It’s hard to think of any business bigger than a lemonade stand that can’t benefit from a functional, professional-looking website. And so, it’s not such a big surprise when clients come to us saying that they need to establish an online presence for their company. More often than not, however, they have no idea where to begin.

I can understand their confusion. Merely mention that you’re thinking about getting a new website, or updating the one you have, and you’ll soon find that there’s no shortage of advice on what you should do – including plenty of technical-sounding terms for “must-have” features.

Lost in all of this, though, is that websites are rarely built just to sit online; they’re usually designed to sell, inform, or serve some other purpose. And knowing what your site is all about before you hire a designer can save you an enormous amount of time, money, and frustration.

Here are three things to think about before you hire a web designer:

Who your visitors will be. What kind of person will be viewing your web pages? Will they be existing customers or new prospects? Colleagues or competitors? Having an idea about whom you want to draw in – and what you want them to take away from your site – is a critical first step toward building a concept that works. Try to form a specific image of your ideal visitor and then relay that to your designer so they can create something that attracts the right kind of attention.

What you need your site to do. Will you be selling online, or merely providing information? While there are obviously dozens of other things your site could do, this basic question can tell you a lot about the kinds of programming, hosting, and functionality you’re going to need. There’s no point in paying for complicated e-commerce packages if you don’t need them. Likewise, you’re going to be very disappointed if you expect your site to generate orders and it ends up working more like an online brochure.

Your budget and deadline. These might not be your first consideration, but it’s important to set the right expectations with any designer. Some companies can produce a simple website in just a few days; others require a minimum of a month or more. In the same way, costs can be across the board. While it’s a safe bet that quality work is probably going to put a bigger dent in your budget, it’s helpful to start out with a figure or range in mind.

Every Web project is different, and it’s not uncommon for a client’s needs or wants to change throughout the design process. But by having some basic ideas about what you need your site to be and do before you start collecting bids, you greatly increase the odds that you’re going to end up with a finished product that looks exactly like what you want.  Get a free web design quote from  MaryDesigns!

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