Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Leave The Web Page Design To The Professionals

By Stephen Grisham, Sr.

When you are getting ready to have your website designed and you call in your first candidate; you would expect a middle aged, well dressed man, right? Most of the time that is not the case. A younger kid is often staring back at you, his hair a mess with a pair of jeans and a dress shirt.

Honestly, no. There are lots of "kids" out there who need to build a portfolio, and if you are willing to help in exchange for a free site that is fantastic, but sometimes nothing less than a seasoned pro will do.

The world of web design is a time killer. Everyone would like there stint with a web designer to be as short as possible - so when you prepare to meet up with your first candidate, make sure you have other options. Look for all the designers who have a solid education and reputable experience. Whatever you do, do not think there is only one and you have to sign his contract.

Schedule meetings with three or four different designers. When you meet them, do not judge them based on whether you would wear that outfit on this occasion, but instead make sure that you are talking to a reasonable person who looks ready to take on your task, regardless of whether there is a necktie involved or not.

Make sure that you know what languages are used in web page design, and have a working understanding of what they do so that you can talk more fluidly with your designer. If you are speaking the same language, then your point will get across faster and save you both time and money.

Make your own portfolio. Bring anything you can to show colors, fonts, logos, and any other aesthetic component you can think of for your page. Have in mind a list of features - for example, do you need a search engine? Do you need online shopping? Do you need to take credit cards online?

Give your idea portfolio to the web page design master, but be sure it is not your only copy since you will need to give one to each successful interviewer and have a copy for yourself. Ask them to design a home page for you and submit it with a bid. This gives you a feel for what the designer can do, how fast, and for how much. When you make a selection, get it in writing!

Lastly, you need to make sure your designer offers maintenance care. It may not sound important at first, but keeping your site up to date is just as important as creating it. No matter if it is the same designer or by the company they work for, it is an essential piece to a successful site. Normally it is not free but it will benefit you greatly. If you spend the time to prepare for a web designer and creating your own website, you will not only save your time but also your money. - 15478

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