1. Write a brief before searching
Write down the business outcome, intended audience, deliverables, deadline and budget range. Separate essentials from preferences. For a website, specify the number of page templates, languages, integrations, who supplies content and who maintains it after launch. For a campaign, distinguish the production fee from media spend. A request for “a better website” leaves room for incompatible proposals; a request for a bilingual catalogue with enquiry tracking and a named launch date gives agencies something concrete to price.
2. Build a shortlist around relevant work
Start with service and location filters, then inspect three to five agencies in depth. Location may matter for on-site production, time-zone overlap and language; it need not exclude a remote team. Open the agency’s own website and look for work with a similar problem and scope. A brand logo alone does not explain the relationship: ask whether the agency led the project, subcontracted one part, or worked with the client under a previous employer. Ask for the role, date and deliverables of each case study.
3. Check who will actually do the work
Ask which people will deliver the project, which tasks are outsourced and who is accountable for quality and deadlines. Request a meeting with the proposed project lead. A large headcount is not a guarantee of attention, and a small specialist team may be appropriate for a narrow brief. Confirm availability for your dates and how changes, absences and delays will be handled. Treat unreported team size or revenue as unknown rather than evidence of poor quality.
4. Compare proposals using the same questions
For each proposal, record scope, deliverables, revision rounds, milestones, dependencies, fee, excluded costs and ongoing support. Ask every agency to state what is not included. For software, clarify hosting, third-party subscriptions, source-code handover, testing and maintenance. For content, clarify the number of formats, edits, usage permissions and source files. Avoid comparing only the total price when one offer includes research, production and support and another covers production alone.
5. Validate evidence without relying on a badge
Read case studies and ask permission to speak to a relevant client. Where reviews exist, check the original platform, dates and the substance of the feedback. A star average without the review count or business identity is incomplete evidence. A claimed profile establishes management access; it is not a certification of the agency’s work. Directory order and sponsored banners are not recommendations. Keep your own notes about what you verified and what remains an agency declaration.
6. Agree how success and handover will be checked
Before starting, define acceptance criteria and the materials you expect at handover. A website project might need working enquiry forms, agreed browser support, access to analytics and documentation for the person maintaining it. A campaign might need approved assets and an agreed reporting cadence. Start with a clearly scoped paid discovery stage or pilot if the work is uncertain. Confirm account ownership, access and cancellation arrangements directly with the agency; obtain appropriate professional advice for contract questions.
A brief you can copy
Business goal: … Target audience and countries: … Required services and deliverables: … Languages and accessibility needs: … Budget range and excluded costs: … Deadline and internal decision maker: … Existing assets and integrations: … Evidence of similar work requested: … Success criteria and handover requirements: … Questions each proposal must answer: …
How to use this directory responsibly
I Need an Agency provides free discovery and direct links to agencies. Records can originate from public sources or reviewed submissions; missing information is not filled with estimates. Listing order is random by default and visitors can choose another sort. Advertising buys a banner, never ranking or a favourable review. Use the directory to find candidates, then verify fit and current information directly. Report an incorrect record through the profile action or our contact page.