Working With a Website Designer

You've contracted a web designer, now what should you do? Try to keep the following in mind. If you do these things, your website project will run smoothly.

• Send materials to your website designer on time
• Provide clear and specific instructions and include as much detail as possible
• E-mail your site outline and website copy to the designer
• Send your designer copies of your letterhead, brochures, logos and other materials with the colors and ideas you have in mind on disc or in print
• Let your designer know about any special pages you want to include
• Write the copy for your site, then work with your designer to improve the content for SEO
• If you are not satisfied with your website designer's work, explain why, and give your designer the opportunity to make it right
• Find out about your designer's policy for ongoing updates or site changes
• Take your designer's knowledge and suggestions into account
• E-mail your designer user names and passwords, and FTP information they request
• Send a list of 5-10 sites you like, or don't like to the website designer
• Make arrangements for billing - hosting, domain names, and any other requested services

Tips:

Here are some tips that will keep you in good favor with your designer. It should lead to a professional design regardless of the process used to get there.

• Respect your designer. The designer will, in turn, respect you.

• Design is subjective. If you see something you don't like, use diplomacy to change it to something you do like.

• Try to be a clear as possible early in the game. Major changes late in the development process will send your designer into a tailspin.

• Thank your designer if you think it's a job well done.

• Trust your designer. If you like the work in the portfolio, trust that the same quality work will be done for you.