Finding the right agency can be a daunting experience. There are so many out there and you aren't sure exactly which choice is going to be the right fit for you. So here are some questions and tactics you can take advantage of when you are ready to shop around for some creative work. Here are some of the best questions to ask a design agency.

How much do you charge at your design agency?

This seems simple enough but it's important. The price difference between someone on Upwork compared to an Agency like Pentagram will be astronomical. Most agencies and freelancers are going to ask you right away for YOUR budget. Depending on your project and the types of deliverables that you need the price can fluctuate significantly. A decent brand identity system should cost you anywhere from $3,000 to $50,000. That pay gap seems crazy right? Well if you think about the expertise of the individual or agency, it can differ greatly as well. It's important to think about the level of service you need. It's very similar to most goods and services (restaurants, clothes, and lawyers.) Do you need Mcdonald's, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, or something in between? A lawyer to craft a simple will, or the Dream Team? Make sure the budget works for you, and be honest about it. I know I hate telling a plumber what my budget is when water is shooting out of my wall, but creative work is different. Tell us what you want to spend and we will craft a personalized plan of what we can offer for that price. If what you receive for your total budget doesn't line up with your goals I have a tip for you; ask for a referral. The design community is small and we tend to know each other, or of each other. We stay up to date on other's pricing as well.

A good general guideline for a creative budget is 5-15% of your startup capital. If you have a business that is heavily dependent on image (like beer and wine) make it a goal to try to reach 15%. If however, your business is not as reliant on image, keep your budget tighter at closer to 5%. YOU know best if your business requires a high-end image or not. Trust your gut.

What is your design agency's timeline?

Good creativity takes time. It is commercial art after all. So with that comes a few things to watch out for. For example, if someone says they can get you a final logo within a week, that's a red flag. You should expect that this process should at the minimum take 4 weeks. That's with several rounds of iteration and input from you. You should get what you pay for and have input on the options.

The other side to this is that not everyone may have time to work on your project right away. They may inform you that there is a waitlist. They may inform you that they can take your project next month. It's good to know upfront when shopping around when their availability is so that you can make plans for your company.

What is your design agency's creative process?

Any designer or agency worth their salt knows this process backward and forward. Make sure you get a straight answer here. If the designer or agency is pricing your branding too low, doesn't give you a nailed-down process, and is cagey about their information, that is a bad sign. However, if the agency or designer is giving you a detailed outline of the process and you know exactly what to expect and when to expect it, you can bank on that process and keep them accountable.

A typical branding process at Tynes Design should go something like this:

• Brand Discovery Call
• Moodboards
• Round 1 Designs
• Round 2 Designs
• Final Design Presentation
• Brand Style Guide
• Final File Delivery
• Call to talk over the project and next steps.

Can I see some additional work or case studies?

No one shows their full work history on their portfolio and a design agency or freelance designer is sure to have a bank of creative that they would love to show you. This can happen for many reasons. A project could have a limitation to show the work in the contract they signed or it might even be a personal project they worked on. Heck, sometimes it's because they only worked on one poster or element for a brand that doesn't warrant a full case study or showcase on their portfolio. In any case, asking to see more of their work can help to solidify your choice with them.

What services do you provide?

An Agency or freelancer may not always showcase everything they can do for you because they are trying to limit the type of services that they showcase on their portfolio. Sometimes it's the exact opposite and they only do a specific set of services. This is a good thing to look for, and if they say they can do everything ask for some examples. Just because it's all offered doesn't mean it's all going to be good. At Tynes Design we can do a lot, but we have a great team of people and a network of contractors at our disposal to ensure that we can take care of everything you need.

What design agency would you recommend to work with?

Sometimes it may not be a good fit for a variety of reasons for you and a design agency or a freelance designer. Asking for a recommendation or an introduction can be a great option for you to find the right people to work with. You are not going to offend them by asking. In fact, you are doing them a favor because the more someone can make a recommendation the more they are going to be recommended by someone else. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

What makes working with a design agency worth it?

If your budget, timeline, and design aesthetic are a match then a design agency or creative studio might be just what you need to take your brand to the next level. Each agency has strengths in different industries and each one has strengths in different types of types of styles. Here are a few of our favorite agencies that have informed and inspired our vision of creative work at Tynes Design.

Morning Breath Design
Morning Breath is run by Doug Cunningham and Jason Noto. Their designs are beyond niche. They have a style and brands big and small go to them for a specific style. They have worked on everything from Ray-Ban to album covers for artists like the Foo-Fighters, Queens of the Stoneage, and Kayne West.

Guerilla Suit
Guerilla Suit is a creative agency in Austin, TX and they've got that Austin vibe down pat. If you want custom work done while emphasizing your brand strategy then you've come to the right place. This kind of agency works with clients who want to take their packaging and retail work to the next level.

Sandstrom Partners
Sanstrom partners specialize in packaging and they are damn good at it. Every single aspect of their designs is considered. You're not just going to get a great label when you walk in their doors. You are also going to get a custom bottle and container that fits well within the historical context of what you are trying to put in that container. This is top-tier work here as packaging goes and there is nothing like it.

Where do we go from here?

So if you are trying to decide on a design agency or freelance design make sure you do your research and ask lots of design agency questions. They would love to hear from you and so would we.

Got more design agency questions?

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Creating compelling graphics is just one aspect of what we do at our agency. However, without a solid brand strategy and thorough research, those graphics can easily get lost in the vast sea of competing brands. Research is the anchor that ties a brand's visual identity and voice together, elevating it to new heights when executed effectively.

To illustrate the importance of research in branding, let's delve into a real-world example: J&H Winds, a woodwind repair shop based in Cedar Falls, IA. When they approached Tynes Design, we initiated the process by asking them to complete a detailed questionnaire about their identity and brand aspirations. Additionally, they provided us with a collection of inspirational images, which proved to be invaluable in shaping their brand identity.

Jimmy and Simon sent me these images below:

Otto Link was a huge inspiration for them and is a big deal in their industry. Just with these two images, it set the tone for the entire project. These come from a place and time and the typography, color, and graphic elements were all used in this project. If you look at the image of the mouthpiece you will note the skewed script (or cursive) type. The mouthpieces were designed this way for a limited number of years and are the cream of the crop. This piece of knowledge I would have never figured out without them, and it's amazing because as a nerd of typography (especially script type), I got really excited to be able to incorporate this niche knowledge into the designs.

So I took all this and presented them with a few logo options. The ones that won over all others reshaped the typography from the box and incorporated the shapes into a mark that would be true to J&H Winds. On top of that, anyone else who walked into the building with exact same knowledge would nerd out and know they were in the right place.

The customization didn't stop there. We meticulously crafted custom typography for J&H Winds, infusing it with elements from their inspiration while ensuring a timeless and classic aesthetic. Hidden within the design were subtle nods to their heritage, intended to evoke moments of recognition and delight for their audience.

In essence, the success of the J&H Winds branding project exemplifies the power of leveraging historical elements to tell a compelling story. By tapping into their roots and incorporating elements from their industry's history, we created a visual identity that resonated deeply with their audience. This approach not only delights customers but also cultivates a loyal fanbase, ensuring repeat business and sustained engagement.

In conclusion, when embarking on a branding journey, never underestimate the significance of research and historical context. By infusing your brand with elements from the past, you not only honor its heritage but also forge a deeper connection with your audience. This transforms them from mere customers into fans.