#agency selection
5 pieces filed under “agency selection”.
Skip the RFP: a better way to buy creative work
RFPs select for proposal-writing, not building. A better process: a short 'request for conversations', a shortlist of three, paid discovery with two.
How to read an agency SOW before you sign it
Most SOW disputes were visible in the document. How to read scope boundaries, assumptions, change control, acceptance criteria and warranties before signing.
Reference calls: what to ask an agency's past clients
Twelve questions for agency reference calls that surface reality — first missed dates, month-three invoices, vanishing seniors — and how to read the hedges.
How to write a project brief that gets better proposals
A buyer-side playbook for briefing agencies: problem over solution, useful constraints, budget honesty, evaluation criteria, and a template you can steal.
Choosing an agency: signals over showreels
How to evaluate a studio beyond the deck: process evidence, who does the work, reference questions that reveal truth, and red flags in pricing.