[ad_1]
You’re starting a new business selling potato chips in the shape of George Washington. The business is bound to be a success, but you need a website to get your product out to the eager masses. Of course, you are just starting out so money is a bit tight. You’ve thought about hiring a web design company and getting a custom web design, but just when you were about to start looking for someone to do the work, your cousin, Fred, says “Hey, don’t pay for a site. I’ll do one for ya for free.” Holy Cow! What a break!
At least that’s what you thought originally. Now nine months have gone by, and you are no closer to selling potato chips than you were before. You don’t want to hurt Fred’s feelings, but your chips are going stale. This is one of the major reasons why working with an amateur web designer is a bad idea. There is no reason for Fred to make your website a priority. Here are a few other pitfalls that can occur:
· Final product that wins “Worst Web Design of the Year” award
· Website that looks exactly like two million other sites on the Internet
· A partial website that is never finished
· Website filled with errors, bugs, and security risks
This is just a small list of the more common problems, but the list does go on. Of course not all amateur web designers will create bad websites filled with errors and long delays, but you are more likely to encounter these issues when you get something done for free. For the times when the site is finished, you may find out when it comes time to add a page or make an update that the html code or JavaScript within the site is such a mangled mess that the new developer has no choice but to start over or spend countless hours sorting it out. Either option will be costly.
Part of what makes a website important is its ability to stand out from the crowd. If your cousin creates a website for you with the same appearance as a million others, you will have nothing that differentiates your potato chip company from the organic manure store. This is definitely not a good selling point. With a custom web design your site will stand out and represent your brand. Someone visiting will automatically recognize it as the place to get great potato chips that look like George Washington.
Unlike working with an amateur, a web design company is held accountable for their work by you and other clients. You can get references, review similar websites, get a free quote, and get a contract that states what outcome is expected. In addition, you will have a timeline set that states when the work will be completed.
The biggest savings will come later on when you need to make changes. Unlike the fiasco that Fred left you with, a web design company will help you determine future expansion needs and create a site that allows those to be accomplished with ease. In addition, your web design can incorporate a content management system, so you can make additions to content, add new pictures of your new Abraham Lincoln potato chip, and include a video of you presenting a package of chips to the current president. Try doing this with Fred’s site. I know it is tempting to get the freebie, but before you do something you might regret consider getting a free quote for a custom web design by clicking here.
[ad_2]
by Kim Meredith Smith
