A creative agency like Sidekick is typically focused on the visual aspects of projects. This could include creating content like graphic design, illustration, photography, video production, animation, or web development. The main goal of a creative agency is to create things that are visually aligned with your brand and communicate your message in an effective way. Many creative agencies, like Sidekick, provide strategy and consulting services related to branding and design alongside creating content.
Sidekick is a "creative" agency rather than a "marketing" agency – so we like to be upfront with what we do and don't do. Although we run adjacent to many of those industries and can speak into some aspects of marketing your brand, we do not offer marketing services like media buying, social media management, SEO, or other "marketing" agency offerings. We love working alongside internal Marketing Directors to pair creative content and strategy with their more specific knowledge in those spaces.
The key distinction between a creative agency and a marketing agency is that a creative agency focuses mainly on producing content while a marketing agency focuses mainly on distributing content. Both can be crucial components in any branding or promotional campaign.
Read more about the different types of agencies on our blog.
We refer many people who approach us to freelancers – while we get many freelancers who refer clients to us, too. Just like you choose a different tool for a job, you'd choose an agency or freelancer based on your needs and goals. An agency is a more comprehensive solution than a freelancer for businesses that need multiple skills in one place and don't want the hassle of engaging several freelancers. Agencies typically have more systems and capabilities than freelancers. However, if you only need a single, specialized skill (like a new logo), a freelancer may be a good option. Hiring an agency is a great solution for brands needing video, photography, branding, and other skills all under one roof (like an in-house creative team for their business would function).
Read more about the differences between agencies and freelancers on our blog.
We use 5 variables to determine our rates. These variables are:
Velocity – How fast do you generally need things? (Is Sidekick “on-demand,” or do you plan out your requests in advance?)
Frequency – How often do you call on Sidekick?
Excellence – Do you need the Porsche, Toyota, or Kia version of excellence?
Reach – What is the global and local reach of your company? (This impacts the scale of deliverables.)
Size – What is the size of your company (employees, yearly earnings, etc.)?
We also have 2 different kinds of relationships with clients – subscription or project based. Project agreements are one-time with clearly determined start and end dates and one cost attached to that project scope for clients who don’t have recurring or on-going needs. Subscriptions are a more invested, rhythmic relationship with Sidekick for the long-term.
Sidekick splits the services we offer into two different categories – Brand Strategy and Content Creation. Brand Strategy includes the more “big-picture thinking” strategy while Content Creation focuses on tactile deliverables. View our services to learn more about what we can offer your business.
Check out our Instagram account (@sidekickagency) or our website portfolio to view some of our recent work and case studies.
We almost exclusively work with our in-house team, but on rare occasions, depending on the size and scale of the project, we might outsource or contract hire a skill. Anytime we do that, we work with only people that are proven professionals and we have built a relationship with prior to any project. We always work closely alongside these contractors to ensure project excellence and success.
SIdekick is always looking for talented, good vibe kind of people to join the team. Visit our job openings to learn more about any current openings.
For all projects at or above $5,000, we require a 50% deposit to begin work.
No – we have clients located all over. We’re willing to work outside Waco and are willing to travel to get the best work for you and your business, wherever you may be located. Travel costs would incur for in-person projects, but Zoom and remote communication works well, too!
Sidekick does not require its clients to go through the Brand Strategy Process, but we highly recommend it. This process gives us the opportunity to get acquainted with our clients and have a better grasp of who they are as a brand. With the valuable insight we get through a Brand Strategy Process, we’re able to better create unique content that will be an effective representation of our client's brand identity.
At Sidekick, we understand that a successful brand is more than just a logo or slogan. It’s about creating an identity and making sure it resonates with your target audience. That’s why our Brand Strategy Process helps companies take stock of their current situation, clarify their purpose, and decide on the most effective visual representation and messaging for their brand. In short, our Brand Strategy Process ensures businesses have clarified and codified who they are – for their employees and customers.
