Selecting an eCommerce Agency Through the Lens of Dating

The Trellis video series treads onward as CRO Jared Shaner is featured discussing some of the problems associated with finding a long term digital agency partner. He adds a take that compares the agency search to online dating on social media swiping apps like Tinder. The hunt for a reputable agency can be just as challenging as looking for love and here’s why.

The old adage that “there’s plenty of fish in the sea” is exactly the problem when it comes to swiping on tinder and finding the right agency. The reality is that there are just too many options to choose from. This creates indecision and confusion as people become overwhelmed with the plethora of variety. People do not know what to look for in a partner (of both kinds) and end up refraining from deciding altogether.

Another common theme we see is that many clients are dubious to committing with an agency long term. This parallels nicely with the dating game. Most relationships do not begin with marriage on day one but rather ease their way into a long term partnership. This process can take months or years to develop the right chemistry and working relationship. In both situations, a test period before long term commitment will be beneficial for all sides. In the eCommerce game, this could entail a short term project, some monthly maintenance, or a paid discovery to test out the fit and analyze if the match will be productive moving forward.

Today, Google works as our eCommerce Tinder. Their search engine and services act as the mechanism to source and prospect clients. Every day we are able to select and filter through client list to find potential matches. If the initial conversations on the phone go well, then we move to the next round of discussion and detail hashing. However, even if things are going well, one side is usually afraid to commit. This is where Trellis suggests a short term “dating period” to test the waters and decide if this relationship is something we want to pursue moving forward without the headaches of a long contract. The best partnerships are fueled by a desire to work with each other and help the other grow. Focus on having similar goals and strategy before jumping into bed together for the long haul.