Why I’m not signing up with DesignRush
There are lots of agency listing websites and directories – I have long been a fan of Chuck Meyst at AgencyFinder.com and Tom Holmes’ Creative Brief in the UK.
DesignRush is a nicely designed website for listing agencies allowing filtering by country and skillset.
I found three New Zealand agencies there – none of them competitors for us. But instead of reaching out for our profile and submitting it, I decided not to go that route.
Why??
The main reason is that the site lists agencies with a price per hour as part of the filtering. This is WRONG on many levels.
- Firstly, buying creativity is not like buying socks – a commodity.
- We sell by value, not by the hour (I’m not a solo-preneur or just getting started)
- This encourages viewers to buy based on price and that demeans the whole industry of creative agencies
So thanks, but no thanks for us.
Make your own mind up by answering these situational questions
- A client approaches and asks your price to solve a problem situation. You know the answer and how to solve it. Does it matter if you solve the problem in five minutes of 50 hours? Will the client be happy that the problem was solved or unhappy that you did it in 5 minutes?
- You are asked to respond to a brief in some detail. You do it with a written proposal which the prospect takes and uses as a bid document to ask other firms to submit prices. You don’t get hired as a result.
- A marketing director asks for your credentials and whether you have experience in a particular industry. Does this matter to her – is it an exclusion or inclusion filter? Does it affect your ability to do the work?
Coaching and learning how to navigate the new business development minefield is available.