We ask the brands we work with to choose key leadership and stakeholders who have authority, responsibility, and proximity to the business to be decision makers in the process. Usually, this is 3-5 people total.
We offer a wide range of website building services to help you create the perfect online presence. We specialize in Squarespace, Shopify, Wordpress and Webflow platforms so that no matter what your needs are, we have a solution for you. Our team of experienced developers can build custom solutions tailored to your specific requirements or use one of our existing frameworks to get your website up and running quickly.
Maintaining and upkeeping a website is an important part of ensuring its success. Without regular updates, the content can become stale and visitors may not return – or worse yet, something can break unexpectedly due to the changing web landscape. That's why we offer our clients maintenance and upkeep services for their websites at an hourly rate or monthly subscription. Our experienced team of web experts will monitor your site to make sure it performs optimally, while providing timely updates to keep the content fresh and engaging. With our help, you can rest assured that your website stays running smoothly with no downtime or other issues that could affect user experience. All maintenance and updates can be included in a monthly subscription or hourly rate.
We understand the importance of keeping your website secure and safe from malicious threats. That is why we make sure that every website we create is secured with HTTPS encryption. This ensures that any data or information stored on or transferred through your website remains private and protected from malicious attacks. With our secure websites, you can rest assured knowing that your data will remain safe and secure at all times.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a process of optimizing websites to rank higher in search engine results. SEO can help improve the visibility of your website and drive more traffic to it, resulting in increased sales and brand recognition. By utilizing techniques like keyword research, content optimization, metadata management and on-page SEO, you can make sure that your website stands out from the competition. We are Google Analytics certified and although we do not guarantee specific Google search rankings, we always create sites that reflect the industry's best SEO practices.
We provide an hour of training with every website created. We strive to create websites that not only look great but are also easy to maintain so that our clients can get the most out of them. Many of our clients prefer to not maintain and manage their own website and choose one of our maintenance plans for ongoing maintenance on their website – keeping your investment constantly updated 24/7.
Having a website that is mobile optimized is essential for businesses today, as the majority of internet users access websites from their phones. With mobile optimization, you can ensure that your site looks great and functions properly on all devices while also providing visitors with an easy-to-navigate experience regardless of what device they are using. We only design and develop websites that are mobile friendly and optimized for all common devices.
At Sidekick, we understand that website content is essential for a successful online presence. That’s why we work closely with our clients to develop and write content tailored to their brand and voice. Our process starts with an in-depth discovery phase, where we get to know your business, products or services, target audience and brand identity. Through this process, we gain the insights needed to create effective website content that resonates with your customers and helps you reach your goals. We also provide ongoing support so you can update and maintain your website content as needed.
When it comes to buying a domain name, there are a few different options available – GoDaddy and Squarespace Domains are both great choices that we work with often. Once you have your domain, we will redirect it to your new website that is hosted with Sidekick. This process can be done easily with either service.
3D rendering is the process of converting 2D models into 3D images or animations, giving a realistic visual representation of your designs. Whether you're working on architectural projects, product design, or creative marketing materials, 3D rendering adds depth and realism to your concepts, making them more engaging and impressive like the examples on this page.
We cater to a diverse range of industries and projects. Our 3D rendering service covers architectural visualization, product modeling, prototyping, marketing materials, and much more.
The turnaround time depends on the complexity and scope of your project. Simple renderings might be completed in a few days, while larger and more intricate projects may take a few months. Rest assured, we strive to deliver high-quality results within reasonable timeframes and keep you informed of the progress along the way.
Once the 3D rendering project is complete, we provide you with high-resolution images or animation files in your preferred format. Commonly, we deliver images in JPEG, PNG, or TIFF, and animations in formats like MP4 or MOV. If you have specific format requirements, we're more than happy to accommodate them.
Our pricing is project-based and varies depending on the complexity, scale, and specific requirements of your project. Most of the variables depend on what type of file we're starting the project with – is it a flat floor plan or an already modeled 3D CAD file that needs edits, etc.
