How to Hire the World's Greatest Web Designer

Okay, so how do you know that you definitely need a web designer? Here are a couple of reasons why:

1. You need to concentrate on things other than building a website- As much as you may want to save money by doing the DIY route, getting a web designer to do it while you spend time on other things may be money well spent. This is especially true if you're starting at ground zero with knowing nothing about graphic design, HTML, or how websites are built.

Now building a website is not rocket science, but there is a definite learning curve. If you're in a hurry, now is not the time to do it yourself. At a certain point, it may be more cost-effective for you to hire someone to build your website while you concentrate on other things.

2. You need a custom design and have no graphic design skills- It's always a good thing for your website to look well designed and professional. If you don't have any graphic design skill, you run the risk of your website looking homemade (and not in a good way).

Even if you are familiar with building websites using HTML, it doesn't mean that you know how to make it look good. Don't believe me? There's a reason why programmers and graphic designers work together on large web projects. If you don't know graphic design or how to use a graphics program your time is better spent hiring and working with a professional designer so they can bring your vision to life.

3. You've created a website on your own...and you want to bury the evidence- Perhaps you've tried your hand at creating your own website...and found that it isn't your strong suit. Perhaps your site isn't doing as well as you think it should be and you're wondering to about it. Or perhaps you're thinking that flaming rotating logo on the home page isn't such a good idea after all. If this is the case, it's time to hire a professional this time around. A good web designer can help freshen up your site with a professional looking design, they can help correct any mistakes you might have made the first time, and they can help you install those new features like a shopping cart or a blog that can make your website more useful or profitable.

4. Your computer scares you- I've worked with lots of people who broke out into cold sweats at the thought of just turning on their computer. Some of my past clients knew nothing about how the Internet worked. One person I worked with didn't even know how to open an attachment in their email account.

Now if you're reading this page, chances are that you know how to turn a computer on and you can surf the web. But if doing much beyond that makes you nervous, that doesn't mean that you can't have a website. Despite the fact that many of my past clients were scared of the technology, they decided that they needed a website in order to keeping with changing times and technology, and with patience and a willingness to learn, not only did they get a new website, but they also learned how to maintain it. The same can be true in your case and a great web designer can help get you started.

Now that you've definitely decided that you need a web designer, it's time to jump right on out and start looking...right? Wrong! The first thing you need to do is start planning your website. Your search will be a lot smoother and more organized if you carefully plan it out ahead of time. Before you start your search you'll need to:

1. Know what you want- You might be thinking...wait! I don't have to plan my site...that's what I'm hiring a designer for! Bad idea! There's nothing more annoying to a designer than a client that doesn't have a clue of what they want. Designers, even great designers aren't mind readers. If you just let them loose with no direction it's a surefire way of getting everything wrong.

Before you start your search you should have a clear purpose for your site, know who your potential audience will be, think of a domain name for your website (and have it registered as well), decide on a business model (in other words, if and how you want to make money from your site), how many pages you need for your site and you should also have a good idea of where those pages connect to.

While you're thinking about the structure of your website, you may also want to have a loose idea of what you want it to look like. Think about color schemes, layouts, whether you want animation or audio or video on your website, or if you want interactive elements on your website like shopping carts, contact forms, or blogging capability. None of what you plan now has to be set in stone. But it's important to start your planning before you look for a web designer because that plan will dictate everything else from your budget to the actual person you hire.

2. Have a budget and a timeline in mind- Once you have a good grasp of what kind of website you want, you'll need to figure out how much you are willing or able to spend on it. Once you start approaching web designers, you will be asked about your proposed budget and it's a mistake to not have one in mind at that point. A lot of potential clients ask me what a "typical" website costs. There's really no magic answer to that question because the price of a website depends on a number of different factors.

Remember that designer's fees aren't the only things that you have to consider. You also need to factor in the cost of buying a domain name(s) and hosting for your website. If you're planning on selling your work directly from your website, you may also have to factor in the cost of shopping cart software or services, a merchant account, and a payment gateway. You may also have to buy some additional software or computer hardware that will help you maintain your website after it's done.

