It happened again today. I talked to yet another web site design prospect that tried to cut some corners by hiring the kid down the street to design a web site for his business. It came as no surprise to hear a story I've heard many times before. It took over six months for him to get a cheesy web site that has since resulted in no sales and no traffic. This call came right on the heels of a conversation I had with a local customer who paid $70,000 to a professional design firm for a five page basic web site. It had no interactivity, no online ordering, just a standard site layout. The site should have cost no more than $3,000 at the outside. Then there is the story of the gentleman I talked to last week that hired a flash designer without comparing his flash design portfolio to other designers. He paid in excess of $10,000 for a flash site that was poorly designed, error-ridden, 8 minutes to load on a cable modem, and crashed most browsers. How many sales do you think that business made when the site couldn't even be viewed! Like many people though, this business owner did not know what to look for in a good designer.
So what's happening out there? What's the average person to do when searching for a web site design firm? Who do you go to? Who do you trust? What's a reasonable price to pay for professional web site design?
In my seven years in the web site design business I have found that web site designers and design firms have five main approaches they use to their advantage.
1. Some design firms talk above the heads of the customer, they spout terms like CGI this, PERL that, Java that, and flash this. They try to impress or confuse customers with terms that they do not understand and fail to explain how any of these effects will help the customer make sales on their site. If you hear a lot of unfamiliar terminology without explanation, this could mean the designer doesn't have a solid understanding of e-commerce. A good designer or design firm will assess your needs and apply design effects that serve to meet your purposes for the site, that will add to the appeal of your site and help make you sales. The purpose of the site dictates the style of design and an experienced designer should be able to take your needs and weave with this their own creativity. Bottom line - getting you results.
2. Some design firms underquote on a project then charge additional fees for extra design hours, and hidden fees for items after the initial contract. I've seen this a number of times. Read the fine print and ask a lot of questions! How many hours are allocated to your project? What is the time frame for development? What is the editing process? What's the cost of site maintenance? Can you access the site yourself should you choose to do so for no cost editing? Exactly what are you going to get for what you are paying? Knowing all unfront and hidden fees from the outset will make budget planning and the overall design experience more enjoyable.
3. A large number of design firms don't examine the specific needs of the customer or the business. They set their own agenda for site design and what should be included with out thoroughly assessing the purpose of the site. Some firms have a mind-set for a one-size fits all approach to design. Although there are many basic design functions that can be applied to any style of site it remains that each web site is unique and the needs of each business will vary. You as the business owner, need to accept some responsibility here too though. Thoroughly consider what it is that you want to accomplish with your site. Do some initial planning of the content to be included and then pass this on to the designer. A good designer will listen to your goals for the site and start thinking about how this can be accomplished within the web site.
4. Some non-professional web site designers try to convince the customer that anyone with a little knowledge of FrontPage and an image editor can create a fabulous web site and will save you money. If you choose to deal with an inexperienced web site designer who has read a couple of books and dabbled with flash, accept the fact that you will get an unprofessional web site. On the surface the site may look good to to the untrained eye, but there are a number of hidden design elements that are critical in good desgin. Factors if not considered and integrated into the design, will effect your site traffic, load time, prospect response, accessibility and viewability, and visitor to sales ratio. These are all considerations that an experienced web site designer plans for and accommodates. Web site design is a lot more then scanning your company logo, inserting it on the page and adding in a paragraph about what you do along with your contact information.
5. Finally, some design firms hit the customer with a large design quote with all the bells and whistles that is far more than what the customer requires. Knowing this it's no surprise when I see so many dot com companies filing for bankruptcy. They rushed onto the web, planned poorly, spent their wad, got no results and then had to close up shop. Successful smart online businesses are often the ones that tested the waters first. They started off small with very basic web sites then added to them as their profits grew. As more traffic came to the site, profits increased and so too did the site size and expenditure on advertising.
What you should look for in a good web site design firm
Results.
View the company's portfolio. Who are their clients? In their portolio, is there variety in the sites that they produce? Do the sites load quickly? Are they appealing and professional looking? What about marketing clout? Do the sites they've designed make you want to do business with the site owner? Are the sites you see easy to navigate? Is the design firm focused on you the customer and your results, or are they more interested in flaunting their own egos with site design that is "the latest and greatest effect" but does nothing to represent your needs and purposes. Good design firms reap the rewards of designing sites that work for their customers as those satisfied customers refer others and remain loyal by renewing services.
Reputation.
How long has the designer or design firm been in business? Are they a member of any professional organizations, consumer protection boards, Better Business Bureau etc.? Do they have testimonials from satisfied customers or can they give you some referrals to contact. Established design firms stand behind their service as they realize that what they create is viewed by the world and reflects on their design talent.
Pricing:
Smart people know that the lowest quote is not always the best quote. I have had competitors underquote me to get the customer in the door then once the design work is underway they bring in the "real prices" the "overcharge" charge if you will. Make sure you know exactly what you are getting when you agree to a design contract. How many hours are you getting at that price. What will you get for that price? How much is ongoing site maintenance etc. Ask about time frames, how long will it take to develop the site?
If you are a small business make sure the site you are quoted for is one that meets your needs and is not beyond your goals and budget. If you simply want "presence" on the web and aren't at this point going to be selling anything at your site you do not need a pricey e-commerce enabled site. You can always add it or other more expensive features later if you need to.
When it comes to pricing, go to at least 3 different companies and assess not only the prices, but the level of service provision, making notes of the other factors pointed out in this article. Do not underestimate the importance of customer service. If the company you are interested in is slow to respond to you then this may be an indication of the overall service you can expect to receive.
Experience:
Know something about who you are hiring to create your business' worldwide online image. Is the designer someone who has read a "Dummy's Guide " to web site design, then hung out their shingle for professional web site designer? A lot of web site design involves self-learning but there is no substitution for professional design experience, commercial site design experience, graphics and fine arts training. Ideally your web site designer should be experienced in both web and print design work as the two complement each other, however there are very unique applications for web site design. Remember, visitors to your site will form an impression of you and whether they want to do business with you in under 30 seconds. When you select a design firm you are trusting them with your reputation and with your sales potential. It is critical that your site be professional and inviting to potential customers.
Marketing and e-commerce knowledge. If your designer is a skilled graphics artist that's not enough. Be sure to ask about the web site designers marketing knowledge so that your site is designed well from a graphics point of view but also in such a manner that the site has marketing clout. Knowledge of marketing means that the site is designed in such a way that it is visually pleasing but also encourages interaction, includes motivating offers, content of good value, reasons for people to return to the site, and other effective tested sales tools. For most business sites they are commerce based so the site should be structured for that purpose. A good designer works for you to create a site that is not only stunning but is effective to bring you leads or sales. This means, your designer should be able to make suggestions to you about the design of the site but also marketing and sales tools that will help you increase your results.
Doing business online offers you a number of advantages, just be sure to print this article and consult it when you are researching web site design companies. Successful online business starts with selecting the design firm that will deliver what they promise and help get you the results you want.
***About the Author:
Sandi Hunter is the Director of Web Site Development for Worldprofit.com and has overseen the development of over 7,000 web sites for businesses worldwide. Get a free subscription to her newsletter on effective web site design at http://www.worlddesignservices.com or email customerservice@worldprofit.com