Finding a designer might not seem complicated until you talk to a few – you realize each one has a different style, different personality, price list, and different ideas of what you need and must do. Some of them will scare you away for numerous reasons, while some may open up your eyes to a new perspective on your business, its growth, and its potential. Yet it’s totally natural that you are looking for the best web designer…
How do you start?
Always check your network first. Ask your Facebook friends and professional network for recommendations. Often, the best designers are found through word-of-mouth from satisfied clients. Leveraging your existing contacts could lead to high-quality recommendations.
Researching on social media is another great way to find someone you will connect with. Heads up, often friends recommend friends so don’t be fooled and do your diligence by setting up time to talk and learn about the logo or web designers.
You can also search the web, for example, “best logo designer in Tampa Palms“, “web designer in Tampa“, “best web designer in New Port Richey”. Personally, I like working with people I can meet in person or via zoom. (Here’s the link to my calendar). So do take the time to meet and learn about the individuals. Trust your gut but also keep in mind that if something sounds too good to be true it might not be the best idea 😉
I hear often that small business owners create “contests” for the logo or website. In my experience – most good designers hate those, and won’t waste their time, as they are humans with bills and responsibilities too, so you might get someone straight out of school, with minimal knowledge and skill and just waste your time while walking away with something you won’t like.
To pick the best web designer to work with you need to do a little homework.
Check their portfolio very carefully.
Do you like what they’ve done so far or hate it? Do you think they can bring a fresh perspective on your business or the business you want to start? Keep in mind that usually, designers’ final projects are a reflection of their client’s style. Sometimes it’s worth giving them full creative freedom.
However, if you don’t really like the website portfolio, it’s confusing and not appealing – go back to searching.
Check their references.
Check the references and testimonials, LinkedIn profile (here is mine), ask for programs they use, do they use responsive (mobile friendly) themes (please – this is a must!!), how easy will it be for you to update the site, do you need to pay for it, if you decide to change the text a little bit or add more posts to your blog. Do they offer any training? Can they help with hosting setup or choosing the right provider?
I am sure after a few interviews you will have much more questions.
Schedule a 15-20 min phone call.
This is a must in my opinion. Considering you will have a person work on your logo and/or website take the time to chat. This person should get to know you and your ideas to create something that will be authentic, aligned with your mission, and attract your ideal client. Often times we can figure out fast if it will be easy to work with and if they are interested in your business, trying to get to know you and understand your vision, and also, if they are trying to ensure you stand out. Food for thought: were they asking specific questions about your business, about where you see your business in 5 – 10 years?
Did they ask about the services you love most? Did they learn about your current marketing pathways and where you would like to concentrate? Did they discuss your brand’s values, target audience, and business objectives?
Schedule a call with Kredo Design.
Ask about their skills.
As much as many designers love to talk in jargon – can they explain to you what they do, their skills, and their special talent so you actually understand. As much as it may not be so important during the initial call, during the web designing process you will need to make many decisions and their communication style is crucial so that you make an informed decision, not just follow their guidance blindly.
Ask about deliverables.
Yes, ask for a list of what will be provided. I hear nightmare stories of people receiving png images as logos. Those might look cute but are not scalable and the logo should be received in AI (vector format), a few jpg sizes, and PNG. Why? If you will be sending the logo to the printer to put on the banner you want to make sure it’s sharp no matter the size. If the image becomes blurred or pixelated, it’s most likely a raster file.
If it’s a website – ask what’s included, how many pages, do you provide images, who writes the copy, what platform is the designer using and if you will have the access to it.
Ask about SEO.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and many designers include it in the price of building a website. If it is not included, and therefore Google won’t see your website correctly – you risk losing visibility online and income. This is the risk I wouldn’t take! At Kredo Design we believe in doing the work so you can be visible and found online!
Ask about success stories.
Can the person you are talking to come up with a few stories of a happy client? When I was hiring people I observed them to see if they are happy when talking about previous clients, do they smile, do they sound proud of what they do? Those seem not important yet show a lot of their care, dedication, and drive. And as much as we all know not all clients are amazing, not every client story might be a 5-star review we all want to work with people we like and trust. So trust your judgment.
Ask about the timeline.
How long will the project take? What do you need to provide? How booked are they? Do they have additional help? Many solopreneurs designers have multiple projects at the same time but ask when is a good time to start the project so they are not overworked. After all you want them to be creative and putting lots of effort into your project!
Ask about ongoing service.
Knowing you can get help as your business grows and the same person who built your website can provide maintenance or hourly rate for changes is something to keep in mind, whether you want to use this service or not. Ask for the prices, as it will build into the project value.
And when in doubt in search of the best web design please don’t hesitate to contact us!
Kredo Design is the Website Design Agency that you were looking for – We will guide you through the process, answer questions, help clarify the mission, goals, and marketing strategy.
If you are tired of searching for the “web designers near me” to find the right web designer for you, we hope these tips have helped solidify what you need and what to ask when hiring an agency. From CMS to SEO and all the letters in between, now you know the 13 mistakes people make when hiring a web designer, and how to avoid them.
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