You’ve decided that it’s time to create a new Shopify store, or make significant updates to your existing store. Congratulations! You’re about to embark on a journey that could result in additional sales and opportunities.
Rather than struggling to do everything yourself, it might be time to consider bringing in a professional. You can use a Shopify developer or agency to help implement your vision, but how do you find the right one for your project without spending more than you need? In this article, we provide some tips to guide you through the process of vetting and eventually selecting the design agency that’s the right fit for your business.
Outline Your Objectives and Set A Budget
Before you hire a top design agency, make sure you’ve thought about what you want to achieve with the project at hand. Are you expanding into a new market and need a new website to reach it? Are you rebranding with a plan to grow your business? Think about what issues you want your store to solve. With an understanding of your needs, you should set a budget for the project.
Research, Research, Research
Once you have an idea of what you’d like to accomplish and have a budget in mind, the search begins! Look for an agency that has worked with companies like yours in the past. Search for companies that have specializations that match your goals. If you’re looking for a new Shopify store, choose agencies that focus on that platform. An agency can do great work, but still not be the best match for your business.
Referrals are often a good source of leads as well, reach out to your network with businesses that have had similar projects and see if they would recommend the agency they worked with. You can get a lot of information about their experience and level of quality from someone you know.
Here are Some Important Things to Look For In A Shopify Agency:
- Does the agency have a good website that clearly presents the company’s information including its address, client list, and in-depth about or team page? Transparency is a good sign and a successful agency will easily provide a portfolio with links to the website projects that they have created. Take note of the images of the websites in their portfolio and make sure they match the real website. If they are completely different, the site may have been re-built since that agency worked on the store.
- Does the agency communicate with you clearly and directly? Do they do their homework and answer your questions thoughtfully? Good communication is the foundation for any successful project and you should be comfortable with the way they interact with you and should be a good fit for you and your company.
- Does the agency offer to provide references? An agency with an excellent track record should be eager to provide you with some references and previous clients that have had a good experience with the agency will be eager to chat with you about their experience.
- Do they take the time to understand your business challenges and identify the right solution for your company that will help solve these difficulties? Most agencies can take an already envisioned solution and implement it, but a good agency will provide strategic advice that results in the most appropriate solution for your needs.
- Does the agency provide pricing? Prices don’t need to be listed directly on their website, but they should be able to provide a number after you’ve provided enough information about your company and laid out what you want.
Don’t Just Look at the Price
Choosing an agency just because it offers the lowest cost could be detrimental to your business in the long term. Finding the best fit can take some time, so try to compare the cost against the services offered and choose the one with the most value, not the best price.
Making the Decision
There are a lots of factors that should be considered, but when it boils down to it – if you feel comfortable that they can deliver, the fees are within your range, and you think you will enjoy working with them you have a great chance of choosing a partner that will help you grow your business.
Thanks for reading our tips on how to find the best Shopify Agency. If you’re looking for a Shopify developer and would like to hear more about working with us, check out our services page or tell us about your project. We’re also recognized as a top Shopify company on DesignRush.
