Desque is now on DesignRush

If you are the person at your company who has to pick a web design agency, you know how it usually goes. A referral, a good sales call, a proposal that sounds right. Then the site launches, and if it underperforms, you are the one who recommended them.

Finding agencies is the easy part. Comparing them takes longer, because every agency’s site lays out its services, prices, and past work in a different way. A directory puts the same facts in the same format, along with reviews from the clients themselves.

As of this week, my agency is listed on DesignRush. Here is what that is, how to use it, and how I want my team’s work to stand out from everyone else’s.

What DesignRush is

DesignRush is an online directory that helps a business research and shortlist agencies before hiring one, much like a contractor review site for web design, marketing, and software firms. It launched in 2017 and now lists over 30,000 agencies.

Every agency profile shows the same basics:

• where the agency is based
• how many people work there
• its average hourly rate
• how many work samples it lists
• its client reviews

Reviews carry the most weight in how the directory orders agencies. DesignRush says it confirms each reviewer through their LinkedIn profile, so you know each review comes from a real person.

How businesses use DesignRush to find an agency

You can do the comparing yourself, or ask DesignRush to do the first round for you.

1. Browse and compare — pick a service, such as web design, then line up two or three agencies by location, rate, team size, and past work.
2. Read the reviews — look for reviews that name the project, the timeline, and how the agency handled problems, not just a star count.
3. Send a free brief — if you would rather not browse, fill out a short project form. The DesignRush team reviews it and introduces you to two to five recommended agencies.

DesignRush does the work of narrowing the field. Once you have two or three names, a short call with each one is where you make the decision.

Why I listed my agency on DesignRush

A directory gives every agency the same fields and reviews from people who put their name to them. With the same fields for everyone, strong work stands out on its own, and that is why I listed my agency.

I would rather my team’s work win you over in a fair comparison than on the strength of one good sales call.

The same thinking is behind a roundup I published this month, where I scored 12 Houston agency websites, mine included, on four checks anyone can rerun.

What makes my team stand out

A good business can still look average online, a point my co-founder Trung Nguyen makes in why your website may not reflect your business. When you compare agencies, you are really asking which one can close that gap.

Here is what sets my agency apart:

• Packages you can compare line by line — websites, brand design, and SEO each come in three packages, Essentials, Growth, and Authority, with every item listed.
• One team from brand to search — my team designs the brand, writes the words, builds the site, and keeps it found after launch, so nothing gets lost between vendors. Our largest website package designs your brand and your site together.
• Words written for your buyers — copywriting comes with every website build and every monthly SEO plan. Each page is written from a discovery call about your business.
• SEO, local SEO, and AI search in every plan — every monthly SEO plan covers all three: Google’s search results, Google Maps, and answers from AI assistants like ChatGPT, also called GEO and AEO. Bigger plans cover all three in more depth.
• A track record — more than 200 projects since 2017, based in Houston. Browse our portfolio to see the range of brands and sites my team has built.
• A process you can see — you see how your site will look and work before anything gets built. Most sites take four to eight weeks from start to launch.
• The right platform for the job — my team builds on Webflow for service sites, Shopify for stores, and Astro for sites that need custom features. My team also handles website migrations from WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace. Every old page address gets redirected to its new one before launch, and the first 30 days are checked against your starting numbers.
• A named team — Trung leads design, I run the build and the work of getting you found on Google and in AI answers, and a customer success manager runs quarterly check-ins with clients after launch.

See how my team’s work stands out from the rest of your short list. Check out our listing on DesignRush.

If you would rather skip the directory, tell me about your project and I will tell you whether my team is the right fit.

Frequently asked questions

What is DesignRush and what does it do?

DesignRush is an online directory, launched in 2017, where businesses find and compare agencies. It lists over 30,000 of them, and every profile shows the same basics: location, team size, hourly rate, work samples, and client reviews.

How much does DesignRush cost?

Nothing for the business doing the hiring. DesignRush says its team will help you find an agency at no cost to you. Its free project brief returns two to five recommended agencies.

Do I have to go through DesignRush to work with Desque?

No. The listing is one more place to see my team’s work and reviews, and you can skip it entirely.