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Q&A: What Should We Look For In A Web Design Company?
By Kalena Jordan
Expert Author
Article Date: 2007-08-09
Dear Kalena...
I've been reading your blog for a few months now and I just want to let you know how much I enjoy it. I have a few broad questions for you. But I'm donating you 2 coffees for your help to get you through them.
Ok, here it goes: Dr. Bell, the owner of the business, really wants to redesign our site. He wants a fresh clean look that people will want to checkout frequently. We want someone local, so we can talk face to face with them. My questions are, What should we look for in a website design company? We have a pretty big site, we are willing to pay good amounts to get a really nice job done, but what is a realistic but fair price(so we don't get ripped off)? Is there anything else that we should know or do? Thank you so much for your help.
PS I really liked the new newsletter and I'm happy you are back and healthy.
Thanks Again
Victoria
Kalena's Answer:
Dear Victoria
Choosing a web design firm is a big decision. A US client of mine just went through the selection process and evaluated the candidates based upon five criteria:
1. quality
2. price
3. flexibility
4. reputation; and
5. ability to meet timeframe
They eventually narrowed the field down to two candidates, one close to their own location in the US and the other in Australia. Their gut instinct told them the Aussie firm would be a better fit but they were concerned about how the time difference would impact on their relationship with the designer and their ability to meet deadlines.
Interestingly, they ended up choosing the Australian designer, despite their concerns about ease of communication with the time difference. So what made them choose a company thousands of miles away? Several reasons:
1. They weren't convinced that the local firm understood their target market and the importance of site conversions to their business. In their proposal, the Australian designer addressed site usability and conversions as crucial to their approach.
2. While the local company provided a portfolio of impressive site designs they had developed, the Australian designer had an excellent global reputation for creating beautiful web sites that were also search engine friendly.
3. The Australian designer had several US clients who gave glowing references from both a professional and personal perspective.
4. In her proposal, the Australian designer demonstrated that she understood the client's primary objectives and future goals for the site.
5. The Australian designer proved she was flexible regarding potential communication issues. During the final selection process, she worked with the client to verbally address any remaining concerns.
6. The Australian designer came across as honest, warm and friendly on the phone and established a good first impression with the client.
The point here is to use selection criteria to choose your candidates, but go with your gut on the final choice. They need to totally *get* your business and your online goals before they even flesh out a basic site map. Don't let money, size or locality be the deciding factor in your decision.
You need to be able to work with these people closely for some months and develop a good rapport with them. A designer that can meet most of your criteria and with whom you can have an enjoyable conversation may well be a better fit than a firm that meets all your criteria but whose staff seem impersonal or bored.
Oh and one more thing: ALWAYS get client references. Call or email some of their clients and ask about what they are like to work with, if they are happy with the design, etc. If you do a Google search for "what to look for in a web designer", you'll find even more advice.
Comments
About the Author:
Kalena Jordan was one of the first search engine optimization experts in Australia and New Zealand and is well known and respected in the industry, particularly in the U.S. Kalena was one of the founders of http://www.SearchEngineCollege.com and is currently Director of Studies and SEO tutor for the online training institution. Kalena is a member of SEO Consultants and has spoken at the popular Search Engine Strategies Conferences. She is also a moderator at the Search Engine Watch Forums and author of the popular Search Light newsletter.
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