Key considerations when you are selecting a web or graphic designer for your business.

Consider this statement;

“Price is only an issue when there’s nothing else to talk about”.

In many markets, there is nothing else to talk about. A Samsung 80cm TV for instance, is always a Samsung 80cm TV.  So if you’re buying one, price is probably an issue and with the price varying from $490 to $600 it might pay you to shop around. 

Price and budget are different. If budget is your key consideration, value for money is the determinant. So if you budget $1,000 for your new TV  you’re going overlook models that are above $1,000. You will find the one you consider to be the best value for your $1,000. The problem is that, at least initially, most people don’t have a budget and need to spend some time sussing out the market to see what their money can buy. This is the research stage and a time when, as the vendor, you’re unlikely to make the sale.

Your research may reveal that you have over budgeted and you only need to spend $895, however if you find you can’t get what you want for $1,000 then you have to either increase the budget or decide which features you’re happy to do without.

So then, when you’re looking to hire a designer for print and / or web design, how do you decide what your determinates are? How do you know if they’re any good, and more especially, how do you know they’re right for you?

Everybody has a friend or family member who does design work. Everybody figures they can get it done at mate’s rates if they go to that person. But if you’re a stable, conservative company and the “friend” has a flair for design but is commercially naive, they could probably build you an attractive website that doesn’t work for your audience; the chances are that you’re not compatible. Using them to save a few bucks, or because you feel obligated to, would be a big mistake.

Thre are many considerations in making this decision, and I’m indebted to folyo.me for providing the most succinct article on this topic I’ve ever read.

Here are the summary points…

• Look at the designer’s previous work to see if you like their style.
• Look at their design structure, it’s not just about how it looks, a better question to ask yourself is, “Does it work from a user experience perspective and will it get you the result you want?”
• Is the design justifiable? In other words, can they explain clearly why they did what they did?
• Is their style and your idea on the same page? (Refer my example above.)
• Can we communicate with each other?
• What is their level of experience? Do they have the right expertise?
• Are they passionate about their work?

There is no answer to the question, “How much is a website?” There are so many variables and it’s not just the number of pages either. I know of companies offering sites from $30 per month and I know of companies who won’t talk to you unless you have at least a $25,000 budget. The best answer I can give to that question is “It depends on what you want”.

From my perspective, I want to know if you’re happy with a single page design meaning each page looks exactly the same, or if you want the pages to look different as do the pages on this site. I want to know about your products or services, your marketplace, your target marketplace; your purpose for building the site, how the website fits into your overall marketing plan and more.

Plus I want to know if we’re compatible. If you’re looking for a grunge design, we’re wrong for each other! Our target audience is bricks and mortar businesses. If that’s who you are, and if you’re looking for a designer who knows how to represent you as a strong, serious, ethical operator, and knows how to help you make the sale, we need to talk!

Call us on 1300 884 757 or drop a note via the form.