At every networking event, I meet website designers. Everyone seems to have a knack for designing websites and wants to earn extra money doing it.

I’ve been lucky. I hired website designer Dave Stott from Internet 6.com when I started business coaching and life coaching more than 10 years ago. He knew what he was doing then and even today he keeps updated on everything concerned with the Internet.

I asked Dave how a business owner finds a capable website designer with so many out there. He told me that when interviewing potential candidates think about these things:

• Did the website designer ask you about the purpose of your website? Is the purpose to bring in more business, as a 24-7 catalog for existing customers, or as an online extension of your day to day business?

• Did they listen or talk? Now that they know what you want, can they offer suggestions?
• Does the website designer have other sites they've developed that used similar processes? Did the designer have examples of sites on the internet that are being used right now? Especially useful are websites that include contact information so that you could call the web site owner and see if they are happy with their website -- (hint, hint.) If the designer can't show you a few examples of their work, or if they are reluctant to have you call clients, that should raise a red flag.
• Ask them if you can see a sample of the home page before the site is completed. This saves them unnecessary time and you money.
• Are they knowledgeable about search engine optimization (SEO)? Having a website is like owning a restaurant on a cul-de-sac -- you don't really get a lot of drive-by traffic. You have to let people know you're out there. This is usually done by having search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.) index your site and show your web address when someone searches for your product or service. SEO should be a fundamental part of the website construction, not an afterthought.
• How much will it cost and what does that cover? Anything that would add costs, such as stock photography or special fonts, should be discussed upfront. What kinds of changes are allowed after your website is designed is important to discuss as well. How many times, for example, will they rebuild the home page to get it just right? Do they charge a flat fee, or is it based on hours?
• Once the site is launched do they guarantee it will work? If it doesn't, then what?
• Will they be available to maintain the site? Your site is up, people are visiting, but it still is going to need updates. Nobody likes a stale website. If the person who built the website and is intimately familiar with it is willing to update it, what are their rates? If they don't do maintenance, what are their recommendations?

To check out upcoming tips on knowing when its time to fire your web designer, www.VickieChampion.com.

Share this: