Question

Topic: Other

Need To Make A Decision For Our Web Redesign...

Posted by Anonymous on 11/2/2007 at 4:25 PM ET 250 Points
Hi everyone,

I'm stuck.

About 3 months ago, I began the process of prospecting companies to redesign our company website. After an initial meeting and as a result of some internal conversations, we decided to add a "starters branding" package to the deal and evaluated companies based on that as well. Now we're to the point of making a decision and it has been place in my hands as I will be heading the project and working directly with the agencies.

Both are pretty comparable in what they offer and can do for us. One is stronger on the creative side but outsources a LOT of their work. My impression is that we will have to a lot of pushing and forcing them to come up with different things but I think we will be happy with the result. Also, they are local which is important to the owners of my company as we that's how we position ourselves in the marketplace. The other is stronger on the programming/SEO side but we're not confident in their ability to be creative. I do think their overall branding strategy is alot more direct and user friendly and I have mixed feelings on what we would get out of them. They are not local but from a town about an hour south, so still within the state.

Originally I was against company A and totally rooting for company B. Through some additional dialogue, the scale is a little more balanced but something is stopping me from declaring company A the winner.

My questions is this: What should my deciding factors be? What would you base the decision on?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 11/2/2007 at 7:13 PM Accepted
    In my book the creative component should drive the decision. Everything else is mechanical. And the strategy is YOUR responsibility, not the agency's.

    Based on what you've written, I would go with the local firm ... but understand that's just based on what you've written, not on any other input. There could be other factors that would enter the picture.

    The one bit of advice I'd give is that you owe yourself (and the agency you pick) a very tight Creative Brief. If you don't have one, you deserve whatever you get. But a really talented creative team with a great Creative Brief is an unbeatable combination.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 11/3/2007 at 11:36 AM Accepted
    It sounds like you're hung up on the potential to "pushing and forcing them". If so, contact company A and meet with the director who you'll be working to discuss this issue. It's possible you're intuition is right - but the best way to see how it'll be to negotiate is to talk and see how they take care of your concerns.

    Another possibility - could you get company A to outsource to company B some work? This way you could get the best of both worlds.
  • Posted on 11/5/2007 at 8:36 AM Author
    Thanks to everyone who answered. As always, I appreciate the insight and advice.
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