Before you pick up the phone and call any web designer or web consulting firm to interview them, take a look at the web design company’s portfolio. If you don’t like the look of the sites they are creating, there is no need to call.

Once you identify a few web designers whose designs you like, set up some time to speak with them and find out the following:

Does the company know anything about marketing?

There are a lot of graphic artists who will make you a web site. There are many programmers who will also make you a web site. Rarely will either make you an effective web site. For your site to be effective, you need a digital strategist.

So how do you know if you designer is a digital strategist? Ask them about their development process. If their development process doesn’t include “Discovery” (scheduled time where they talk to you about your sites goals and strategy) walk away.

The Web Design development process should include Discovery, Information Architecture, Graphical User Interface, Design and Programming and Testing.

Find out if the web designer will be giving you all the PSD files and fonts. If not run!

Will you have copyright to the site? You should. (It’s ok for the designer to retain the right to display the site in their portfolio).

Are they going to create a pretty design for you without any prior process (discovery, talking about your marketing goals)? If so time to walk or you will be spending your marketing dollars on a very pretty pile of junk.

Do they offer Search Engine Marketing and/or Search Engine Optimization?

Do they create all their sites with a CMS (Content Management System)? This is important. Without a CMS you will have to pay your designer for every single update to your site!

Do they offer copywriting services? Not all firms will, but if they do, bonus. If they don’t, I would not recommend allowing them to write your copy.

As a side note, if you are purchasing a new domain name, make sure YOU own your own domain name, not the designer. I have had more than one client held hostage by their old designer.

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