Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Be prepared to spend money as well. Good web design should not be cheap. There are so many fee-sensitive clients who avoid the good companies because of rates. If only they knew...

Here`s a weird but related point, speaking of CSS (cascading style sheets). Everyone "in the know" seems to think CSS is the only way anyone should ever again design anything. Wrong...

I`ve been learning all about that stuff, to try and have a more consistent look, and to put info across the whole screen. Took awhile, but I got it. Then I created one of our ads for eBay.

First of all, eBay isn`t at all compliant with much of anything else. Secondly, the Internet Explorer (IE 6.0) doesn`t understand several CSS tags, and seems unable to render cell background images in a table.

So the ad looked four very different ways. One way in Nvu, another in Firefox, different in IE, and finally, different again in eBay.

When you go to get a Web designer, don`t let yourself get blathered into using ONLY some language, ONLY CSS, Never tables, or whatever else is "only" this or that!

A far better thing to ask about is the specific process they use to *validate* your site, and to examine what the pages will look like under many different browers and environment.

I like your last comment Craig.  So many designer/developers want to fit their clients into a mold of "our way or the highway."  While I think that sometimes there is clearly one "best" path; I think it`s an advantage to be able to truly analyze what the client REALLY needs and then do what`s best for them.

Our clients pay us for expertise not just a "pretty picture."

I think it`s also important for web designers to impart the importance of web marketing strategies to their clients.  There has to be a balance of having a visually pleasing AND effective site Along With a kick-b#$% marketing campaign leading the right kinds of customers to the door.

You guys all seem so great!  In a world of so many mediocre designers it`s awesome to see ones that excel. 

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AMH Creative
Outstanding Design for Outstanding People
www.amhcreative.com

Personally, I think a client is lucky if they a designer who says would design in CSS and in no other way. Alot of designers still work on table based design :(

Though, even if a client did ask how a designer validates (which I doubt they will ask unless it`s a big company), the client probably wouldn`t understand the terminology. But yes, cross browser compatibility is important.

Yes! This is exactly what any client is paying for.


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Cathy | JustOrganizeYourStuff.com | Organizing Life to Enjoy Life.

You make a lot of great points in your post.  One thing I would point out , SEO is a complicated industry and your designer should not be doing your SEO.  Great designs  and creativity is what you hire them for.

Good SEO firms is who you want to do your SEO, folks that spend all their time understanding the search engine algorithms.  The market is to big to try and hire someone that can do both of these at the level they need to be done. 

I would say a good designer would present the client with all the options SEO, adwords, etc.. and then outsource that work to an expert in that field.

I agree with you Terrence.  We do basic SEO, the very basic "must haves" of building the site--stuff that is more easily done while building the website.  But we refer all clients to trusted SEO and web marketing specialists to finish their "complete package."

However,  the only part I`d differ on is that I believe that a great designer isn`t just for "great designs and creativity."  The one you really want to hire (and never lose)--is the one that not only has great designs and creativity but knows how to use those talents to REALLY reach your customers in a way that resonates.

Be an expert in your field and refer other experts! :)

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AMH Creative
Outstanding Design for Outstanding People
www.amhcreative.com

Speaking of SEO, I am looking for a SEO firm for our web site www.RealEasybooks.com

After my last disastrous experience, I will only hire one that is recommended by a satisfied customer(s). If there is a satisfied custemer amoung you? I would like to hear from you.

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Ed Lichtman, RealEasyBooks.com ... accounting software for the busy entrepreneur 925-280-7769

Ed- I can see why you`re not getting results. Aesthetically speaking, it`s a great site, but very poor from a site architecture standpoint as it relates to SEO :(

Honestly, if you are paying someone to do your site, you shouldn`t really have to know/care/whatever what it`s done in. If you know what all these things are, you probably are just doing it yourself.

Things that do matter: Does it work? Is it what you wanted? Are you getting results? Are you satisfied with the process? Does it look like a quality product?