Starting a business in Prescott is both exciting and potentially lucrative. However, starting a business is also costly, and most small businesses are on a tight budget. There are situations where a limited budget can force you to find innovative solutions. Other times it can lead to making mistakes that will hurt your business, or at the very least, take a lot of time and energy to undo. One of the mistakes we see regularly is hiring a website designer simply because they are a family member. At iPrescott Business Solutions, we want to educate you on the things to look for before hiring a web designer.
You may ask, “Why shouldn’t I hire my brother-in-law to build my website?” Your family member may be perfectly capable, but many times when working with family, they are over-eager to get your business. This can lead to severely under-charging you. Once they have realized their mistake, they may skip essential steps to protect their hourly rate or charge you more than they originally quoted you. Neither situation is good, and both can create tension in your relationship.
What if they are not a family member but a freelancer? Freelancers can be a good way to get a decent price on your website, but when they are unattached from a business, they may simply disappear. This could be because they found a better job, a paying client or because they experienced a crisis. Regardless of their situation, you will have to start all over.
What is a small business owner to do? Here are some questions to ask before hiring a web designer:
- How much do they charge? What is included with this price?
- How many web pages do you get for this price?
- What type of websites have they built?
- Do they offer SEO (Search Engine Optimization) services to help get your website found?
- Do they have content-writing services? (This is essential for good SEO)
- Do they insist on hosting your domain? (This is a red flag. It is good practice to keep your domain hosting separate, and manage it yourself.)
- Can they design a mobile-friendly website?
- Will they test your website before going live?
- Do they offer website maintenance packages?
- Do they have a project or account manager?
- Most importantly, will you have access to all login information, including the host, domain, and website?
Your website is your most valuable online asset and should be taken very seriously. It is how new customers will find you and how existing customers can learn more about your Prescott business. Finding the right web designer now will save you time and money, as well as help your company maintain valuable rankings in search engine results. If you are looking for an affordable, reliable, and SEO-friendly website designer, call iPrescott Business Solutions at 928-642-4048.