Top 7 Things To Consider Before Hiring A Web Design Professional
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Do you have a hard time writing HTML code or shuffling templates for web design? Do you know what fonts, icons and graphics to use for maximum advantage? Do you want to give your website a unique and professional look? Are you concerned about a shoddy navigation scheme? Are you worried that the website you design may not be secure enough and breakdown against hacking attacks? If yes, then it is time to hire a professional website designer.
Let the professionals build an effective website for you while you devote your time to other important aspects of your business. Consider the following before you hire a website designer:
Location
Depending on your requirements, you can either hire a local designer or outsource your work to designers in other countries. If you are comfortable in giving instructions over the phone and interacting through emails, the web can give you access to several great designers all over the world.
Experience And Reputation
Since your website directly affects your business image and profitability, it is of utmost importance to hire the right website designer for your company. Prefer a web designer with an excellent market reputation and experience in designing websites in your business field. Ask for references and contact previous customers to inquire about designer’s performance and the problems faced.
Clearly State Your Requirements
Before you hire a designer, surf websites and make a list of things you need. Talk to potential designers to see if they can meet all your requirements within the allotted time span. Additionally, determine responsibility areas for both parties.
Payment Terms
Professional designers never ask you to pay upfront. Develop a payment scheme in which you pay after predetermined goals are met.
Get Access To Updates
Ensure that you get access to making changes and updates on your website after launch, without the need to contact the designer or web hosting company. Designers should let you handle minor updates and give you access to the tools they used while building your website. Hire a web designer only after you have discussed how updates will be handled.
Creating A Testing Site
Ask your designer to provide you a ‘shadow site’ so that you can test it. This is an important requirement. Hire a designer who agrees to it.
Scope For Expansion
As your company grows, your website should also mature and reflect changes in business. Hire a professional website designer who can effectively handle expansion of your website when required and is capable of using and incorporating new tools and technologies into your website. The goal is to look for a long-term web business partner.
Before you sign a contract with a designer, register the domain name in your own name or company name. The contract should clearly state that you have complete and irrevocable right to use, expand, modify and reproduce the website material. Additionally, develop the habit of taking notes during meetings with your designer to keep track of changes and progress.
Take time to visit websites, analyze your requirements and evaluate designer efficiency and skill before making a decision. Do not take the decision in haste. Finding the right website designer can be one of the best business decisions you ever make.
Daljeet S. Sidhu
Keep up the nice job and I’m sure some other folks researching valued information will actually stop by and benefit from your web page for resources.
I do agree with the writes because for a business domain website design and development is very important.
i agree with you,web design is king of each website & also first impression.
I completely agree with Jim on the payment issue and will never start a site until 50% is down!
Clients who try to update on their own with 3rd party tools screw it up and then we end up cleaning up the mess for free!
Test sites are fine,but after a contract is signed and payments made.Samples from experienced designers are a definite NO…
I strongly disagree with Item #4 – Payment Terms. Too many customers, especially in these economic times, want you to do the complete site, and then they won't pay. That's days, weeks or months down the drain. You'd be surprised how many people fail to provide the information they agreed to provide and then use their own failure to produce as a reason not to pay.
As for #5, I offer a blog-type plugin or tools such as Xara for those who want to do their own minor updates. Often, the publishers of the tools I use do not allow those tools to be used by third-parties (it's a copyright violation). Plus, too many people think if they know how to hold a scalpel it makes them a brain surgeon. As a result they will totally screw up their own website.
As for #7, I invite them to look at other sites I do, in addition to their own Web Workshop. Why should I create their website totally on speculation?
I charge 50% upfront with a detailed contract explaining what will be done and when (I offer a Website Workshop where they see the site coming together before it goes live and there's also a ToDo List with my responsibilities and theirs, and projected time schedules).
Hi Jim
Do you take also a minor work on SEO of a site?