Perhaps it's because there's so many different kinds of web
design companies out there, or because a new small business site represents
such a big expense for a lot owners, but we talk to a lot of potential clients
who end up feeling lost and confused by the process of finding someone to help
them turn their ideas into an Internet reality.
That's completely understandable; finding a creative team
for your small business site isn't really similar to anything else you would do
in the course of running your company. There is more than just pricing or
straightforward quality comparisons to make – each firm has its own style, the
range, way of doing things, etc.
To help you sort through the pack, and make the best
decision possible, here are the three biggest mistakes small business owners
make when hiring a web design firm:
Going with the
cheapest one, no matter what.
Your website is likely to be viewed by more
potential customers than any other marketing piece you'll produce. With that in
mind, it makes sense to think about getting the maximum return on your
investment, not just the lowest upfront cost.
Looking for samples
that show companies similar to yours.
It makes sense that if you run a pet
shop, for example, you'd want a web designer who's worked on lots of other pet
shops, too… right? Sometimes, but not always. That's because even if they
specialize in that type of business, quality should be a key consideration.
Explaining what your company does is usually an easy step; finding someone who
can give you a great-looking design isn't.
Thinking only about
layouts.
Speaking of great-looking designs, there's a lot more that goes
into your website beyond just the simple aesthetics. From HTML coding to custom
web apps and even search engine optimization, you want to choose a team that
can help give you everything you need to build a stronger company, not just put
up a pretty online brochure. Be sure to ask your web designer what kind of
experience and philosophy they have towards helping you market your new site –
not just put it on the Internet.