Hiring a creative agency can be one of the best investments you make in your business — but only if you choose the right partner. As someone who’s been in the industry for over two decades, I’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and what business owners often forget to ask.
Whether you’re looking for help with brand design, video, or digital content, here are 10 practical tips to consider before hiring an agency — especially if you’re based in Blackpool.
1. Be Clear on What You Actually Need
Before briefing an agency, ask yourself: What do I want to achieve? Is it a rebrand? A launch video? A content strategy? A new website?
Agencies like ours can offer end-to-end support, but the better you understand your goals upfront, the smoother the process will be.
2. Look at Their Portfolio — and the Thinking Behind It
When you’re browsing an agency’s work, it’s easy to focus on whether you “like” the designs. But what you really want to know is: Do they think things through?
Look for variety, and ask yourself whether the agency has approached each project based on what that business actually needed — not just what looked trendy at the time.
For example, Harkness Photography is a family-run studio that needed a look that felt classic but still fresh. Their identity is calm and understated, because that suits the way they work.
Then there’s Davilor — a modern tech business that wanted something really clean and minimal, to feel sharp and up-to-date.
And Tailored Creatives is all about bold styling and creativity. That needed to come through in the branding — so the visuals are more expressive and fashion-led.
They’re all different. And they should be. A thoughtful agency will shape the brand to fit the business, not the other way round.
3. Ask About Their Process
Process matters. A good agency will guide you through discovery, creative development, feedback loops, and delivery. If they can’t explain how they work, that’s a red flag.
At Sherbert Lemon, we share moodboards, concepts, rationale, and application previews — all with clear timelines and check-ins.
4. Discuss Strategy, Not Just Style
Design without strategy is decoration. You want your branding or content to be more than good-looking — it should drive results.
Ask:
- Who is the work for?
- What’s the desired outcome?
- How will success be measured?
A creative partner should be thinking about your audience as much as your visuals.
5. Understand What You’re Getting
Be clear on deliverables:
- How many concepts are provided?
- What file types will you receive?
- Are brand guidelines included?
- What does “launch support” mean?
We’ve seen clients come to us after paying for a “logo” and receiving one JPEG on a white background. Not ideal.
6. Check Local Insight (Especially in Blackpool)
If your audience is based in or around Blackpool, a local agency will understand the landscape far better than someone remote.
From hospitality and tourism to creative and commercial sectors, local knowledge helps us tailor everything from tone of voice to platform choice.
7. Look for Flexibility
The best work comes from collaboration. Choose an agency that listens, challenges you in the right way, and adapts to your needs — not one locked into a rigid process.
With Tailored Creatives, for example, we adjusted direction part-way through the project to reflect a shift in their customer focus. That agility helped shape a better outcome.
8. Ask About Their Team — Not Just Their Founder
It’s great to like the founder (hello 👋), but also ask:
- Who will be working on your project?
- Are they in-house or freelance?
- What experience do they have?
At Sherbert Lemon, we match team members to your brief — from brand strategists to motion designers — ensuring the right skills on every job.
9. Think About Long-Term Partnership
The best results come when you build a relationship — not just a transaction. Ask what support is available after launch. Can they help with campaigns? Social content? Future updates?
We still support clients like Harkness and Davilor long after the brand has launched — because the work doesn’t stop at delivery.
10. Go With Your Gut (Backed by Evidence)
It sounds simple, but trust your instincts. Do they listen? Do they get your vision? Do they come back with ideas you hadn’t thought of?
Creative work is collaborative, and chemistry counts. If it clicks — and the work proves it — you’re on the right track.
Final Thoughts: Ask Better Questions, Get Better Results
Hiring a creative agency is a big decision — and a good one, when you ask the right questions. From strategy and process to creative thinking and local knowledge, the right partner can help shape not just how your business looks, but how it connects with people.
If you’re in Blackpool and thinking about rebranding, launching, or growing — I hope this gives you a stronger footing to make the right choice.
Want to See More?
You can view recent projects like Harkness Photography, Davilor, and Tailored Creatives on our work page, or get in touch if you’d like to chat about your own ideas.