How Not to Be Ripped Off by Your Website Designer

How not to be ripped off by your website designer

As web designer my self, I have had the unfortunate luck of speaking totoo many of my clients who have been ripped off by a web designsomewhere along the line. Whether it be that the designer never reallyfinished the website, took the deposit and was never heard from again,or finished the website with less than promised quality.

No business, especially a small business, can afford to be taken advantage of by a web designer.

So what can you do? How can you prevent this from happening?

. Get everything in writing! You should never turn over a dime withouta contract. Make sure to include a detailed list of deliverables aswell as completion date.

. Never pay more than 50% of your project cost upfront! Never! Makethem work for the rest of their money, if they are expecting a pay dayupon completion of the website they will move to finish it much quicker.

. Beware of prices that are just too low. If your project has beenreceiving bids in the $1,200 range and then out of the blue you receiveone for $300, it might be too good to be true.

. Ask for a reference, most reputable design firms will put you in touch with a recent client without hesitation.

. Make sure the designer agrees to show you mock ups of your websitebefore the project is complete. This way if you don't like the look orneed anything changed it can be taken care of before the website islive.

. As obvious as this one sounds, check the portfolio! If you arelooking to develop a full web based application check if they have donethis sort of thing before! If not, there is a chance the designer mightget in over his or her head.

. Ask about the business, find out as much as you can! How manyemployees, where are they based out of, how long have then been inbusiness, etc.

. If you can, get a referral from a friend, family member, or colleague who has had a great experience.

. Lastly, Google the business! Search for the business name in quoteson Google.com, you may just come across a forum post some where fromsomeone telling you to beware!

Overall, you just need to be cautious when selecting your web designer.There are millions of design firms and freelancers who are willing totake on your project, the problem is finding the right one for you.Designing your website is a very fun and exciting time for a businessand if you follow the tips above you won't have any regrets!

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