Released on: March 13, 2008, 6:45 am

Press Release Author: www.greatpromotionsite.com

Industry:

Press Release Summary: Today, most businesses want a website. Some already have one.
Others want one. They don\'t want to hire IT staff and probably can\'t afford any. And
in most cases, an in-house IT staff, especially for your typical small business,
just isn\'t necessary. But, that doesn\'t mean that you have to go without or will be
forced to use some cookie cutter website or a personal FrontPage experiment gone
awry. You can hire a web developer/designer to create a professional website for
you, set it up, and then hand it over to you for you to do what you want with it.
But, how should you go about finding someone to do this? What should you look for?
There are literally thousands of companies/individuals out there offering to do your
website. How do you pick from this large group?

Press Release Body: Today, most businesses want a website. Some already have one.
Others want one. They don\'t want to hire IT staff and probably can\'t afford any. And
in most cases, an in-house IT staff, especially for your typical small business,
just isn\'t necessary. But, that doesn\'t mean that you have to go without or will be
forced to use some cookie cutter website or a personal FrontPage experiment gone
awry. You can hire a web developer/designer to create a professional website for
you, set it up, and then hand it over to you for you to do what you want with it.
But, how should you go about finding someone to do this? What should you look for?
There are literally thousands of companies/individuals out there offering to do your
website. How do you pick from this large group?

What Do You Want?

The first step is to decide exactly what you want on your website. This is very
important as it will determine what the requirements are and, in turn, what skill
set your web developer needs to fulfill your needs. Here are some questions to ask
of yourself:

* What kinds of information do you want to have on your site? Approximately how
large do you envision the site (# of pages)?

* Will your site require regular updates? Do you want to do these updates yourself?

* Will you be engaging in e-commerce on this website?

* Will you need a database?

* How fast do you need the job done?

* What is your budget?

Start Your Search

Doing a web search for someone that has the skills you will need for your website
will still give you a humongous list of possible choices. Referrals are often the
best method of weeding people out. IF someone recommends a developer, it is because
they are happy with the service they were provided. So, if someone recommends a
developer to you, you should check that developer out and see if they have the
skills you will need from them.

Often, the developers you are pondering are not located in your town. In today\'s day
and age, this is not usually a problem. Yes, there are instances where a
face-to-face meeting is really beneficial, and if you are the kind of really
considers this meeting important, you should limit your search to developers within
driving distance of your location. Otherwise, the internet and phone system provide
all the communication you will need, regardless of distance.

The first thing to do when considering a developer is to check out their website.

* IS the site well-designed and attractive?

* Is it easy to navigate?

* Are there any broken links?

* Is the information complete (introduction to staff, company location, contact
methods, etc.)?

* Does the site load quickly?

* IS there a portfolio? (Very important. A developer without a portfolio to display
is a total question mark. You simply don\'t know if the people are good or are
snacking on Doritos trying to figure things out as they go).

* What skills does the developer have? Do they do design only, or can they do
dynamic web development and database design? Also, ensure that they do not advertise
themselves as a web designer but focus mainly on print media. Internet design and
print design are different ballparks with different requirements. Also, keep in mind
that good use of Dreamweaver or FrontPage does not in itself make a web designer.
Check their portfolio and ensure the developer really knows his stuff. A person
well-versed in internet development should know not only about creating the site,
but also maintaining it, marketing it, and promoting it. Ideally, a web developer
has successfully done all of the above on his own sites.

* Does the site offer customer testimonials? Read them. And, you might even contact
those clients independently to ask them questions of the service you were provided.

Small Freelancers vs. Big Firms

You need to decide if you want to work with a large design firm or a small freelance
company (or even single developer). There is more security for the client when
working with a larger firm. The skills they offer vary widely because their staff is
so large, and they often have a very large portfolio. The caveat, though, is that
large companies often charge more money. The overhead costs for such companies are
larger, so they will charge more. Additionally, larger companies often come with
more beauracracy. With so many developers, often communication is just not what it
should be, leading to inconsistencies in the project due to miscommunication. Also,
sometimes you will find that these companies pay a little too much attention to
process rather than simply getting the job done.

Freelance developers offer better value for the money, and because they are a single
person, the communication flow between them and the client is usually much better
(one-on-one). If there is a staff, usually the size is small, meaning communication
will still be more tight-knit. This will lead to more consistent coding and
coordination. Also, you know who is responsible for your project and there is more
accountability. In larger firms, nobody is responsible in some cases. (Or so they
say). The downside of freelancing is that their skill set is their skill set, and if
you need something that they don\'t know how to do, they must research it. Also,
freelancers are limited by their size. If they already have a high workload, then
their throughout is limited and it may force you to wait. So, depending on the size
of your project, a large firm might guarantee the job gets done quickly.

Rates and Guidelines

Check out the rates of the developer. Often, you will not find the rates directly
posted on their website. This is usually because they like to do things by estimate,
so simply contact them, give them a few specs, and go back and forth until you get a
ballpark figure. When getting an estimate, make sure it is detailed and exact. Ask
any questions that you have. If you think the price is too high, ask them about it.
Don\'t be afraid to counter-offer. They can always refuse.

Check out the developer\'s contract. Make sure the client is protected. Pay attention
to guarantees of response time. You want to make sure your developer is available
for you. Also, look for their policy on project changes. Obviously, you cannot alter
the specs of your project once an estimate is agreed upon without expecting
additional fees. Ask them about this. Also, inspect the contract for warranty of
work. Who will they handle bugs in the work they have done?

Talk With Them

Any developer you consider should have a method of being reached by phone. Call them
and gauge their personality. Make sure they are good people who you can talk with
and bounce ideas off of. See if they treat you right or act like they barely have
time for you. Good communication is very important to a successful project, and if
you can\'t properly communicate to your developer, you should not hire him/her.

Evaluate

Evaluate your potential developers using the advice above and you will be more
likely to have successfully completed project with minimal frustration.



Web Site: http://www.greatpromotionsite.com

Contact Details: S.C.F.113 Phase11,9872243909