So you’ve decided to update your existing website or build a new one from the ground up. A new website can refresh your brand and make your business more relevant to its target audience – if it’s done right. You’ll need a quality web design agency to help you create this kind of site. Here’s how to find one:
Understand your needs
This is always the first step in finding a web design company (or any kind of service provider, for that matter). Hold a meeting with people who are the most closely related to the site – stakeholders, marketing departments, etc. Together you should come up with a list of requirements. Some may be rigid, while others may be flexible. Whatever the case, ensure that you have fully documented and clarified your needs in a website.
Your network isn’t the end-all be-all
Many people would suggest tapping your own professional and personal networks to find a web design agency, and this isn’t bad advice. Keep in mind, however, that you are after a specific result. Your wife’s best friend’s husband might create top-quality healthcare websites for doctors, but if you need a site built for your SaaS startup, he might not be the right choice to build your website.
More important than the abilities of people in your network is the result you want to achieve. It’s fine to give people you know a shot at meeting your needs, but remember to stay focused on the results.
Communication is key
Once you’ve found a company that you think can provide what you need, take a few moments to consider their communication. How do they respond to emails? Are they thorough with their explanations? Does it take two days for them to call you back? These are all questions you should ask yourself before committing to a specific provider.
Remember, your website is a long-term project. It will probably take several months to complete. Even if a prospective vendor does great work, if their communication is extremely poor, it might not be worth dealing with them for half a year or longer.
Pricing shouldn’t be top priority
Price always matters, but it shouldn’t be the thing that matters most. Remember, this is your website. It’s the first impression most people will have of your business. Is it really worth saving one or two thousand dollars if it means your business gives off a poor impression to the world?
The time to seriously consider price is when you have multiple competitive vendors who all seem to offer what you need. If both offers seem similar yet the prices are drastically different, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask why. You could even let the higher-priced vendor know that you received a similar quote at a much lower price – just remember that aggressively shopping agencies against one another solely to drive down the price is considered poor taste by some. At the end of the day, you must set a budget that makes sense for your business, but do your best not to let pricing dictate your entire search.
Last word on choosing a web design agency
Picking a company to create your next website is no easy task. Don’t speed into a decision – take your time to review the company’s offering, proposal, past history of work, and style of communication. Above all, trust your instincts – if something doesn’t feel right, don’t spend thousands of dollars with a web design agency that doesn’t inspire confidence.
