Regardless whether you manage a small business, charitableorganization, or Fortune 500 company, choosing the right web designfirm can quickly become a full-time research project. With thousands ofdesign firms to choose from, what factors truly determine which designfirm is best for your business?The primary considerations for choosing a web design firm are:
* Price
* Customer service/access to support
* Credibility indicators of the design firm
* Portfolio and design experience
* Other services offered (domain renewal, hosting, SEO)
* Turnaround time
Let's take a closer look at each consideration in detail, and explore how to identify and qualify the right design firm.
Price
Likemany products and services we purchase, both personally andprofessionally, deciding on a web design firm can often come down toprice. But the value of the services rendered is really what'simportant. A $200 web site usually turns out to look, feel and performlike a $200 web site.
The price of your site's developmentwill depend on three factors: the features of the site, the amount ofcontent, and the service options included with the design package, suchas hosting.
Because pricing varies by firm, here are severalprinciples to use when determining the validity and value of a webdesign quote:
* Does the quote state one all-inclusive price for the entire project?
* Is there a reoccurring monthly fee for hosting?
* Is the site custom-built, or is it customization of an existing template?
* Is there a separate fee for content development, such as writing sales copy?
* Is domain registration/management included in the package?
* Will the firm provide multiple design concepts, prior to actual development?
It'simportant to compare quotes from at least three firms to, determine thevalue of the services offered. Looking for the best value is importantin a competitive service market.
Customer Service
There'snothing worse than signing with a firm that offers a great product,only to find out they are impossible to contact. Consistent, opencontact with your web design firm is important for ensuring successbefore, during, and after your web site is developed.
Throughoutthe design process, you may identify text, photos, or contactinformation you'd like to change before the site goes live. If you haveimmediate questions regarding your site's development, you'll be gladto have immediate contact with customer support staff by e-mail,telephone, or live chat.
If you are limited to e-mail technicalsupport, consider other firms that offer a wider range of customerservice options such as telephone and live chat support. E-mail isgreat for convenience - when it's convenient.
Credibility Indicators
Identifying"credibility indicators" can help ensure a firm is trustworthy, andwill be around after your deposit or full payment is sent. Credibilityindicators include, but are not limited to:* Toll free telephone support
* 24 hour customer service
* Better Business Bureau affiliation
* Human e-mail address contacts
* Google PageRank of 2 or above
* Presentation of a hard-copy quote/design contract
Design Experience/Portfolio
Doesthe design firm have experience in working with similar types ofbusinesses? Even if a designer doesn't have a web site in theirportfolio related to your industry, the firm you select should have astrong working knowledge of how to develop an effective site for yourbusiness type. Product and service web sites are not the same. Yourdesigner should have a plan of action for developing a site thatreaches the maximum number of prospective customers in your targetmarket.
A few good questions to ask about a firm's design experience include:
* Does the firm offer a number of diverse, finished web sites available for review?
* Will the firm conduct research regarding my competition?
* Will my web site highlight the features, benefits and value of my product or service?
* Has the firm outlined a plan of action for creating an effective site, start to finish?
Designexperience need not always relate to the type of web sites the firm haspreviously developed. If you have a specific look in mind, ask the firmif achieving a similar design is possible. The ultimate goal is to knowyou're going to get a tangible benefit out of your site througheffective, affordable web design.
Additional Services
Manyweb design firms offer design, but do not provide other requiredservices such as hosting and domain name registration. Ideally, yourweb design company should be a full-service firm, offering at leastbasic hosting, domain registration and search engine optimizationservices tailored to your needs. Research each firm to determine otherkey lines of business, so that any future expansion of your site willbe seamless as your business grows.
Turnaround Time
Aneffective website should take 30-60 days to go live, from the start ofproduction. Unless you're offering hundreds of individual products orservices on your web site, the entire development process, start tofinish, should take no longer than 60 days. Turnaround time shouldinclude:
* Upload of your web site to the hosting provider
* Configuration of any scripts or forms on your site
* Domain propagation (accessing your web site and e-mail via yoursite.com)
Hiringthe cheapest, fastest, or most elaborate web design firm does notalways equate to hiring the right web design firm. A limited amount offront-end research can save time and money in the long term, andmaximize the sales revenue from your web presence.
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