Many good ideas have fallen by the wayside for one reason or another. If you’re launching a new company, or if your current company has a big new idea, one thing is certain: If your website isn’t a good representation of your product, company and values, you’re going to hit some roadblocks. The key is to hire a design company.
Web design companies are a fairly new concept, so you might be wondering how to go about choosing the right one for you. It takes a combination of knowing your company, knowing where you’d like your company to go in the near future and understanding what you want the design company to do for you. So if you’re looking for a few tips and tricks to find the best company to fit in, you’ve come to the right place.
Start With Your Research
This can be a vital role in finding a company to work with. Many of the web design businesses will offer things that can give you an idea of what you’ll be dealing with, like free proposals for the work you need done or examples of what they’ve worked on before. Doing a little comparison shopping is a great way to narrow your options down to a few companies you really think you might like to work with. Plus, getting proposals allows you to eliminate anyone who isn’t playing at market value. They might claim to be the best, but they need to convince you before hitting you with the price tag.
Consider Their Company Website
If you’re hiring someone who is designing your website, it’s probably a good sign if you like what they’ve already done. This isn’t necessarily a win or lose situation, but if their company already tends to gravitate towards what you like, you’re probably going to end up on the same page.
A company’s website is supposed to reflect things like their values, mission statement and corporate culture. Just like finding a new employee, a business that is a good match to yours is going to make this whole train ride smoother.
Does Their Salesperson Know Their Stuff?
A salesperson is the company’s “face.” Whatever they’re selling, a company should have taken the time to train their salespeople so that they make your job easier. The best web design company is going make sure that their “face” is the best side of them.
Your salesperson shouldn’t just be a stream of facts and prices either. They’ll be representing the company, so you should take into account everything they do — from how well-spoken they are to how long it takes them to respond to an inquiry. After all, when they’re competing for your business, they’ll be on their best behavior. If it takes them a week to reply to a simple question, how long will it take to fix an issue?
Make Sure You’re On the Same Page
One mistake many people make is assuming that what they’ve said was interpreted the way they meant it. This can lead to misunderstandings, which in business, can lead to lost money. The goal of both parties should be to make sure that you’re understanding what the other person means. You need to make sure your salesperson will listen to you, but you also need to listen to them.
If you’re unsure if what you said came across clearly, ask them how they would explain it. This can help to head off misunderstandings before they get started and allows your salesperson to understand you better.
Get a Contract in Writing
When you’ve finally decided on a company, relax. The hard part is over and if you’ve chosen well, you shouldn’t have to worry about going through that process again for a while.
After you’ve taken a few breaths, steel yourself again. Now comes the part where you have to actually put up money. This can be a contentious point for many small businesses, who value every last dollar. You need to go into this expecting to have a bit of back and forth. If your salesperson has done a good job establishing your trust, it shouldn’t be an issue. It’s important that your salesperson be able to explain why they’re asking that much and what value this is going to bring your business.
The important thing to remember here is that you’re not really buying a product from someone when you enter into this process. You’re buying a relationship and similar to hiring a new employee, you both have to want to make it work. Depending on the contract, you may be signing up to use this company for at least a few years and your website’s functionality is dependent upon them.
You have a great deal of options and web design companies are not leaving anytime soon. If you choose correctly, this may be a job you only have to do once. Otherwise, eventually you’ll be starting from scratch.
