Hundreds of business owners and managers can attest that investing in your company’s future today will save you time, money, and headaches afterward. Remember that your chances of having a website that satisfies or surpasses your expectations are significantly boosted if you choose the proper partner for your purposes.
Screen candidates thoroughly and give interviews as much weight as you would when hiring internal personnel. It could have severe consequences if you make a terrible choice in who to hire. Take advantage of the interview process to gain constructive criticism from industry professionals and hone your presentation skills.
Select a firm with the appropriate set of abilities and expertise and a philosophy that meshes with your own. Some designers excel in the visual arts and will produce a site that relies heavily on aesthetics and presentation. Others are technical programmers who will make a site that is both functional and technically sound or which is optimized for search engines. You need a healthy dose of each, with the proportion changing based on the nature of your website and your specific company goals.
A design firm’s size and culture are also crucial factors to consider. It depends on how well they can work with you and how quickly they can complete the work you’ve requested. Will you, as a customer, be phoning them every day to ask for changes, or will you let them handle it and only check in at crucial points instead? Choosing a designer is essential to choose someone whose work and billing style mesh with your own.
It is crucial to find a firm that can meet your needs and put in the effort to learn about them. There are thousands of firms out there that can create an essential website, but what you want is a partner that can help you expand your site into an assertive communication and marketing tool.
If the design firm tries to learn about your goals and requirements, that’s a good sign. If they try to offer you a solution before they ask you questions and have an understanding of your problem, run the other way!
You’ll know what you’re getting into and nothing will slip through the cracks if you take a logical and thorough approach to evaluating designers and crafting a rigorous design brief.
The following questions are an excellent place to begin, but once you start speaking with a designer, you’ll undoubtedly think of pertinent others.
The Big Picture and Methodology
What similar sites have you developed? (can you show me)
What kind of sites have you set for businesses like mine? (can you show me)
To whom customers may I speak?
Do you have experience in business or marketing?
Do you have any background working in digital advertising?
Do you belong to any associations or groups in your field?
Do you contact the client again after a certain amount of time has passed since the job was finished?
What metrics do you use to evaluate the performance of your clients’ websites?
Methodology for Making Things
How can you design a website with business goals in mind?
How many mockups or options will I receive initially to choose the design’s layout, colors, and style? (Some companies provide a couple of options to start with)
What if I decide in the middle of the procedure that I need to make a few adjustments? (Some companies allow a set number of changes, while others bill for any changes)
Can I modify or add to it in the future? (such as shopping carts, newsfeeds, etc.)
Can we see some website usability testing? (To check if it is user-friendly) And if so, how?
Constant Help
Do you offer site upkeep or monitoring every month? (Is this included or an extra fee)
What kind of technical help do you offer if the website ever goes down?
How quickly do you implement updates or modifications? (1-4 days is good for standard work)
What kind of web analytics am I able to track with my domain?
Functionality and Support
How are W3C-compliant your webpages? (international web standards)
Did you offer proofreading and editing services? In what timeframe?
Can you take pictures for us? In what timeframe?
Can I count on you for safe, fast, and dependable hosting? At what cost?
Is spam or dubious content allowed on your site? (this could affect your site if they do)
Can you verify that the domain name I’ve picked has not been used before for a site that offers spam, gambling, or adult content? (if it has, then choose another)
Do you offer email services? At what cost?
Can I check my email from any internet-connected device?
Does the email service support my email client? (Outlook, Lotus Notes, etc.) I need your assistance in getting it going.
Can I add things like a blog or a newsletter tool later?
Is this site’s scalability restricted in any way? (for instance, extras I couldn’t add on)
Choices on a Website
How would you recommend I go about implementing my plans? (e.g., a Content Management System that i can update myself or a static website where i have to request and pay for any changes)
Explain why you think this is the best choice. (check to ensure they correctly understand your situation and plans)
May I see this choice in action?
How much help or instruction will I receive in its use?
Will I be expected to pay for assistance if I need it?
Billing and pricing
Just what is included in your quote?
Does your price include the time it takes to load the initial content?
Does this price fluctuate, or is it set in stone?
Given your familiarity with comparable websites, how much higher do you believe this quotation could go?
When working with clients, what kinds of hidden fees might they encounter?
In general, how much do you charge for design work? (e.g., changing the look and feel)
How much do you typically charge for technical assistance? (e.g., adding a new feature)
Will I be informed of any potential unforeseen expenses during the site’s construction?
Will I incur costs if I contact you by phone or electronic mail?
What kind of billing procedures do you use? (on completion, part upfront and rest on completion, monthly installments)
What should I expect regarding maintenance fees when the site is up and running?
Optimization for Search Engines
Do you offer optimization for search engines (SEO)?
If so, does a dedicated staff member handle it, or do all designers pitch in? (Since SEO has become increasingly intricate, hiring a specialist is recommended.)
How do you keep track of SEO and rankings, and do you provide any documentation or reporting?
How frequently do you issue rankings reports?
Can you walk me through what you do for SEO and give me something I can read later? (selecting keywords, managing links, etc.)
To what extent does software or technology replace human labor, and what tasks remain exclusively manual? (SEO should generally be a manual activity with the software used only for assessing current rankings and assessing keywords)
How can I begin a managed bid campaign? (like Google AdWords) How much do they cost?
Do you mind if I hire an outside firm to handle my SEO needs? (Would you be content to work together?)
Referees
May I speak with a few of your customers?
Do you have any questions or reservations about the designer’s services after viewing their previous work and talking to their customers?
You can get a far better sense of who can satisfy your needs if you use these questions. The immediate benefit is that you can evaluate potential designers and hire the best one for the job. Still, the longer-term benefit is having the designer’s input in writing. If there is a disagreement in the future about what was promised and what was delivered or about what was quoted and what was billed, a clear design brief and a documented interview can help. Once clients become invested in their website’s design, they often request additional features or adjustments. The entire website construction process will go faster if you reasonably expect this and discuss it with your designer upfront.
Bowers, Roy
If you’re interested in learning more about this or related issues and accessing helpful, no-cost resources and publications, check out the following: Books, including checklists and sample documents, can be purchased for as little as $10. If you want a website that works while saving time, money, and stress, visit Bestprepared.com.
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