You should also keep in mind that building a website will cost in time as well as cash. Figure out how much time you can devote to working with your web designer. Don't expect to hand the project over to a designer and not to have any involvement with it. Finally, always try to overestimate your budget and your timeframe. Even a fairly simple website can run into some snags that can either delay the launch of the site or can cost a bit more money. It's always a good idea to overestimate your costs and time so you won't be surprised.

3. Do your homework- Before you start looking for web designers, you should do as much research into web terminology and technologies as you can. You might be thinking, "Well, why should I know this stuff? That's why I'm hiring a web designer in the first place!" You should learn this stuff because web designers really appreciate it when clients come to them with a basic knowledge web terms and terminologies.

While it's not necessary for you to learn how to code in HTML (although I always advise that you should learn some basics), you should have some basic knowledge of the following things:

• what a web page is


• what a website is (yes, a website is different from a web page)


• what HTML is (not how to code, but basically what it is)


• what a domain name is and how it works


• what web servers are and what they do

Armed with this basic information, you'll be better able to talk to your designer and you can avoid being taken advantage of by a designer who's less than scrupulous.

While planning a website isn't really difficult, there are a lot of things to think about and if you've never planned a website before, it can be really difficult to calculate how much it will cost. That's one reason why my new ebook, "How to Hire the World's Greatest Web Designer" has a section on how to plan out your website, plus, as a bonus, it comes with a free web design budget planning tool. To find out more, visit www.howtohireawebdesigner.com.

Once you have an idea of what kind of website you want, you can start your search for a designer. There are several places where you can start your search:

1. Referrals From Your Colleagues- The most logical and likely source for finding a good web designer is by asking others in your field. Chances are that they have a website or know of someone who has just launched a website. If the designer did a good job, they'll be more than happy to give you their contact information.

2. Family and Friends- Some of your family members and friends may also have had a website done recently or know of someone who has. You may even have a friend or a family member who is a designer who will have contacts with others in the field that you can inquire about.

3. Trade Organizations and Clubs- If you are a member of a professional or trade organization that may be another source for finding a web professional, especially if the guild has a website. You can also consider going to your chamber of commerce for information. Some web designers and agencies may be members.

4. The Yellow Pages- If you're uncomfortable with choosing a web designer outside of your local area, the Yellow Pages and the White Pages of your phone book, might yield some ads from local web professionals. Look for listings under "Internet Services", "Web Page and Site Design", or "Graphic Design".

Want 4 more places to find a web designer? Check out this free article.

Are you more interested in a local designer? Check out this article on how to find a local designer.

Once you've found some likely candidates you'll need to start narrowing down your choices and checking out the candidates. Here are some things you can do that will help you choose a designer.

• Looking at their past work- get a feel of the type of projects they've worked on, their design aesthetic, how well each site functions, and how much recent work they have.


• Checking their availability- good designers are usually busy. Establish their availability up front.


• Set up a "get to know you" meeting- meet either face to face or over the phone. Discuss your project, your budget, and interview your designer to get a feel for their skills and personality.


• Get an estimate- Request an estimate to get a ballpark figure of how much each designer will charge.

Once you've done your research and narrowed down your choices, it's time to make a final decision. If your budget is limited, you may wish to base your decision entirely on price. While price is important, there are other factors you should take in consideration other than price.

Remember that you will be spending a good amount of time working with this person. You'll want to make sure that this is someone that you can talk to and work with. While you don't have to be the best of friends your personalities and your work methods should at least be compatible. You should be comfortable with this person and should be confident that they can get the job done.

If you're nervous about the whole process and want frequent updates on the progress of your project, the designer you pick should be able to keep you informed. If you have very little knowledge about the web, the person you choose should be able to explain the technical aspects of your website in a way that you can understand.

There are some characteristics common in great web designers that you should be looking for when you're choosing a web designer. You can read more about the 10 Characteristics of a Great Web Designer here.

