Choosing the right website designers for small business

I write quite a bit about how to find the right website designers for small business. I know it’s something that business owners struggle with. How do you find someone you can trust? And how do I know it’s the right fit for my business? Just because you’ve found a website for a company, it doesn’t mean they are good, legitimate, or won’t vanish the next day. Chris Lema recently wrote a great series on developers who go AWOL. It happens. I can’t even recount how many times I’ve had new clients come to me after they paid someone a lot of money to work on their website and then the web designer disappeared. No return phone calls, no emails. Just gone. So how do you know who to trust?

The quick answer is: you don’t. But, the good news is that you can take steps to protect yourself before you begin.

Do your research

Once you find a company you are interested in hiring, research them. Try to answer these questions:

1. How long have they been in business?
2. Where are they located?
3. Who runs it?
4. How big is the company? How many employees do they have?
5. Are they registered with the secretary of state (LLC, PC, etc)?
6. What are their credentials or qualifications?
7. Are they a virtual business or do they have offices?
8. Are they active on social media and do they have endorsements in LinkedIn?

Once you’ve done this research and you feel satisfied with the answers, the next step is to figure out what you need from the company, and if they can provide those needs. Ask yourself these questions:

What do I need my website to do, and does this company offer those services?
So often we get inquiries from people looking for services we don’t offer. We aren’t a one-stop shop. Instead, we choose to specialize in our area and what this means is that we can’t provide every person with everything they need. We prefer to work with people who need the services we offer, instead of trying to accommodate everyone. This gives us more time to develop our skills in our field, instead of trying to figure out how to dabble in everything. We aren’t afraid to turn you away if what you need isn’t what we do. Look at the company’s website and see what they offer. Do they list what you need?

The final step is to contact the company. The initial contact is how you will begin your relationship with this business, and will help you determine if it’s a good fit. Just because you feel satisfied that the company isn’t going to disappear, doesn’t mean the business will be a good fit for your needs.

A few things to consider are:

• Do they have a strong portfolio? Do I like what they’ve done?
• Are there testimonials? Do others like working with them?
• Is there a person responding, or is it an auto-responder?
• Do I feel like they are interested in working with me?
• Are they friendly?
• Do they understand my needs?
• How long did it take for them to respond?
• Do I get a good feeling?

Don’t discount your instincts. If you think don’t think you’ve found the website designers for your small business, then look at other options. I always say that we may be the best fit, but we also may not.

Want more information about getting a website? Request a quote today and find out if we’re a good fit for your small business website.