Seeing it through the mist of recession...

A few weeks back I sent in my proposal to a client after reducing costs as much as we could due to the recession issues and it was at the brink of approval, when my client called me up to say that he got someone over the internet offering $500 to build them a site. That sounds like a good deal, doesn’t it? Wasn't great news for my company?

I actually feel bad for the companies who fall for this kind of cost-efficiency. What they don’t see is that this offering is probably from a two man team at the most. Professional web designing companies won’t last too long if companies are ready to sacrifice their quality to save their money.

Here are questions you ask yourself when choosing a web designing company:

What are their success stories like?

The only way you can forecast the weather is to look at prevailing patterns and historical data. Choosing a web design firm is no different. You need to make yourself aware of what work they have done before and what the quality of their work is. Big names are attractive in a portfolio, but are they doing a neat job at it?

Specialization in Web Design?

It’s always smart to have an agency that specializes in Web Designing and doesn’t just do it as a brand building exercise. Can they handle creating a website that is Search Engine Optimized (SEO) friendly and in turn generates more business?

Are they looking at helping you or simply just helping themselves?

Any responsible Web design agency will look beyond just creating a site for you. The site will need to be Search Engine Optimized (SEO) and will help visitors easily move on to leads or sales. A site created completely in Flash will not show up on a Search engine like Google or Yahoo.

The same questions can be asked of companies who offer search engine marketing. It needs to be a part of the primary services of the company you choose.

Hiring an amateur or inexperienced web designer can hurt you in the short run and the long run. I see people start small business who spent tons of time and money on brochures or embroidered shirts when they should concentrate on a good web site and even better business cards. Great business cards are cheap and easy to design, and communicate a lot about you when you hand it to a possible new client.

And having a great web site says even more about you than the great business card. It will be a foundation for your business for years to come. And that can’t be found by having your site designed by an amateur.

Let us Steer you in the right direction!