Small Business Website Design & Hosting

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. When hiring a web service professional (web designer, webmaster, etc.) I would ask 3 basic questions:

1) How long have you been in business?

2) Can you provide specific-examples of projects you've completed similar to mine?

3) Are you able to produce at least 3 recent, verifiable customer references?

There are many other project-specific questions you need to ask a prospective web service professional. But if he or she is unable to answer these basic questions it's probably a good idea to move on to the next one.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. As a buyer, you should define the business-case for your website and the objectives of the project. You don't need to know exactly what technologies to use in the design of your site--your web professional will assist with that.

But a solid business-case will help ensure you keep design costs reasonable and the website useful. And a well-defined list of objectives for the project will help your designer better understand your requirements from the get-go.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. My work at Nolan Interactive stands out because my team produces simple, clean and straightforward website designs. It's also one of the few firms in the Northeastern U.S. with expertise in customizing e-commerce solutions using Interspire's Shopping Cart and BigCommerce products. In addition, the company is quite adept at designing and developing custom Wordpress themes.

But mostly, Nolan Interactive is known for how well it supports customers after the initial sale. I understand how important it is for the owner of a small business to hire a web professional he or she can rely on. A firm that is capable of, and willing to, treat the relationship like a long-term partnership.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I judge my job based on how much I enjoy it and how much energy it either gives me, or takes out of me. The one aspect of my job that I both enjoy and gain energy from is working with my customers whether it be in-person, or on the phone.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. One thing I wish customers knew about the web design profession is the sheer amount of time required to produce a good project. I'm not just referring to the time that appears on a project Estimate. I'm also referring to the time required to research the latest web technologies, trends as well as learning new skills.