Choosing a Designer

Ask about the price range ... and there must be a transparent pricing system. Nothing can be final, as a web page -- if setup correctly -- is a continually evolving, living, breathing, constantly changing representation of your company or organization!

Study their portfolio. What other sites have they designed or developed? Spend time wandering around each web site. What's the quality? Are they all similar, or is there variety? Is this the sort of site you had in mind?

Note the quality of your preliminary communication. Do they listen? Do they try to understand your business? But also, do they suggest possibilities you hadn't thought of? Do they deliver the small things without prompting? If they talk gobbledegook or are brusque or elusive or slack, find someone else.

Do they have systems and procedures that give you confidence, and immediately demonstrate your options and the scope of the project? Without these you may be fumbling in the dark.

Don't expect the moon for $50. Websites are a dime a dozen. You don't want yours to fit into that public sandbox.

Remember that time is money and your web site developer is not your best buddy or psychotherapist.

Clarify your business plan and Internet strategy and goals in advance. A web site developer can certainly help you to refine your ideas, but it's your business.

Remember that a web site is forever (well sort of!). Be sure to budget for serious web site maintenance and content upgrades every few months.