How do you choose the best web designer when you know almost nothing about website design, what you need and how to build it?

This article will help you make an informed decision instead of just selecting the first web designer you find.

7 steps for choosing the best web designer:

1. Know the purpose of your website

Before searching for a web designer it’s a good idea to know what you want your website to do for your business. It will help the designer to know your needs. These are some questions to ask yourself:

* Do you want to generate leads?
* Do you want to an online presence for your offline store?
* Do you wish to sell products and/or services?
* Do you want to interact with your customers?
* Do you want to build long term relationships?

2. Experienced professional

There are many amateur designers who want to become professional. The problem is they don’t have many years of experience. For example they may create a pretty design but don’t know how to create search engine friendly pages. Look for a designer that has several years of experience, the more the better. Visit their website to see the portfolio of websites they have already designed.

3. Qualifications

By viewing their portfolio you have a good idea of the types of websites they have built, however some amateur designers will simply get a template, modify it a little then charge you for a complete design. A professional web designer should at least have these skill requirements:

* html/xhtml
* cascading style sheets (CSS)
* javascript
* graphic design
* ecommerce design
* php script installation and customization
* search engine optimization
* email marketing
* FTP

Other design qualifications

CIW (Certified Internet Web Professional) is the world’s leading Web technology certification and curriculum program. The Master CIW Designer Certification shows the designer has taken the time and made the investment to become a Master Designer. You can’t go wrong if you find a designer that has been awarded this certification.

5. Testimonials

Reading the recommendations from clients shows these clients trust in the designer’s services. Visit the designer’s website to read the testimonials. Ask for them if you don’t see them.

6. Pricing

This is going to be all over the map because it depends on the complexity of the work involved and who is doing it. An online store is containing 100s of products is going to cost more than a 5 page html website. A corporate design firm with many employees is going to charge more than a freelance web designer because they have to pay out salaries. Ask for a preliminary proposal from the designer before hiring him or her.

7. Ask for a contract

The contract should clearly state what’s involved in the design of the website, prices, maintenance and hosting fees. It should also include who owns the website and the timetable for completion.

If your web designer fulfills all these requirements, is friendly, helpful, polite and easy to work then go for it. You have made an informed decision that you will be happy with.

Hire a professional web designer to build your website by visiting Professional Web Designer.

Herman Drost is a Master CIW Designer,
owner and author of: http://www.isitebuild.com/portfolio.htm

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Herman_Drost

Web designers, like any creative person, can suffer from writers block. But because of our work, there are many ways you can learn to deal with the blocks and get unstuck. These six suggestions have worked for me to get new design ideas in the past and will work again.

1. Be prepared for procrastination to try to block you. When I’m working on a new design or article idea, I find that that’s when ideas for other projects will come up. For example, I might start thinking of ways to paint my office, about the wool I need to wash, or a possible location for a new kitchen garden. I realize that these are just ways of procrastinating, but they are also things I’d like to do. So, if I’m writing or working on a Web design, I write them down and continue brainstorming my current project. I’ve found that if I write down the things I want to procrastinate, they don’t press as much as they would if I try to simply ignore them.
2. Start in the middle. For some reason, many Web designers feel an intense need to start at the top of their Web page and design down. Yes, ultimately, you’ll have to think that way about the HTML or CSS, but when you’re working on a design, you should focus on the most important part first - and that’s not usually the navigation, branding, or advertising found at the top. When writing content, the same is true, I’ve found that if I start writing with a title, my articles are usually completely different than what the title says. So I have to write a new title when I’m done anyway.
3. Step away from the computer. I’ve found that it can get very easy to get hung up on technical issues like HTML or JavaScript when I try to do an initial design on the computer. While I do most of my rough writing drafts on the computer, I do most of my designs on paper first. For one thing, they’re easier to erase and scratch out. Plus, since I use scratch paper for most rough drafts, so if I decide I hate an idea, I don’t feel bad about throwing it out.

