Get Clients, by Choosing the Right Web Designer

[Rex Curtis]

Picking a designer for your business website can be a daunting
task. Many of us don't know much about computer programming or
graphic design and feel intimidated when shopping around for a
designer.  There is nothing to fear with a little research and
some knowledge.   Ask around, get referrals, search the web and
come up with a list of designers to check out. Look at the web
designer's portfolio. Every designer has their own style and you
will see if that style fits your taste.   Once you find a few
designers you like, it's time to dig a bit deeper than the
looks. A website is not just about form, but also about
function. When you find designers that have a good style, find
out if they can make a stylish website that works.    What
do I mean by "Works"? Choose a designer who understands how to design
a site that makes visitors TAKE ACTION. Your web designer needs
to understand the fundamentals of business marketing, to design a site
that will push visitors in to doing what you want (signing up for your
newsletter, downloading a white paper, contacting you).   There
are very talented oil painters in the world there that most people
have never heard of. Why? They spend all their time in paint
and canvas and no time on marketing. Don't forget your
goal. Your goal is to get clients and build your business. A
website filled with pretty pictures is worthless, but a website made
for marketing will do wonders in attracting clients. Your website
needs to build your business. That is what's important.  
Find out how the designer develops a project. Their development
process needs to include

Discovery - The time you spend identifying the purpose of the website
(in other words, what you want the visitors to DO on your website) and
the features of the website, such a blog, content management system,
etc.
Information Architecture - A map (it can look like a family tree) that
details out every single page of your website.
Graphical User Interface sometimes also called a GUI (pronounced
gooey) - This is a sketch of your site, without the pretty pictures.
It will allow you and the designer to lay out the site to maximize
your call to action.
Design and Programming - This is where the programming and design
comes in. It's time for pretty pictures!
Testing - You need to make sure your website works.Your designer needs
to work closely with you to learn about the goals you have for the
company. This sounds like a big process and it is. But
creating a successful website for your business is worth it. 
  At the end of the design process you should own all copyrights
and files. You are paying a designer for their design
work. Just like you still own your car after you take it to the
mechanic, you should own everything from your website after its
design. Ownership also goes all the way down to your domain
name. You should own the domain name. You can purchase that
even before you contact a designer.   Keeping control of your
site is important. There may be times when you need professional
help if your site needs redesign or something serious, but you should
be able to go in and update the content on your site whenever you want
without having to pay the designer to do it. Make sure your
designer uses a Content Management System (CMS), so that you can
control updates.   Most web designers will offer multiple
services. They can design the site, put on content, and design
your logo. Make sure they know about SEO before letting them
write content. Make sure they understand logo design before
designing a logo. You might have to contract separate
professionals for these jobs.   There are a lot of great web
designers out there. Spend the necessary time to find a website
designer who understands marketing.