As a founder or business owner, what are the most challenging aspects of acquiring design services?
Johann Vazquez
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Nick Basile@nickjbasile
I run a digital agency (https://www.markhamsq.com/) and we run into this challenge all of the time 😅
It's really hard for businesses to get a sense of the quality of a design service and how it will drive results for them.
To mitigate this for them, we typically run trial sprints so they can see our work in action with a lower commitment than a full project. This also helps us get a sense of the scope of their needs, and we'll usually deliver a roadmap that they can use with us or shop around if they want.
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@nickjbasile That's awesome Nick - a great way to also build trust from the beginning. What do these trial sprints typically entail?
@johannvazquez a lot of our clients know that they need design help, they just don't know what they need it for because they're not design experts, which is why they reach out to us.
Our trials sprints are usually focused on discovery where we take the time to understand their business and identify how they can leverage design to help them. At the end, we typically deliver a roadmap, an estimated budget, and some other deliverables that help them visualize their operations so they can understand their business better, where design can help, and how much it will cost.
Being able to have someone interpret your thoughts and vision is a great challenge, so for me, what's made the biggest difference when acquiring a design service (freelancer or agency) is how open-minded they are, especially when adjustments have to be made in the beginning.
@gusoliveira_b4a Being pen minded and able to try new things through design is a must! How do you typically share your vision and thoughts to make sure that everything is aligned between the idea and the design?
locating a designer whose style and expertise align with your vision and needs
@ashlyyjohnsonn Thank you, Ashley! How do you make sure your design needs are met during the hiring/outsourcing phase?
Finding the right designer's like dating: time-consuming and you've got to kiss some frogs, but when it clicks, it's gold. Launched my SaaS last year and man, good design was a game-changer.
Finding a designer who gets your vision is tough, but when you do, it's game-changing. Launched my app on PH and a great designer made all the difference.
@kim_adams24 Love this answer. Understanding and executing a vision is priceless. Where do you find and hire your designers?
So hard to understand the value up-front!
I'm sure we could benefit from some kind of design service but it's prohibitively hard to work out who/what we should go with...
@daniel_hunt4 Is there anything in particular that would make it easier for you to select a design company?