hugoguzman
05-27-2004, 02:16 AM
I have come to the conclusion that for shopping web services (Design, Programming, SEO, etc..) on the internet is very similar to visiting a back street bazaar deep inside the borders of foreign country. All of the vendors, large and small, are vying for your attention. You’ve got sales slogans pitched at you from every direction. The marketplace is crowded and you start to sense that everybody is looking to swindle you out of your hard earned money.
You can always rely on the experience and sheer volume of the big boys. But the large operations don’t offer much in the way of attention to detail. You tend to get lost in the shuffle, and most importantly, the price is always a bit steep.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can slip away from the main street and venture into the dimly lit back alleys searching for a bargain. But of course, you’re typically met by shady hustlers and less than scrupulous fly by night outfits. You have to be really careful, and despite your best efforts, you might still be stuck holding a lemon.
Relax. Its not really so bad. All you need is a plan of action. Here are a few simple steps that can help you on your way to building, maintaining, and promoting the perfect website:
1) Shop Around - If you are like most people you know a friend of a friend that builds websites. Don’t assume that he or she is going to have all of the keys to your internet future. Browse the internet search engine and directories. Browse your local yellow pages. Take a look at the advertisements in your local newspapers. Make sure to get a strong grasp of the options that are open to you.
2) Use the Large Vendors to your advantage – Even if you can’t really afford the astronomical prices of the large web design or marketing firms, use them as a benchmark for the services that you are expecting to receive. If the large design firms offer firm project deadlines, than the small vendors should have one too! If the large corporate marketing firm offers a free project analysis, then the friend of a friend should do the same!
3) Obtain a written quote - If your friend of a friend or the guy you met in a web forum can’t provide you with a written quote and specific deadlines it might be time to move on to another provider. Many an internet project has been doomed by unclear production guidelines and vague deadline commitments.
4) Ask for a Portfolio or References - This is a crucial step. If you want someone with little or no working experience to build your site just visit the local college were you live and post a flyer in the common area. I’m sure there are plenty of undergraduate students that are capable of making or optimizing a simple website and could use some extra pizza money. If you want to build and maintain an attractive website that is geared for today’s consumer and ranks well in the major search engines, you need to utilize a professional. And the only way that you can verify that someone is a professional in this field is preview their body of work. Make sure that you verify all of the portfolio or reference material. Check the credits at the bottom of a website or contact the webmaster to verify that portfolio information that has been given to you is accurate.
5)Leave yourself an out – A scrupulous web design firm or independent webmaster will give offer a “Kill Fee” (a fee that will allow you to opt out of completing a specific project without paying the full proposed amount), or stipulate guidelines regarding payment (or nonpayment) for services rendered. Make sure that if your project is abandoned or incomplete you are not left empty handed.
There are other questions that need to be answered if you are to successfully complete your website project, but these simple steps should help you navigate through that chaotic bazaar.
You can always rely on the experience and sheer volume of the big boys. But the large operations don’t offer much in the way of attention to detail. You tend to get lost in the shuffle, and most importantly, the price is always a bit steep.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can slip away from the main street and venture into the dimly lit back alleys searching for a bargain. But of course, you’re typically met by shady hustlers and less than scrupulous fly by night outfits. You have to be really careful, and despite your best efforts, you might still be stuck holding a lemon.
Relax. Its not really so bad. All you need is a plan of action. Here are a few simple steps that can help you on your way to building, maintaining, and promoting the perfect website:
1) Shop Around - If you are like most people you know a friend of a friend that builds websites. Don’t assume that he or she is going to have all of the keys to your internet future. Browse the internet search engine and directories. Browse your local yellow pages. Take a look at the advertisements in your local newspapers. Make sure to get a strong grasp of the options that are open to you.
2) Use the Large Vendors to your advantage – Even if you can’t really afford the astronomical prices of the large web design or marketing firms, use them as a benchmark for the services that you are expecting to receive. If the large design firms offer firm project deadlines, than the small vendors should have one too! If the large corporate marketing firm offers a free project analysis, then the friend of a friend should do the same!
3) Obtain a written quote - If your friend of a friend or the guy you met in a web forum can’t provide you with a written quote and specific deadlines it might be time to move on to another provider. Many an internet project has been doomed by unclear production guidelines and vague deadline commitments.
4) Ask for a Portfolio or References - This is a crucial step. If you want someone with little or no working experience to build your site just visit the local college were you live and post a flyer in the common area. I’m sure there are plenty of undergraduate students that are capable of making or optimizing a simple website and could use some extra pizza money. If you want to build and maintain an attractive website that is geared for today’s consumer and ranks well in the major search engines, you need to utilize a professional. And the only way that you can verify that someone is a professional in this field is preview their body of work. Make sure that you verify all of the portfolio or reference material. Check the credits at the bottom of a website or contact the webmaster to verify that portfolio information that has been given to you is accurate.
5)Leave yourself an out – A scrupulous web design firm or independent webmaster will give offer a “Kill Fee” (a fee that will allow you to opt out of completing a specific project without paying the full proposed amount), or stipulate guidelines regarding payment (or nonpayment) for services rendered. Make sure that if your project is abandoned or incomplete you are not left empty handed.
There are other questions that need to be answered if you are to successfully complete your website project, but these simple steps should help you navigate through that chaotic bazaar.