important your project is to the team in question.
Any agency worth its salt will need to discuss your requirements, needs and plans at least a few times in order to seriously understand what you’re trying to achieve.
8. Detailed proposal
If your chosen company deliver a one page quote, containing a price and… not much else … run away. Insist on a detailed proposal.
A well-written proposal should detail the company’s understanding of your unique situation, as well as solid, targeted claims for how they hope to achieve your objectives.
9. The feel-good factor
Do you like the team you’re thinking of choosing? It’s all down to gut feeling, but we know from experience that website projects are far more likely to succeed if team members gel personally. That’s it!
10.Their own website
What do you think to your prospective web team’s own website? Granted, at Definition we’re more than aware (as a web agency ourselves) how hard it can be to stay on top of your own website!
But if you’re thinking of spending a good wodge of your own cash on a website solution, any prospective website vendor’s own website is as good a barometer as any of their ability to deliver.
Does it contain quality case studies of past successes? Are there a reasonable set of previous client tesimonials? Do you like the company’s past work? Are your questions and concerns answered effectively?
11. Have an RFP
What’s an RFP? An RFP stands for Request for Proposal, and it’s not a bad thing to have when shopping for a website.
An RFP is basically a list of areas or questions you’d like any prospective web design company to answer. Some examples of the content of an RFP might be:
- Audience – ask them to detail their understanding of your primary and secondary website audience
- Competition – ask them to outline who they think your main competition is, and what they would do to gain an advantage over them
- Process – ask them to explain how they envisage the web design process to work
- Costs – ask them to list a breakdown of costs for the project
Why’s having an RFP important? One reason is that it sets a level playing field – if all 3 potential web design companies are forced to answer the same questions in the same format, then it’s easier to compare their responses, like for like.
Also, if you determine what the proposal should contain, then you ensure you get exactly the responses you require – no fluff, no bull!
So there you have it – 11 points to bear in mind when shopping for a web design agency to design your website.
Good luck!
What next?
Convinced we’re the right team for the job? Give us a call on 01482 341797 to take things to the next level.
Grab our Articles RSS feed