Establishing Trust from the Outset

Sanger and Eby aim to create a sense of ease at the very first meeting with a prospect or client. The two women are down-to-earth and candid and don't put on a "dog and pony show," Eby says. They're honest about their capabilities and the way they work, so there are no surprises.

Sanger & Eby staffers begin by asking questions about what the client is trying to achieve, but instead of using a written creative brief, they talk to the client about what she needs. They explain the firm's creative process, educating clients about the necessity of organization, architecture and content development before embarking on a design. All agreements about how to proceed are verbal; the firm typically doesn't execute a written contract with its clients. (Most business experts recommend signing a written agreement with clients, if not instituting formal contracts.)

Every interaction contributes to building on a longer relationship, and the firm will turn away clients if the partners feel that what a client's looking for doesn't fit with the design studio's vision of fostering long-term relationships. "If I can see it's not going to be a good match, I'll suggest that this might not be the best place to go," Eby says.

First and foremost, the partners stress openness, accessibility and a promise to "listen"-one of the two bold words on the firm's Web site (the other word is "client"). The firm's 12 designers, programmers and support staffers are all actively involved in every project, sitting in on meetings so they can answer questions readily if they take client calls later on. Of the company's 20 regular clients, Sanger and Eby estimate that 95% know and often work with every person in the firm.

Clients appreciate Sanger & Eby's humility and respect for the customer's perspective. "Too many vendors make me feel like they're doing me a favor, like I can't possibly know what they want and should just follow their lead," says Sherry Hopper, director of communications at the University of Cincinnati Foundation. "Sanger & Eby discuss and understand my parameters and build on the job from there, according to my specifications and stated needs."