How to hire a Web Designer
Anyone running a business, wanting to sell something or offering a service knows very well that a website needs to be part of their marketing strategy. Last time I checked the BC Small Business website there were 460 web design firms listed in Vancouver alone. And that’s not including Freelance Web Designers! So how do you pick from such a large group of companies?
What do you want?
Knowing what you want is definitely the first thing to consider. but a better question would be “What do you need?†These two questions are totally different and should be answered very carefully. You may want a splash page with fancy animation, rotating logo and groovy tunes, but unless it makes sense for your business, you probably don’t need it.
Here are some things to consider:
» Do you already have a website and simply need a re-design?
» Will you be relying on search engines to send traffic to you?
» Do you need a sophisticated back-end, i.e. shopping cart, content management system?
» Do you need someone to write your content?
» Do you need a 5, 20 or 20,000 page website?
» Do you need to use flash, video, complex forms?
» Who are your users? What operating systems are they using and what language do they speak?
» What is your timeline and budget?
Referrals work best
There is no such thing as “The Best Web Designer”. There are all sorts of Web designer and each and everyone has their own unique talent and specialty. Asking other business owners, friends and family is probably the best way to find someone to work with. They might not be the best, but at least they come recommended. If you can’t ask anyone, don’t be afraid to call companies with good websites and ask them who they used and if they were happy.
Take advantage of portfolios
Web design companies all have selected portfolios on their sites. Take a look at them and see if what they’ve done is what you are looking for. Also take a close look at the type of design. If all of their websites are similar, yours will probably look like that as well. Finding a Web design firm that has a varied portfolio will be more useful in creating something unique for you. Look to see if they’ve worked with companies similar to yours. If so, were they able to convey the business message properly? If the answer is yes, then they already understand your business and have the expertise which other Web design firms may not have.
Poke, probe and ask questions
Once you’ve found an interesting company, call them up or send them an email. Ask them to provide you with additional information and a price quote. Keep track of their response time. You may not want to work with someone who takes weeks to reply to your emails.
A good Web design company will contact you immediately and ask a lot of questions. By asking lots of questions, you know that they are serious and interested in doing business with you. Try to get at least three proposals from different companies and compare their quotes.
A question of price
When reviewing the proposals, remember the golden rule. “You get what you pay for!“ When reading over the proposals, make sure that you read everything and not just the final price tag. Do the companies understand your needs? Do they clearly detail the project scope, timeline and technical requirements? Do they break down the cost and explain exactly what you’ll be getting? All of these should be in a good proposal and should make your decision much easier.