How to Hire a Web Designer

Chapter 1:Why Have A Web Site?
There is no doubt that the world is changing at a pace heretofore unknown. One of the most impactful changes has most certainly been the Internet and all the gadgets and gizmos that go along with it. More...

Chapter 2: What Is Required In Setting Up A Website
It is best at this point to address the above question, before we go on. Most of the potential clients that call me when they realize they need a website, or they are curious as to what they should do to get one, know very little about what is involved. This short chapter will hopefully clear up some of that confusion, and is also designed to give you some pause for thought before signing on the dotted line as it were. Rushing into a website without a clear view of what you need and how to find someone to design and build it for you can be a financial waste of time. More...

Chapter 3:How Much Does A Website Cost
Ah, here’s the big question, and the one I usually close my eyes for a moment when I have a prospective client on the line who asks this question shortly after saying  hello”. A thousand analogies rush through my mind in those quiet moments. I would like to say  That’s like asking a painter on the phone, how much will you charge to paint my house?”, or asking a car dealership  How much do cars cost?”. I think you get my point. A painter simply cannot quote a price until he spends considerable time determining how big my house is, where it is, what kind of paint I want, what rooms need to be painted and so on. As for the car dealer analogy, well, that’s just too silly to talk about. More...

Chapter 4:Where Can You Find A Good Website Designer
This can be a tricky part of the job. By far the best technique is the one that works best in just about every other business buying decision. Ask around. Talk to friends, others you know who have websites to begin with. Be specific in your questions. Many sites for example are created by friends for friends using simple off the rack software packages that promise “anyone can design their own website”. Even when you get promising leads from the questions you ask above, go to the website and look carefully. More...

Chapter 5: Terms And Expressions You Should Know
This chapter is not to make you an expert, or at least sound like one when you talk to a website designer. After all, if you knew all the correct terminology, you are probably in the business and can design your own website! You should however, know some of the terms that will likely come up in the conversations during the shopping and planning stages. Here are a few to get you started… More...

Chapter 6: What Kind Of Website Do You Need
It is of course, essential to know just what you are attempting to accomplish with your new website. You may for example, simply need an alternative to expensive Yellow Page advertising with a simple but effective site that says clearly what you do and how to contact you. Or on the other hand, you may need extensive on?line shopping capabilities that would require “e?commerce” abilities. Your website designer will be able to walk you through the process quite easily by asking some questions in the initial consultation. More...

Chapter 7: How To Recognize A Great Website Designer
This is somewhat of a subjective topic. Needless to say, not everyone expects nor wants the same type of treatment or personality on the part of their website designer of choice. I of course, am biased to a large degree and I suppose what I’m doing here is not so much answering the question “How to Recognize a Great Website Designer” but to take advantage of you, the captive audience to really say “Here’s what makes me a great website designer”. More...

Chapter 8: What Is Search Engine Optimization (Seo)
Unfortunately, for many in the industry, it’s a license to print money. By far the majority of website owners out there have little or no idea what it is and most certainly no idea on what to do about it. They hear the expression more and more these days, and have often been convinced that they need it. This puts them in a very vulnerable position. Taking advantage of this problem has given rise to a plethora of charlatans and “snake oil” salesmen who make absurd promises and take large amounts of money from unsuspecting clients but failing to produce any appreciable results. More...

Chapter 9: Domain Registration And Hosting
This article covers some of the things you should consider before deciding on what to name your site. More

Chapter 10: What To Do Now
I’d like to simply say “Call Me!”, but that was really not the purpose of this book. Needless to say, we have only touched on the very basics of the process of finding that perfect person or company who can work with you to produce a website that will prove to be very successful for you and your business. More...