Nowadays, it seems like almost everyone has a computer or access to the Internet and their own website. Are you going to become extinct by losing customers to your competition who sells worldwide via their website, or will you finally decide to jump into the game and compete with the corporate world? Perhaps you already have a site but it’s not doing justice to you or your company. Will you take a passive stance with your future or will you do something about it now?
It’s time to get off that chair and hire a professional to give your company that perfect image you are looking for. But where do you begin to find this professional, especially in an online jungle full of web design companies? How do you know if the one you select will do justice with your site? The following list of things to look for will help you choose the right designer.
1. Do they have a portfolio? Unless you want to be a designers test subject, make sure they have some experience behind them.
2. How is their response time? This is vital to the success of your site. Make note of their choice of response (email, phone, fax, instant messenger, chat) and how quickly they can respond to your inquiries. If you prefer to do business over the phone and the designer doesn’t, then it’s probably best to move on to your next choice.
3. Do they have a contract? Everything should always be put down in writing, but before you sign anything, make sure you read the entire contract, including all the fine print. If you have any questions on anything, ASK! Don’t sign a contract unless you understand everything in it.
4. Do they use templates or originals? You don’t want your site to look like someone else’s. You want original creations, something your company can be proud of.
5. How reasonable are their prices? Make sure you get what you pay for and if you are on a budget, that the designer you choose won’t exceed it.
6. Will they promote your site? Promoting is key to your site succeeding. If you aren’t sure where to begin, then it’s best to find a designer that knows how to promote the sites they work on.
7. How big is their company? Are they a two-man operation with 50 current clients, or do they have ten employees who work on a handful of sites? The size of their company and client list is an important factor when it comes to hiring the right designer.
8. Can they do everything you want? If you want a Flash intro or a database-driven site, then you need to make sure the designer you choose can provide for you.
9. Are they willing to meet reasonable deadlines? If you need your site done by a certain date, can the designer you choose get it done by then?
10. Is the designer willing to help and suggest their own ideas, or do they just plod along blindly hoping they got everything you want? It’s always best to find a designer that has some ideas of their own, but that knows their limits and won’t insist something be done a certain way if that’s not what you want.
Some of these items might seem like ordinary things to look for, but sometimes we forget about the simplest of things. Keep this list with you when looking for a web designer and you should find the right one to create your site.
Shelby Patrick is part of the creative team at Fine Wine Web Design, an online company that offers creative designs, programming, content writing, Internet training, graphics, Flash animation, and hosting services. For more information on her or the company, please visit our website at http://www.webmaster-designs.com or email us at finewine@webmaster-designs.com
