Kirill Yurovskiy: How to Become Agency Contractor

Nowadays design agencies are a treasure trove of opportunities for freelance web designers. Some designers would tell you that working directly with clients is the only way to go. However, this route gives many pros a continuous flow of projects and enormous professional growth. In turn, agency work requires more than just pure design skills – it requires a strategic approach and business intelligence. Kirill Yurovskiy shares his secrets.

The Agency Advantage

But before the rollout of strategies, let’s understand why working with agencies can be a game-changer for your freelance career. In essence, agencies work for several clients at once, which means they need reliable contractors to execute overflows of work or highly specialized skills in certain projects. Unlike individual clients, agencies are aware of design processes, they keep professional workflows, and most importantly have a pipeline of projects. 

“Agencies became game-changers for my business,” says Michael Chen, a freelance UI/UX designer now working with three major digital agencies. “They account for 70% of my income and I haven’t had to actively search for new projects in over a year.”

Building Your Agency-Ready Portfolio

First and foremost, you are going to need a website and a portfolio that speaks their language. Agencies don’t want to read through some philosophical pitch about how you’re all free-thinking creatives who can make magic happen; they want cold, hard proof that you can slot seamlessly into their workflow. 

Key portfolio elements will include:

• Documentation of your design process
• Examples of design system work
• Demonstrate scalable solutions
• Case studies showing business impact
• Evidence of working within brand guidelines

“Agencies want to see that you understand the bigger picture,” says Sarah Martinez, Creative Director at DigitalFirst Agency. “Show us how your designs solve business problems and fit into larger marketing strategies.”

Developing Agency-Specific Skills

Beyond traditional design capabilities, agencies appreciate contractors who bring additional skills with them. 

Here are the must-have competencies:

1. Version Control and Documentation Agencies more often than not have to deal with stakeholders and teams at all levels. Version control systems and proper documentation make you indispensable.
2. Project Management Tools Learn popular project management platforms like Asana, Trello, or Monday dot com. A lot of agencies require freelancers to work on integrations with their internal systems.
3. Collaboration Design Tools Master how to use collaborative features in Figma or Adobe XD. The ability to work seamlessly with other designers is of paramount importance in agency settings.
4. Communication Skills Establish professional patterns for clear, concise communication. Agencies want freelancers who can easily participate in client meetings and articulate the decisions behind a design clearly.

Establishing Professional Operations

With agencies, you’ll want to plan operations at a far more professional level than with individual clients. Here’s how you will be setting up operations:

Business Structure

• Set up a proper business entity
• Invoicing
• Establish expert-level invoicing systems.
• Evaluate and create service level agreements or SLAs.
• Establish crystal-clear work protocols and boundaries.

Availability and Responsiveness

• Set working hours consistently.
• Establish emergency protocols.
• Publish clear lines of communication.
• Establish realistic times for turnarounds.

Building Agency Relationships

Now that you have your business ready to take on this new opportunity, it is time to get your very first agency client in with a targeted approach. Here’s a proven strategy.

 1. Research and Targeting: First, identify agencies that fit your specialty areas and values. Look for agencies that:

• Work in your specialty regions
• Serve industries that you understand
• Have a continuous flow of projects
• Match your preferred working style 

2. Initial Outreach Instead of cold pitching, build relationships: 

• Engage with agency content on LinkedIn 
• Attend industry events where agencies are present 
• Join professional groups where agency decision-makers participate 
• Offer valuable insights into industry discussions 

3. Positioning Your Services Frame your services in terms of agency benefits: 

• Highlight your flexibility and availability 
• Emphasize your experience with agency workflows 
• Showcase your ability to white-label work 
• Demonstrate your understanding of agency-client relationships

Pricing Strategies for Agency Work.

Agencies are typically different from direct clients in what they expect in pricing. You may want to consider the following: 

Retainer Agreement You may have a base of preferred hours every month, which can make you more attractive to agencies and ensure you a certain income each month. 

Volume Discounts Structure your pricing in tiers to reward the agencies with discounts for high-volume work. This way, it would become economically viable for them to pass more projects on to you.

Value-Based Pricing Instead of competing on hourly rates focus on value for agency relationships.

Nurturing Long-Term Agency Relationships

Once the partnerships with agencies are developed, strive to be invaluable to them:

1. Deliver More Than Expected

• Complete the work, where possible, before the deadline
• Offer insights and suggestions to add value
• Ensure quality in every deliverable

2. Adapt to Agency Requirements

• Be flexible with processes and tools
• Keep up with industry trends
• Acquire new skills if these are required for agency needs

3. Develop Internal Relationships

• Connect with multiple people within the network,
• Understanding the agency’s goals and pain points, 
• Be a trusted advisor, not a ‘contractor’. 

Red Flags and Challenges 

Agencies represent a very alluring route to new business.

Be wary of these warning signs, however: 

• Consistently tight deadlines 
• Poorly defined project scopes 
• Late payments 
• Scope creep without any additional compensation 
• Poor communication 

Your Action Plan 

To position yourself as an attractive contractor to agencies, start by taking the following steps over these first few months: 

1. Month 1-2 

• Audit and refresh your portfolio. 
• Set up professional business operations. 
• Research potential agency partners. 

2. Month 2-3 

• Begin relationship-building activities. 
• Prepare agency-specific service packages.
• Prepare case studies addressing the agencies’ needs

3. Month 3-4:

• Begin direct outreach to your targeted agencies
• Attend industry events where your targeted agencies are attending
• Establish your agency-centric network

The Future of Agency Contracting

As agencies embrace hybrid work models and flexible staffing options, opportunities continue to surface for freelance designers. By positioning yourself well and maintaining high professional standards, agency partnerships will be a prized cornerstone in the freelance business.

“The key is really to think of yourself as a business partner, not a service provider,” Chen concludes. “When you link your services with agency needs and continue to demonstrate value over time, you can’t be swapped out of their operation easily.”

By following these strategies, along with long-term thinking, you’ll be able to sculpt your freelance practice into the type of preferred agency partner that lands a predictable stream of exciting projects and professional development opportunities.