Newsletter ArchiveSUBJECT:Starting A Web Site Pt2 Welcome to The Internet 800 Directory Newsletter. Because Monday is Memorial Day, I want to start this newsletter by honoring those Americans who died while defending our Nation and its values. While we should honor these heroes every day for the contributions made to secure our freedom, we should especially remember them on Memorial Day. Last week, I started an article about selecting a web designer to create your new web site. If you followed last week’s steps you should have a pretty good idea of what you want in your site and how it ought to work. Now it’s time to contact some web designers and find the one that’s right for you. There are many such companies listed in the 800 Directory. One of the companies you will find listed is WebStyler. WebStyler built and maintains the Internet 800 Directory, as well hundreds of web sites for other businesses, nationwide. As an officer of WebStyler, I recommend contacting us, but my opinion may be biased. There are several things you should review with your potential web designer. The first one I would cover is the cost. Take the list of desired features and review it with the web designer. Refer them to the sites from your lists of both likes and dislikes. When you have completed this, the web designer should be able to provide you with the cost of building your site. If you find the expense is greater than your budget, you should create a priority list of features for your site. Using this list you can make sure priorities are met and drop expensive, low-priority "frills". Also the web designer might be able to suggest low cost ways to complete the same task. Discuss with the web designer the timetable of the project. Work out each phase of the project and have the web designer commit to it. Most importantly make it clear that the web designer must communicate any delays in the site construction. Also, ask about the procedure for changes or corrections, and whether these are covered in the initial cost. Make sure you have a clear understanding about who owns the copyrights to your web site. This point needs to be covered to protect you from any unpleasant surprises. For more information on copyrights and how they work you can visit this site. http://www.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ1.html Check on the designer’s experience in creating web sites. Ask for a customer list, review the sites on the list, contact some of the customers on the list and ask about their experience working with the designer. Please don’ t skip this last step; it will help ensure that you are working with a reputable and qualified company. Even if you choose not to contact the customers, be sure to visit their sites and see the quality of the web designer's work. An inexpensive web site isn't a great bargain if it looks terrible and/or doesn't work properly. If you have any thoughts on this subject or any ideas that could be helpful to the others in this group send them to me (Chuck Arning) at chuck@inter800.com All Contents Copyright ©1995-2001 The Internet 800 Directory Subscribe To The Newsletter: |