Stars

The content is already all there, just need to redesign the site to make it look more like 2007 and less like 1997. What’s a fair price to ask?

It depends on many factors.

1. Your skill level (the less you have, the less you can charge)

2. Is the site Static or Dynamic (does it require a database etc…)

3. Budget

4. Your time

I’ve been doing web development for 10 years, I am very skilled in ASP, PHP, ColdFusion, etc… So a basic site I usually charge about 1500, but for a dynamic database driven site, I can charge up to 30,000. Again, if you don’t have a lot of skill/experience, you have no right to charge alot. I would assume,since you are asking about pricing, that you haven’t done many sites, so I would say a 200 or so. But if you’ve done a lot of sites (for actual clients, not in general), then you should charge more. All in all, only you can determine what your time is worth, but don’t price what you can’t back up. So don’t charge them 3000 for a basic site, if you can’t give them that much work.

Just trying to see examples or if there is even a such thing as a standard in website requirement documentation. This is the document handed to the development company that plays the role of a guideline for development and design needs, rules and requirements.

Most often teh development company does their own analysis and creates their own documentation.

If you want to create a document for them, keep in mind they may only use it as a reference to ask you more questions - but it’s a good idea.

You want to briefly give an overview of what the website is.

You want to state what you are hoping the website will gain for you (the objetives)

You’ll want to discuss the elements of the site in specific. IE:
you want a registration form; that submits an email to you as well as the registrant, saves data in a database that can be used for reporting.

Task out what you must absolutely have for the website to work, then state what you would really want to have, but may not get until a future release.

If the website will replace a business process, then document the process as to how it works right now so the developer knows how to automate it.

For Example: Receptionist gives Sales department the gold copy, and the Accounting deparment the green copy, the white copy is left with the customer and the blue copy is filed.

(This could translate into an application that stores dat in a database and emails the sales,accounting and can be referenced via reporting tools. - and prints out the page so the receptionist can give the customer a copy; maybe the customer will also get an email…)

Keep in mind of features that would be handy… for example your reporting page may list all the registrants - but it’d be nice if you can sort by first name, last name, postal code, or date registered.
And all options should sub-sort by last name, except last name which should subvsort by first name…

Well hopefully you get the idea.

Realistically the developing company should ask you the questions about how the website should perform the tasks you want and create their own document.

I’m looking for a good local Web design company in Kalamazoo, MI. Any suggestions?

Do yourself a favor and pick someone who also knows about marketing. A lot of web designers charge an arm and a leg for a site and then it doesn’t do anything to help the business owner put extra money in their bank account. So what’s the point? "Build It And They Will Come" does not apply here.

No point in spending hundreds, maybe even thousands, of dollars for a website if no one is able to find it.

This is why it’s important to work with someone who knows about marketing as well.

Few tips for your site….use an opt in form to grab your visitors contact email. Use an autoresponder service like Aweber for this. This way you can communicate with past and potential customers whenever you want.

Also be sure to put a call to action on every page of your site. People are lazy. You need to tell them exactly what you want them to do next. Whether it’s call you, email you, come into your store, whatever. Just get them to take the next step.

Also, be sure to include the most important info above the fold (what the visitors see without having to scroll).

Oh, and try to avoid flash. Web designers LOVE flash because it looks pretty. But, it slows down loading times and people have little patience, especially online. All they have to do is hit the back button and you lost them forever.

Hope this helps.

Web design, e-commerce, blog, informational?

web design and blog

I am interested in knowing where to go for this type of work in Belize?

We actually run an Internet consulting/ web design company in Belize so you may be interested in our services. We work with Belizean business to make sure they have a professional, attractive, and strong internet presence. Our main focus is not just design but also being found (search engine optimization (SEO), internet marketing, and e-mail marketing). I don’t want to take up space here but if you want to see our work or contact us please go to http://www.trustwsisolutions.com/OurWebsites.asp?PId=49550. There are also two other main companies in Belize who do this kind of work: Naturalight and Netkom as well as some smaller companies through out the country. Hope this is helpful. Good luck!

What are some of the important things that you as a client would look for when choosing a designer for your website?

Thanks for your help and input

Braydon.

When I was looking for a designer I looked for 1. Other websites that they designed and if it was similar in style and taste to what I was looking for. 2. Price. 3. After talking with the person did I feel that he was listening to what I was saying or just giving me the runaround to get my business. 4. How often was the designer willing to update and change my website.

I guess that’s pretty much the most important things for me.

Unfortunately, the price thing got to me for the website I have now so I’m doing it myself.

I have a school project in which you are supposed to spend a day with someone of your chosen profession. Since Web Developers often don’t have an official work place, I am only required to find someone to answer some questions about the job. (10-20 questions) Is anyone willing to share? I would be very grateful. If you are, I can conduct the entire interview through the Yahoo! Anwers private messaging service, so you wouldn’t have to post/give out your email.

sure, Florida private web developer. I have built products and worked in state government contracting.

i have got a website that uses PHP, i ned to upload it on to a server, i dont want to use freewebbs.
what other ones are there?

For free web hosting, I would recommend going with http://www.weebly.com. They are pretty easy to use in creating web pages. But I would recommend using http://www.zymic.com/ if you are going to need it for a php site. I am pretty certain that they have options for free hosting that supports php.

If you were a small/medium sized business owner and you needed a website, what would you look for in any website developer which you come across to decide if they is/are the right one?

A varied portfolio — a few designers’ portfolios I’ve checked out have shown different sites that all look more or less the same. If I’m spending more than $40 for a template download, I want a commensurate level of attention paid to the project.

Not underpriced. No free samples, which believe it or not I’ve actually been offered. Makes me wonder how much their time is really worth if they’re willing to give it away.

I don’t care one way or another if they work out of their home or a commercial space.

A questionnaire provided to me to fill out stating the site’s goals, basic features I require like product descriptions and pricing, wishlist features, whether I will provide artwork or if I need you to create new images, etc. Then once you have an idea of what I’m shooting for, you can break down estimated fees and time required.

A realistic schedule laid out, and firm deadlines for the different stages of development. A point of conflict I’ve noticed between designers and clients is different expectations of how long a project like this takes.

Basically I’d want to know they have their financial and creative house in order before proceeding. A professional who laid out their own expectations and their expectations of me would win me over. If someone walked through my door and asked for a flat rate for a small site without really talking with me about it, I’d think they were total novices and that they’d be using me to learn on.

Hello, I am a Mac user and I am starting a web site. What are the appropriate tools to create, design and develop websites on a Mac?

If you are running Mac OS 10.5 Leopard, it comes preinstalled with iLife ‘08, which includes iWeb, a simple to use, decent web designing tool. If you don’t have OS 10.5, try searching for iWeb in Spotlight or Finder. something should show up unless you don’t have iLife on your Mac. Also, you could use Dreamweaver CS3 from Adobe for Mac for serious web developing.