The marketing manager just came into your office and said it’s time to update the corporate website and gave you the fun task of finding a good web design firm to work with. You pop online real quick and look for a local company, and your Google search comes back with a ton a firms all claiming to be your best solution. There’s a good chance that they will all do a good job, but there will definitely be that one out there that will go far and beyond your expectations. Narrowing down your choices to find that one design firm is a tough job. Here are 7 questions you should ask each firm you are considering. Their answers should help you pick the right one.
- Do you get results for your customers? Case studies and testimonials are a great place to start with your selection process. If a web design firm can provide an example where they helped increase sales, traffic, subscriptions, etc., you are on the right track.
- What do I need to provide you (the designers) to complete the project? You are an integral part in building a new, or updating your company’s website. A quality design shop will require and want input of some kind from you. If you get a “nothing”, or “we’ll ask when we need it” answer, that’s a good candidate to scratch off the list.
- Do you provide me with a project plan before we start? The more detailed a web design firm is upfront and the more information they can provide to you before the project starts, the more successful the project will be. Period.
- Will my site perform properly across multiple browsers and devices? In today’s world of everyone carrying their first source for information around in their pockets, it’s extremely important to select a web designer that can build mobile friendly sites. A site should work across the various web browser (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Safari) as well as the various tablet and mobile devices available today (Android, iPhone, iPad, Kindle Fire, etc).
- Do you work hourly or on a fixed price model, and what are your standard rates? This question is more of a personal preference, but should be strongly considered to keep your web site budget on target. Be leery of anyone who cannot provide an upfront guaranteed fixed price. Without that, you’re keeping yourself open for an unseen amount of additional fees, and long billable hours that you cannot track for yourself. Not that a billable time or hourly rate firm won’t provide quality work, you might just be paying through the roof for it.
- Do you do any market research before beginning? A quality design company will check out your competitors before starting on your project scope. Taking your goals in mind and checking what other companies websites in your industry are doing to reach similar milestones is one of the keys to making your new site a success.
- How is your design going to work with my business goals? The most important part of building a new, or updating an existing website is to attain a certain goal. Maybe it’s to increase online sales, promote a new product, publish a blog… whatever the goal, your chosen web designer should be focused on reaching your specific goals.