After you've made your decision and settled upon one designer, it's time hire that designer and sign the contract. You shouldn't hire anyone without a contract. A contract is an outline of what kind of work is to be done during the project and under what terms the work will be done. A contract also outlines how much the project will cost, when payments are due, and settles questions about copyright and ownership of the final product. If the designer you're working with doesn't happen to have formal contract, you should provide one of your own.

Make sure that you read through the contract thoroughly after you receive it. If you have trouble understanding it, take it to a lawyer and have them explain it to you. Never sign a contract without reading it over first. The details and format of the contract will vary from designer to designer. Some contracts may be no more than a page or two, others may be long and complicated, but there are common issues and clauses that you need to pay special attention to.

Web design contracts can protect you...or work against you. In my new e-book "How to Hire the World's Greatest Web Designer", you can see what a typical contract looks like and avoid the pitfalls that can be hidden in contracts. You'll also learn when to renegotiate and when to walk away. And as a special bonus, you'll get a sample web design contract for your own use, so you can protect yourself and your web design project. To find out more, visit www.howtohireawebdesigner.com.

So there you have an very basic overview of what you need to know when you're hiring a web designer. But remember that this lens is just an overview. There is a whole lot more information that you should know about, such as:

• How to really check out a web designer...just looking at their website is not enough! Know what questions to ask...who to ask...and what the red flags are.


• What to look for in a web design contract...see what a typical contract looks like...avoid the pitfalls that can be hidden in contracts... know when to renegotiate...and when to walk away.


• How to know if you are hiring the right kind of help for the job. What's the difference between a "designer", a "developer", and a "webmaster"? It can make a big difference in in skills and price. Learn the differences and never make the mistake of hiring the wrong type of help!


• When you should hire a design agency...and when you shouldn't. You might be getting ready to throw your money away...learn when you really need a design agency and when you don't.


• How to keep control of your website! Learn how unscrupulous designers can take over your website without your knowledge...and the simple steps you can take to prevent it.


• How to work with a designer once you hire them. Learn how to ensure that your entire project runs smoothly from start to finish...avoid common mistakes that can derail a project...and steer clear of problems that will cost you in lost time and money.


• How to save a web design project that's in trouble. Learn the 4 signs that you're heading for trouble...plus the six-step plan to save a web project that's about to reel out of control.

Everything that you need to know is in my new 70+ guide, How to Hire the World's Greatest Web Designer.

How to Hire the World's Greatest Web Designer is your no-nonsense guide to finding, hiring, and working with a great web designer without getting ripped off, pissed off, or going flat broke.

If you need to build a website and will be hiring a designer to build it for you, even just a little bit of knowledge about how to find a great designer can make the difference between a dream and a nightmare.

Plus, this 70+ page guide is organized so that you can get the information you need quickly and easily with Key Takeaways at the end of each chapter that summarizes the most important points. And a handy Quick Start List that points to specific pages that answers specific questions such as:

• How do I build a website without a designer? (see page 9)


• How do I know the difference between a "web designer" and a "webmaster"? (see page 14)


• How do I start my search for a designer? (see page 18)


• How do I research a web designer? (see page 26)


• How do I read my web design contract? (see page 36)


• How do I spot traps in my web design contract? (see page 41)


• How do I work with my designer? (see page 47)


• How do I keep my designer from taking over my site? (see page 52)


• How do I save a web project that's in trouble? (see page 61)


• How do I fire my web designer? (see page 63)

In addition to this information packed downloadable guide, you'll also receive:

• 25 Good Interview Questions to Ask Your Web Designer- critical questions to ask and the reasons why you're asking them plus what answers to look for...don't interview a web designer without it!


• A sample web design contract- never hire a web designer without a written contract....protect yourself and your project.


• A web design budget planner - take the guesswork out of figuring out how much your website will cost with this handy budgeting tool.

You can download "How to Hire the World's Greatest Web Designer" right now and get instantaneous access to the one guide that can save you time, money, and piece of mind when you're working with a designer.



Or you can visit http://www.howtohireawebdesigner.com for more information.