Many times when we are talking to new clients there are always a few who have been mislead by a web designer with broken promises. I hear things like: “I gave a deposit and now they have disappeared” or “my website designer completed my site but it doesn’t work”. Cleaning up or trying to fix another designers/developers mistakes is not an easy task. Plus the fact you need to gain the clients trust back. Our industry is a FIELD OF FALSE PROMISES AND UNORIGINAL CONTENT. These days “EVERYONE IS A WEBSITE DESIGNER or DEVELOPER. So you want to be sure your are hiring someone with experience, and a good track record. Here are some tips that will help you spot a bad web design company versus a good one.
What services do they offer besides website design?
If you go to Google and put in “Website Design Fairfield County CT” there will be a multitude of CT website design companies for you to choose from. When your planning a new website design or redesign, search for a company that offers a wide range of services to fully support your digital needs. For example: most new clients need a logo and collateral. Hiring a one company to provide web design, graphic design, development and Inbound marketing services will help your business to stay organized. The company you hire will fully understand your goals, allowing your business to establish a more comprehensive, effective Internet presence.
Take a good look at their portfolio, look closely at their clients.
A good web design firm will have an online portfolio of completed sites. Their own site may be enticing, but it is more important to look inside. If they offer custom website design make sure the sites they have completed are just that and not a standard pre-designed site. Take a look at the team and read about them. Ask for references. Don’t settle for a generic recommendation—ask for specifics. Perform an online search — not just on a search engine, but also on LinkedIn relevant forums. Look for red flags, but take any individual data points you find with a grain of salt. Consistency is far more likely to be accurate.
If they want more then 50% up front RUN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION.
If they want more than 50% of the project cost up front, it’s in your best interest to keep looking. Typically we ask for 25% upfront, 25% when we go to programming and the remainder when the site is launched. If the company does not work with a contract, keep looking. A contract is essential, as it protects both parties, outlines responsibilities, delivery timelines, quotes, out of pockets, and everything that you “both” can expect.
Is the price too good to be true? (the cheapest quote?)
Wow! what a deal. $1,500.00 to design and develop a new website. No, not really, and here’s why:
- They have a full time job and are only designing websites to make some extra cash. I can guarantee you that when you need support, they won’t be there for you. YOU WANT SOMEONE WHO DESIGNS WEBSITES FOR A LIVING.
- They are inexperienced to the industry, don’t have a good solid track record, and simply don’t know what it “really” takes to fully design a website that will look good and function that way it should.
- They will look for opportunities to up sell you on more expensive packages for SEO, Social Media, or Inbound marketing.
- They are so desperate for work they will do anything to get it.
Make sure you can meet the people that are going to work from the designer to the developer.
You would be surprised with the number of agencies who outsource work. Outsourcing is popular these days, because the markup on the agencies side can mean big dollars for them, but the website could be built with flaws due to the people that are actually working on your site. Outsourcing can turn out fine; however, outsourcing can create inconsistency in terms of timelines, talent, responsibilities, and language barriers. Find out if the business you are interested in has a team in-house and find out how long they have been working together and on what projects. Many companies will post pictures of their team, but some will be overseas, or 3,000 miles away. So ask which of their team members will be working on your project and what are their qualifications? Think about the ongoing relationship before signing a contract. Are you going to keep the developer on call if (when!) changes are needed? You also need to get some assurances that the developer keeps the code clean and labeled properly, so someone else can easily work with the code.
So the bottom line is you may pay more for your new website then you thought, but it will be built right, you’ll get good custom service and the team your working with will be reliable. AS THE OLD SAYING GOES: YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
Give us call at 203 414 9692 or email us with questions we would be happy to talk with you.
Website Design: Westport CT, Stamford CT, Greenwich CT, Fairfield CT, all of Fairfield County CT and Hartford CT
