As DESIGNTHIS! celebrates 30 years in business, we’ve reflected on a question we’ve heard hundreds of times:
“How do I choose the right creative agency?”
After decades of working with organizations of every size, we’ve learned something that may sound surprising:
One of the biggest mistakes a company can make is choosing an agency based solely on the proposal.
That’s because proposals reveal how an agency performs on its best day. What matters is how they perform on a daily basis.
The most crucial information about an agency can come from a conversation with the people who have actually worked with them.
Before you hire an agency, take time to reach out to both current and former clients.
Current clients can tell you what it’s like to work with the agency today. Former clients provide an even deeper perspective. Former clients provide an even deeper perspective. They can speak about the entire relationship, including the challenges, the deadlines, and how the agency responded over time.
Those conversations can be revelatory if you ask the right questions.
Here’s what we recommend.
How responsive are they?
This one’s important. When deadlines are approaching, priorities shift, or the unexpected arises, how quickly does the agency respond? Do emails and texts get answered within hours? The same day? Are phone calls returned promptly?
Why it matters: There are times when momentum is everything. The strongest agency relationships are built on trust, and trust grows from consistent responsiveness.
Positive signs:
- Clients describe the agency as proactive and readily accessible.
- Questions are answered right away.
- Projects move forward without constant follow-up from the client.
Red flags:
- Stories about waiting for answers.
- Clients feeling uncertain about project status.
- Communication becoming inconsistent once the project is underway.
What happened when something went wrong?
Every agency has challenges. A lot of client relationships encounter obstacles. The real question isn’t whether problems occur, it’s how they’re handled.
Why it matters: An agency’s character and professionalism are revealed during moments when the pressure is on.
Positive signs:
- The agency took ownership.
- Problems were addressed quickly and transparently.
- Clients felt supported throughout the process.
Red flags:
- Lack of accountability.
- Small issues becoming large ones because they weren’t addressed early.
- Unclear or evasive responses.
How well did they understand your business?
Not all agencies invest the time to truly understand a client’s business.
Ask what groundwork was done before recommendations were made. Did they interview stakeholders? Study competitors? Conduct research? Take time to understand business goals?
Why it matters: Branding isn’t decoration. It should support growth, differentiation, and long-term business values and goals.
Positive signs:
- Clients describe a thoughtful discovery process.
- Recommendations were grounded in business realities.
- The work reflected a clear understanding of the organization.
Red flags:
- Generic solutions.
- Limited research.
- Creative work that looked attractive but lacked strategic purpose.
How did they work within your budget?
The best agencies understand that every company has financial constraint
Ask whether the agency was adaptable and innovative when balancing objectives against available resources. This is crucial.
Why it matters: Great partners solve problems and create solutions that stick the landing on every level: financially, creatively, and in terms of market-share gain.
Positive signs:
- Multiple strong options were presented.
- Priorities were clearly identified.
- Clients felt they received top-tier value for their investment.
Red flags:
- One-size-fits-all recommendations.
- Limited flexibility.
- Budgets consistently exceeded.
Did they help you achieve results?
This is perhaps the most important question of all.
Did the work help the business accomplish its goals? Did it strengthen the brand, improve engagement, increase awareness, support sales efforts, or solve the challenge that prompted the project in the first place?
Why it matters: Creative work should propel the organization’s forward movement.
Positive signs:
- Clients can point to measurable outcomes.
- The agency remained focused on objectives, not just aesthetics.
- The client would hire them again.
Red flags:
- Beautiful work with little business impact.
- Success measured solely by subjective opinions.
- Unclear outcomes.
One Final Question
Before ending the conversation, ask this:
“What do you wish you’d known before hiring them?”
This one question can reveal the most useful insights.
Sometimes the answer confirms you’re making the right choice. Sometimes it uncovers concerns that didn’t appear during the proposal process.
Either way, it’s worth having.
We’ve learned that successful agency relationships don’t rise or fall solely on creativity. They’re built on things like communication, accountability, strategic thinking, adaptability, and trust. When you get to a place of trust, the work can become a real pleasure. Time and time again our best business relationships have become friendships.
A portfolio shows what an agency has created. A proposal shows what it promises.
But conversations with current and former clients can be the key to understanding who the agency truly is.