Designers, Developers, and Consultants… Oh My
A guide to selecting creative professionals and vendors
The market is swollen with creative services firms and freelancers, all with a wide range of prices, skills and expertise. It can be hard for a small business to select the vendor best suited to them. This article can help you select vendors that best meet your creative expectations, customer service needs and budget limitations.
There are five main types of vendors, and all have their ideal niche – niches your company could fit in, but probably shouldn’t. The following outlines the five types and the ideal client for each.
Entry level and student freelancers
Most creative students are tasked to develop their “student portfolio.” For that reason – as well as the unlikelihood they can obtain clients based on their minimal experience – their class projects often comprise their portfolio.
All designers know their worth is completely often based on the perception of their portfolio. That understanding is what makes entry level freelancers and students ideal candidates for some businesses in need of creative services. Students’ need to build a client list and expand their portfolio often leads them to set their rates well below industry standards. This makes them great for the cost-conscious consumer seeking a quick turnaround and either all creative control or no creative control.
However, what you gain in cost savings, you sacrifice in experience and accountability. Freelancers and students still learning their craft tend to borrow ideas and concepts from other commercially produced pieces. Although this is often unintentional, there is a risk that your product or identity could be compromised because it’s too similar to another, possibly one in your industry or geographic region.
Offshore creative firms
These firms’ sometimes large portfolios and low costs make them attractive vendors to small businesses. But a lot is sacrificed when dealing with offshore firms. There are many circumstances that dictate an offshore firm’s credibility and ability to meet your needs.
Location – In certain parts of the world, employees work for pennies on the dollar. This willingness to work for less has — in industries like IT and small-goods manufacturing –led to a drop in quality and customer service. Companies in India and Eastern Europe have offered me their services for as little as $6 an hour. As tempting as the offer was, I always was left with one question: What if?
What if it doesn’t work out? What if the product isn’t delivered? What if I’m not happy with the outcome? What if they take the money and run? The answer is, in most cases, there is no recourse. There’s no Better Business Bureau to contact and no written, legally binding contracts to refer to.
That’s the dark side of offshore vendors, although by no means should you black-list everyone with an address outside of the U.S. There are plenty of qualified, experienced and reliable firms all across the globe. Approach these firms like you would any U.S.-based firm, keeping in mind that today’s euro is now worth more than the dollar.
Small creative firms
By small, I mean firms comprised of one, two or as many as five independent professionals that combine their skills to serve a wider audience. This type of firm is ideal for small businesses and start ups, as the firm will share much in common with their clients. Who better to know what you need than them?
However, their small-business mindset may hinder their ability to meet the needs of some mid-sized businesses, and often these firms simply cannot handle the needs of a corporation with 500+ employees.
This is where you must be wary. For small creative firms, it is in their interest to seek your business, as it means a larger project with a larger budget than they are used to. While their eagerness and willingness to take on your project may lead them to surpass your needs, they may just as easily let you down. Struggling to meet tight deadlines, stay in budget, and follow a pre-developed visual identity due to lack of personnel and resources can mean disaster for your project.
Choose your vendor carefully; judge their ability to meet your needs based on their client list and pool of available freelancers. It can be comforting knowing a firm has a handful of part-time employees they can rely on.
Medium sized commercial firms
Possibly, the majority of U.S. firms are what I would call small creative firms and medium sized commercial firms. The latter can best be described as a firm with a staff of between 10 and 30. These firms may be out of reach cost-wise for most small businesses, but if your company’s annual revenue is well on its way to the six-figure mark, knock on these guys’ doors.
They will often have ample staff and expertise at your disposal. An impressive mix of clients in their portfolio will give the impression that they can meet the needs of every type of business – from the modest yet well funded start up to the Fortune 100 corporation.
Before you start knocking though, take a look in the mirror. Will they consider you a small fry? Sure, a dollar spent is a dollar earned, but if you happen to come calling at the same time as one of their larger – and more profitable – clients call, don’t expect the red-carpet treatment. Make sure your point of contact is accessible and easy to talk to, as she will likely be the only voice from the company you will hear – unless of course you choose not to pay the invoice. Also, you should be in love with their portfolio, since creative direction is probably not going to be overly welcomed from a novice client.
Big-wig multi state creative agency
These are the folks that you would never expect to be able to afford. You know the type: the firms that contract work out to the freelancers when times are busy, the ones that can rely on residual business in the slow months, whose portfolio suggests that they only work with companies launching regional, if not national, advertising campaigns.
Little needs to be said about this group – their sheer size is an homage to their ability, and their portfolio is representative of the skill sets they posess. To be honest and to humble myself, if you’re reading this article, it is most likely not in your best interest to reach out to one of these firms. Wait until Fortune magazine has at least thought about writing down your business name.
Take from this what you will. At the end of the day, a student may produce the best brochure that meets your needs, while an A-list firm can break your budget into a thousand little pieces and leave still wanting more when your ad campaign doesn’t yield the ROI you expected. It’s not just about the firm, it’s about you. As a business owner or entrepreneur, you have to go with your gut. So ask for a proposal, go with your gut, and don’t look back.
