Hi this is Jeff from Advance Web Solutions I’ve worked as a web designer for over 15 years and counting. I’m going to go over today how to hire a web designer without getting scammed and avoiding website regret.
1. Don’t be cheap the root of all evils. Your website is the core of your business therefore you shouldn’t be building it yourself, hiring your friend’s nephew or checking out Fiverr or a cheap freelance website. You always get what you pay for so set a budget and have it ready first. Start with at least 1,000 and weigh your options from there.
2. Don’t be lazy and hire the first company you come in contact with. Get quotes, talk to various service providers, and make sure you’re confident in your decision. Web designers are your long term business partners and making the wrong choice can have disastrous consequences later.
3. Make sure your company is preferably local, you can find them easily in a Google search, social media, or online reviews with positive feedback. Not much reassuring information on how trustworthy your company is means a major red flag.
4. Find out how long they’ve been around because experience counts but more importantly reliability counts. Unfortunately, web design is one of the biggest fly-by-night businesses in the world and they come and go like the wind. You don’t want a company that disappears a couple years into your business relationship.
5. Check out their portfolio and they should have enough of one to get an idea of what their standard of work is. Make sure their design style is something you’d want for your own business and is compatible with what your needs are. Have they done a website relating to your particular industry, try and find out.
6. Here’s a big one make sure whoever contacts you gets back to you quickly and is responsive with their customer service from the beginning. If they are slow to reply or hard to get a hold of expect this to be a reoccurring theme throughout your experience with them. If they are big in excuses.
7. If they are trying to force you the make a decision quickly or pay now for a discount to be available. Any smart business person takes their time to make an informed decision and they should give you your space. Constant follow-up phone calls, texts, or emails is a no-no so don’t play that game.
8. Trust your gut and make sure you get good vibes with who you’re dealing with and you can see them as long-term business partners. Similar to hiring a co-worker or working with a boss you respect your web developer isn’t your local mechanic or electrician. You will be dealing with them frequently and if communication or workflow is bad it’s a dark hole that’s hard to get out from.