Finding a Website Designer

Website design is a term which covers a wide range of website development activities, from “do it yourself” to paying to have someone else do it for you, mostly the later.

First ask yourself, “How much do I want to spend?”  This will greatly influence who you get to build your website. For instance do it your self websites can be very cheap, or you can very easily spend thousands of dollars or more on a custom website design. Be realistic, and don’t spend more than you or your business can afford.

Second, be clear what the aim of your website is. Ask yourself, “What do I want my website to accomplish?” You must know the answer to this question before going any further. There is an old saying “If you do not know where you are going, you will not get there”.

Thirdly let me say that if you wish to build your own website for about $257 a year, including an e-commerce online store, or if you wish to have one professionally custom designed for you (including the online store) for about $399 on top of the $257, then you can achieve either goal at www.wrsbuilder.com, offered by WRS Web Solutions Inc. WRSBuilder website builder. Both options come with 5 e-mail accounts.

That said, if you wish to shop elsewhere, please look for reference or testimonials from past customers. If possible ask to see a portfolio of website which they have made. Know exactly what the whole website is going to cost you, not just for design, but hosting, e-mail, online store, special forms, etc. Remember that most often when you buy things separately they cost more than when they all come in one convenient well integrated package, such as from WRSBuilder. There is the problem that separate products and services from separate vendors, may leave you in a tough and expensive spot if they do not work well (or at all) together. A single vendor is more likely to have Technical Support to cover any problem. If you are not knowledgeable, you may be best getting a package than trying to integrate solutions from different vendors yourself.

You should also realize that getting the website designed is just one step. You must find someone to host it for you. You will want to make changes to it, and you may have to pay by the hour to have those changes made. With WRSBuilder most times you can make the change yourself, on your schedule and for free.

If you are not using WRSBuilder website builder to look after all your needs, either by building it yourself (and no you do not have to know anything much about computers, if you can find this article on the internet then you have enough skills already), or by having it custom designed for you using the Quick Start Custom Website Design Program located at http://www.wrsbuilder.com/customWebsites.htm, which you can find information on if you take a free 10 day trial, with no need to give a credit card number or commit to anything. You can even provide your e-mail address and have the information e-mailed to you, without even starting a free trial.

As for places to find website designers (other than WRSBuilder), your best bet is to ask someone you know who has a good website that you like, and ask them how satisfied they are with their website. It may be tricky asking them how much they paid, as they may have paid way too much, but if you know them well enough you might be abet o find that out. You can also look on the internet under “website design”. Be sure to ask all the right questions, and you want a quote not an estimate, there is a huge difference between the two. Try to make a list in advance of all the right questions to ask including a few such as:

1.       Website design cost

2.       Website hosting cost

3.       Setup fees

4.       E-mail  account fees

5.       Domain name fees

6.       Currency you are being billed in

7.       Quote or estimate

8.       Number of pages included in price

9.       Number of pictures includes in price

10.     Number of products included in online store

11.     Technical Support Fees

12.     Other costs

No matter who your online store is with there may be some fees for credit card handling, and/or a percentage of the sale.

I hope the above has been useful and educational for you. Most importantly of all do not rush into an expensive website design without really thinking it all through, and comparing costs, or simply try a free 10 day trial of WRSbuilder at www.wrsbuilder.com and try before you buy, doing so may also help you refine your list of questions to ask other designers. May your business prosper.

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