5 Tips to help you pick the right creative partner for your business
You know your business needs some help in the creative department. Maybe your branding needs a refresh to fit with your new clients, or your website needs a major overhaul to optimize sales. But you’re not sure which creative partner to pick to help you with your business?
Picking the right people to support you is one of the most important things you can do for your business. And if you are hiring someone to help create marketing or customer-facing elements, it’s critical that you’re a good match.
The right partnership can alleviate stress, provide amazing solutions and elevate your business. While the wrong pairing can lead to major frustration, overwhelm, and less-than-ideal business results.
So, how do you know if you'll partner well with someone?
1. Ask to talk to any freelancers or agencies you are considering
Before signing on with another business, especially a service provider you’ll be working closely with like a web designer, take the time to hop on a quick call with them. You'll quickly get a feel for how they operate, how they communicate and how you'll likely get along.
Then after the call, take note of how they follow up or reply to you - if they're attentive and professional then you've hit the jackpot! If not, then my best advice is to keep looking...
2. Consider your preferred communication style
Since the person you hire will be translating your business, mission and goals into tangible visuals, you’ll need to make sure you feel 100% confident communicating with them.
I like to hop on a few video calls early in my branding and website design process since I find my clients are more at ease talking through their strategy together that way. However, some people express themselves best when writing so I like to offer a chance to get to know my new clients that way as well with my onboarding questionnaires.
3. Make sure their style matches your business
While you might personally adore a certain designer’s work for all of the fun interactions and unique layouts they come up with, if that isn’t what will speak best to your ideal customers then it probably isn’t the best fit.
A good designer will adapt their style to match the project, but their underlying tastes do seep through - that is part of what you’re paying them for after all! So do take a moment to consider if their style will appeal to your customers and fit with your brand before diving in with someone.
4. Check out their work
As you check out their portfolio to see if their style speaks to you, have a look at the types of businesses they’ve worked with in the past. See if you can get a sense if they’re similar businesses to yours, which is a great way to check that you’ll be working with someone who knows your area.
5. Read their testimonials and reviews
Another great thing to pay attention to is the testimonials or reviews they have accumulated. They may only display the best quotes on their website, so it’s worth looking on their social profiles and Google to see if you can uncover some other reviews.
Even if you can only see a few testimonials on their website, pay attention to the way these past clients describe the person you’re looking to hire. If they describe her as having lots of energy and being really fun vs. very professional and polished, you’ll get a good insight into what she’s like to work with and if that suits you and your preferred work style.
Final Thoughts
Picking the right people to help you with your business is a big deal, and it’s worth taking the time to make sure you’re a good fit before deciding to work together! For more specific tips on picking the right website designer check out this article where I dive into the specifics to look for when hiring out your website design and development.
And if you're looking for strategic advice on how to simplify, streamline and optimize your business so it works for you, I’d love to invite you to book in an Untangling Session with me where we’ll lay everything out and, together, come up with a plan to help you move forward in the right direction.
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