start up design agency
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- ********
I am teaching a class in Business of the Internet, many students want to know the steps invloved in starting up a new desing agency, more then freelance, any one got any tips , advice , links, thanks in advance
- Mimio0
These days having diversified clients is one of the best business practices. Don't rely on one industry too heavily. Smaller offices should focus on the one-stop-shop model, rather than the "Design Boutique" model.
- ********0
so start mom and pop shop style, cool, anyone else
- phenom0
network
advertise
pitch
get your name out as much as possible. Do a kick ass corporate website.
And do up contracts. Get EVERY client to sign one.and then it's still up to the gods
- unknown0
Know people.
- k0na_an0k0
never hire your friends.
- bhawk0
Tell them the market is saturated and that the only way to get big clients is to low ball other firms, but in doing so will alienate them from the rest of the design community and they will never get any respect. But the key is small. 1 guy project managing and husling clients. one or two who works on design. Two prefreably cause it sucks to design alone get boring, creates a synergye. Another who works on backend, PHP,ASP etc. and if print is involved another to do pre press, colour balance and dealing with printers etc. max 5 people. And maybe one guy to manage the cash flow and hopefully has really rich parants. However student starting a business is a big mistake cause they don't know exactly what would be involved in a project and under estimate cost. Then there is the problem how do people get paid, do people work for a percentage of the project? Which seems like a nightmere 2 me. Is there a boss who gives out salaries? If so where the money gona come from. And yes don't work with friends, friends and money don't mix.
- auricom0
networking is so important. much harder to get anywhere when you don't know people.
and again with the friends issue, bad idea.
- robotron3k0
i know most "startup" design/agency shops are started by spin off employees that have developed a good relationship with a client and take them and a few key people (AE, PM, media person, production person) with them and start a new shop, it happens all the time actually... most of it is spawn from back room deals or hand shakes at a pool table in a titty bar-via the T.G.O.B N. (The Good Old Boy Network), yes sad but true, don't know if you want to tell your students that, but the most important thing you want to teach them is (along with relationship building) how to apply and enforce contracts and billing - eventually expanding from home to office and all the logistics of growth and of course as kOna says, never hire your friends...
- DonnieTV0
Be original and yourself and do what you think's right - not what people expect.
I disagree that you should try to be a one-stop-shop.
- Mimio0
Trust me Donnie, You want a new client to come to and deal with ONLY you. You don't want to be sending your clients to hosting, PR & Marketing agencies that may potentially steal your business. Let the client know you have partners for these services and that you'll handle it for them. Otherwise you'll be losing clients.
- DonnieTV0
Partnering with other people isn't a one-stop-shop in my mind. It's partnering with other people.
We partner with other companies and manage it for clients, but don't consider ourselves a one-stop-shop.
- Mimio0
One-stop-shop is a term used for Total Service Providers. You are managing related services on you clients behalf. Your business is the point of contact for services. ( i.e. one-stop-shop)
- DonnieTV0
You're too paranoid Mimio.
If you're confident in your own business you shouldn't be worried about you're customers running off to other businesses.
If you promise everything your business focus will become blurry and your clients will probably start looking for specialists.
I think your thinking is a bit dated.
- ********0
what about investments, where should they spend money on, advertiseing?, harder ass equipment?, any stories on why friends wont work out
- Mimio0
It's not my thinking, it's my employers. We don't let General Motors pick it's webhost and print service bureaus. In fact they value our relationship because they don't have to deal with such decisions.
- DonnieTV0
I'd say don't take private investment until you've been going for a bit and have increased your worth (if you want or need it by then).
Get all the public funding you can though - check around for grants etc.
I'd say don't spend too much on advertising - it's cheaper and more effective to get editorial pieces in the right magazines.
- BonSeff0
yeah donnie, but mags give better editorial opportunities for products to those companies that advertise with them.
sad but true
- Mimio0
Your potential clients don't read design industry mags either.
- DonnieTV0
Some do.
You're quite black and white in your opinions Mimio
- Mimio0
Thanks I guess. Business can be black and white. You seem a bit too capricious in your opinions DonnieTV. I have yet to meet a corporate marketing manager that reads design industry periodicals, they simply don't care because agencies come to them, not the other way around.