KMJ Web Design

FAQs

• What types of customers have you worked with?

  Our clientele ranges from small business to government entities. We have done several projects for the entertainment industry as well as education, retail & community/non-profits.

• What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

  At KMJ Web Design we believe that our experience and friendly service can’t be beat. However, we do encourage a potential client to seek other bids from various web designers to find your perfect fit. It’s important to know what to look for during your decision process. We have prepared the following items to consider when reviewing multiple bids. Attitude 1. A good designer will work with you to earn your business. That should include considerations like a free consultation, complete and thorough explanation of the development process, and regular status reports throughout the project. 2. Look for a positive and constructive attitude. You'll need to work with this person, and if they are uncooperative or if their manner is off-putting, your website will not meet your goals or expectations. Don’t be swayed by their price or impressive portfolio alone. Experience 1. Experience is important, but some veteran designers may not be current on the latest web design standards. Make sure your designer is using current technologies/programming to build your website, such as XHTML, CSS and Javascript. This will also help in your search engine rankings as sites like Google can more easily scan your code for the keyword rich content it needs to properly index your website. 2. Know what you need your website to be. Will it be an online store, a company brochure, or informational site? Make sure you choose a designer has the ability to properly display your products and/or services. Some web designers service niche markets such as real estate and may not be a good fit for your product, so be on the lookout for someone who can show you a diverse portfolio that can demonstrate their flexibility in design and layout. Skill 1. Beware of the one-man design shop. If you choose a web design company that is comprised of just one person, don’t assume that they maintain all the knowledge they need to do the work for your website. It would be next to impossible for any one person to be proficient in all aspects of web development. 2. If they tell you they can do it all, be cautious as this means they could end up doing poor work leading to expensive problems later. The web designer you choose should be backed by individuals who specialize in specific areas of web development such as PHP, Flash, Ajax, SEO, content writing, and graphic design. Pricing 1. Before you start, establish a budget and let your designer know. This should be an important expense for your company and provides an opportunity for your customers to see what you do before they decide to contact you so it’s important to stand out on the web. 2. Since this may be an expensive outlay for your company, make sure you know exactly what you are getting for your money. Does the price include graphic design and copywriting? What about web hosting or periodic updates? Your web designer should be willing to clarify all of this to you. 3. Cheaper is not always best. When choosing the cheapest quote you may get a good site, but we find customer service tends to lack significantly. You could find that when you need to get a hold of your designer, they can be hard to reach. 4. An estimate of $5-10 per page is extremely cheap. You should expect to pay around $100-$200 per page for a standard HTML/CSS website. Expect to pay more if there is a lot of programming, animation, content writing, or graphic design involved. 5. An estimate of $500 or more per page is extremely expensive for a straight HTML/CSS website. If you get an estimate in that range from a designer you otherwise like, explore with them why they are charging so much. You may find that you're getting additional programming even though you didn't know it. 6. Don't be surprised if the designer asks for some money up front to cover their initial expenses. This should range anywhere from 33%-50% and be wary if they ask for anymore than that. This is considered unprofessional and may indicate a scam in the making. 1. Make sure your designer uses a contract. Contracts ensure protection for both parties, and both are at risk if you don't have your agreement in writing. A typical web design contract should include: a. Description detailing the full scope of work. b. Dates, times, and deadlines for the project. c. The total estimated cost and invoicing procedures. d. Boilerplate language for how the contract would be adjudicated. e. Complete contact information for the designer including email, phone and mailing address. 2. Your designer should be willing to work with you on the contract terms in the event you find something unfavorable. If they have a standard contract and are not willing to modify it for any reason, then you should consider someone more reasonable.