Eight questions to ask any brand agency or freelancer, what good answers and red flags sound like, and a scorecard to compare three firms.
About 20 minutes a firm Ten minutes of homework, then the call
Compare up to three firms On one scorecard, before you sign anything
A contract check So you own your files and your site at the end
Free to share Send it to anyone who’s hiring
It costs months of meetings, a launch you push back, and sometimes a second agency to fix the first one’s work. Plenty of firms make good-looking logos. The hard part is telling, before you sign, which ones will listen, deliver on time and leave you owning the work.
Before the call Ten minutes of homework on each firm.
On the call Ask the eight questions in your own words and note the answers.
After the call Score each firm, then check the contract before you sign.
Rule of thumb: hire firms your size or smaller. You want to be an important client, not the smallest one on the roster.
Eight questions in plain words. Each one comes with what a good answer and a red flag sound like, and a follow-up that gets past the pitch.
Score up to three firms side by side. A zero on price or ownership rules a firm out, whatever its total.
Twelve things to get in writing before you sign, from the payment schedule to who owns the files, plus what branding costs in 2026.
Every question comes with why it matters, a good answer, a red flag and a follow-up, plus room to note what each firm said.
Businesses lose their own logo files more often than you’d think, or find their website lives on the agency’s account.
A few pages as you’ll get them. Open any of them to read it full size.
Jon Persson Founder, Cultmethod
Jon has spent ten years building brands for founders, more than 100 of them start to finish, and co-owns Greco Gum.
More about Jon“You set clear expectations up front and delivered on them throughout. One of the best consulting experiences I've ever had. Period.”
Russ Thornton CEO, Wealthcare for Women, on working with Jon 
Greco Gum Case study The mastic gum company Jon has co-owned since its 2021 launch, now with more than 70,000 customers. Read the case study 
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Download the checklistOr get all four in the series for $75 as The DIY Brand Kit.
Brand Audit Checklist $25 Thirty tests that show whether your brand sells as well as you do, with a score out of 60 and a fix plan. 
Brand Strategy Workbook $37 Seven exercises that get your strategy out of your head and onto one page. 
Persuasive Messaging $65 Build the message your marketing repeats, then six pieces of copy that come out of it. 
