I ran across a blog post the other day that proposed 9 things you must do before you hire someone to build or redesign your website. Here are the 9 things they proposed.
- Gather all your information
- Have your logo ready in high resolution and several formats
- Gather or have photos taken that showcase your business
- Have a list of what you like and want your website to look like
- Create a list of your website needs
- Decide on the focus of your website
- Plan how you will handle the leads that come in
- Create a plan for your blog
- Plan for the future
While each of these options has a place it can be easy for you as a client to come to a designer and basically tell them how to create your website. There are web designers that do that but I tend to think of them as web constructors. They just do what you want them to do. If that is what you want to do go for it. But consider for a moment the benefits of hiring a web design professional.
At Smitten, we believe that hiring a web designer should allow you to leverage their professional experience to craft an experience your customers will enjoy. We believe your web designer should help you present your company’s unique selling proposition (USP) while telling your story so it connects with your ideal customers.
While each of the 9 steps above are part of developing a great web experience for your customers we believe it is important to consult with your design professional during this process. By leveraging the experience of your web designer you gain the benefit of their experience while planning and gathering the necessary material with which to craft an exceptional experience for your customers.
I’d recommend being aware of the 9 steps above so you can be mentally prepared to work with your web designer as you gather and provide the needed information to create a great final product; a website that clearly says who you are, has a clear focus, and allows your customers to easily interact with your site. The outcome results in added value for you and your customers.