4. Take the time you need. Planning is one step in most projects that is both the most important and the least used. Most people, including Web designers, prefer to jump right in and start building things. If you prefer designing a page, you probably get out Dreamweaver or Photoshop immediately after starting a project. If you prefer developing pages, you probably jump right into the PHP or JavaScript to generate behaviors. But most Web design and development projects end up over budget, over time, or not meeting the requirements - and this is usually because the planning phase of the project was glossed over in favor of action. Take time with your planning and when you think you’re done, take a little more time. Planning won’t hurt your designs, but lack of planning will.
5. Ask for help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, but be sure to find people who can provide you with constructive criticism. It doesn’t help if they are too effusive about how wonderful it is, but someone who can’t find anything good is also not a lot of help.
6. If you’re really stuck, do something else. The idea is to get your mind off of the problem you’re working on. This can allow your subconscious to think about it unobstructed. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to sleep and woken up in the morning with the ideal solution completely formed in my head.

In today’s cyber-oriented world, you will rarely find a household or person who does not have a computer or access to the Internet. Everywhere you look - people are connected. Therefore, It is needless to say that if you are intent on having or running a successful online business or website, choosing a website design company is crucial, because you are depending on them to create an image for you, that will make or break your business.

Are you currently taking a passive stance with regard to your potential online success?

Will you finally decide to jump into the game and compete with the corporate world? Perhaps you already have a website but it is not doing justice to your company?

Do you want to get stuck with a stale-looking or unattractive website, that is scaring your clients away, rather then converting them into sales?

They say you have less then 8 seconds to create an impression on your visitor when visiting your website. So - make sure you instil the right image, by being picky when it comes time to select the web firm for your website design. Here are a few guidelines and pointers to help you choose the right designers:

1. First and foremost: Do they have a portfolio? Make sure they have some experience under their belts and, unless you want to be a designers test subject, make sure they have some experience behind them.

2. Look through the portfolio for variety. It is important that the designer’s skills are advanced enough to cater to any type of business. Do their clients websites all look similar in format and structure? Make sure you are paying for a custom web design service, not a cheap template.

3. How is their response time? This is vital to the success of your website. Take note of their choice of response (email, phone, fax, instant messenger, chat) and how quickly they can respond to your inquiries. If you prefer to do business over the phone and the designer doesn’t, then it’s probably best to move on to your next choice.

4. Do they have a contract? If its not written - its not true. Everything should always be put down in writing. Before you sign anything, make sure you read the entire contract, including all the fine print. If you have any questions on anything: ASK! Don’t sign a contract unless you understand everything in it. If the company’s representative makes you feel awkward or uncomfortable with your “bothersome” questions, then there is a problem right there.

5. How reasonable are their prices? Make sure you get what you pay for and if you are on a budget, that the designer you choose won’t exceed it. But it is also important to insure you put plan for extras and have a decent financial plan to invest into the website’s construction. Your website is going to be the link between you and your customers, so make sure it is the best it can be. Nowadays, you can find websites for 500$, or “package deals” that will “save” you money. Time and experience will tell, that is like going to McDonald’s when you should be going to the grocery’s healthy foods section.

If you can’t afford for everything you feel your website should have - then wait. Don’t settle for a low end website.

6. Do they know how to build your site for search engines? Promoting is key to your website’s success. It is best to find a designer that knows how to promote the sites they work on and design your site with search engines in mind . If you are serious about your business, plan a search engine optimization campaign for your business.

7. Are their clients satisfied? Can you find client testimonials on the site? Don’t hesitate to contact their clients to ask for their opinions and get their feedback on how their service with that company went. It’s your money after all.

8. Are they able to deliver to all your needs? Ecommerce, Flash - those are common elements to a website to give it that professional and corporate feel. Can they do everything you want? The last thing you want is different companies meddling with your website’s design. Choose a firm that has the full corporate solution for your needs - whether its Flash intros or database-driven websites.

9. Can they deliver on time? Are they willing to meet reasonable deadlines? If you need your site done by a certain date, can the designer you choose get it done by then?

10. Do they take a personal and friendly approach? Is the designer willing to help and suggest his/her own ideas, or do they robotically go along hoping they got everything you want? It’s always best to find a designer that has some ideas of their own, with fresh ideas and that knows their limits and won’t insist something be done a certain way if that’s not what you want.

Although this article can seem like a no-brainer to some, many companies will often run into difficulties and conflicts within their design process. These are simple yet often overlooked steps, and can be the difference between a rough or smooth design process. Keep this list in mind when looking for a web designer and you should find the right one to create your website.