Choosing the Right Website
                          Designer
                          by Janice Byer, CCVA, MVA
                          Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services 
                      
                      You've
                        made up your mind. You want to have a website to represent your business.
                        The next decision to be made . . . who should you hire to develop your
                        site?
                      There
                        are many people capable of building their own personal sites. They can put
                        cute little comments and pictures of their pets or kids up for you to
                        enjoy. But, when it comes to having a website that will be a form of
                        marketing for your business, you want someone with experience. Someone who
                        has an understanding of the Internet and what is the best way to boost the
                        exposure of a website.
                      They
                        must have a clear knowledge of a variety of contributing factors to your
                        sites' success. Such factors include how best to market your site, the
                        options and limitations of graphics, how to create a site that is
                        effective within search engines, knowledge of the drawbacks of different
                        browsers, and the understanding of the coding required for your site.
                      It
                        is crucial that your designer understands you, your company and what you
                        want to accomplish with your website. To determine this, you need to
                        answer a few questions first.
                      What
                        do you want on your website? What is the desired outcome of your site? Is
                        your designer open to your ideas and provides input and suggestions for
                        improvement? Have you checked out your competition or other websites to
                        get ideas of what is the 'norm' for a successful site? The more
                        information you have prior to starting a website, the more accurately you
                        can communicate with your designer and get the desired outcome that
                        produces the best results.
                      Creating
                        a website can be an overwhelming experience. You need to ensure that your
                        designer is easy to talk to and keeps you updated on your sites' progress.
                        If you have questions . . . ask! After all this is your site and you have
                        a right to know how it is coming along and in terms that you can
                        understand.
                      You
                        also need to check out websites that your designer has made in the past.
                        Check to see that the graphics load quickly, that it is easy to navigate
                        between the pages, and that overall you like their style.
                      Finally,
                        the cost! This is a very important factor for small business owners when
                        deciding on a website designer. Larger companies will charge more and can
                        probably make your site very elaborate. If you need a site filled with all
                        the bells and whistles, you will be paying for it. If you simply need a
                        site that is a background of your company and the products or services
                        that you provide, the cost will be considerably lower and you can use a
                        smaller company or independent designer.
                      Your
                        website is going to be a 24-hour advertisement for your company. Skimping
                        on any of the above listed factors will have an effect on the final result
                        of your website and the outcome that you want from it. Do your research
                        and you can join other successful businesses who are using the Internet to
                        boost their exposure and their revenue.
                      We
                        have written a 12 page ebook on choosing the right web designer that we
                        invite you to download at http://www.docutype.net/business_ebooks.htm.
                        It provides you an abundance of additional information to help you make
                        the right choice.