We can define a Web designer as a consultant who makes his living by solving different business problems with design solutions.
So, what should you do when working with a web designer?
How can you manage the relationship with your web designer during and after the project to maximize your benefit?
Let’s say that you have an idea for a project and you need to hire a web designer since you are not an expert in design or programming. Maybe you have already found a web designer who is eager to accept you as a customer, and he seems quite knowledgeable and experienced.
Now you just need to follow these tips to achieve the maximum effectiveness in your relationship with this web designer and get the full value of this investment.
Believe in your web designer skills:
Since you have hired a web designer and you explained your goals and desired results, now you should leave the rest to them.
This doesn’t mean that you have no right in giving opinions or comments or changing what the final site looks like, because in every good web design process there should be a space of communication and discussion between the web designer and the owner.
The point is that you shouldn’t start with a fixed preconceived ideas about how the final site should look like. You should always remember that your web designer has actually an experience of several years in working in this domain, not only that but also a previous and professional knowledge that support their design choices. Don’t fall into the trap of being so detailed about the design process and ending up by hiring a robot who execute your commands.
Be clear about your goals:
The first thing you should keep in mind is that a hired web designer will bring to the table different solutions for your business problems. But remember… it’s your responsibility to create success, not theirs, so don’t expect from a web designer to tell you how to create a 100% successful business model.
That’s why you should have a clear idea about your goals concerning this business. You need to know Why you want to create a website, who are you targeting, and how you will measure the success or failure of your site.
For instance, you may need a website to offer some kind of media services such as math courses for grades from 3rd grade to 8th grade. (This is your “why”).
Your target is students who are in grades from 3rd to 8th grade. (This is your “who”).
You can measure the success of your business by the number of people who will join your courses and pay fees for their membership. (This is your “how”).
To ensure the maximum effectiveness of your web designer, you need to define your goals clearly and tell your web designer about them.
Treat others the same way you want them to treat you:
This is the golden rule for any successful relationship, whether it is personal or professional. When you hire a web designer, you expect them to deliver their work before a specific deadline. You should be punctual in your dealings with your designer, in order for him to stick to the timetable you put together.
For example, if you promise to deliver content or some kind of information to your web designer, make sure to stick to the commitment because time is money for everyone.
Keep in mind that your designer may have other projects to work on, so don’t be a reason for his delay because you wouldn’t like to be treated this way!
Let your web designer justify his choices:
So, believe in your web designer and let him do his job, then you can ask for justifications, because of an “educated” customer, is always a good customer.
You can ask questions like: “why did you put that button at the top of the page and not at the end?” or “why did you use this color for the font?”
If your designer is a professional one, he will give you real convincing answers for your questions and rational justifications for his choices.
You should also keep in mind that web designers usually love to share their experience gained through the years with you. So make sure to learn some tricks and hacks from them!
Be flexible and clear about your budget:
If your web designer asked you about your budget, make sure to avoid an ambiguous answer like saying: “I don’t know…” that’s because hazy answers won’t do you any good.
Keep in mind that buying a website is not as easy as getting a pair of shoes. You actually get a product that matches the money you’ve paid. So if you have a tight budget for your website, don’t hesitate to tell your web designer… he will do his best to achieve your desired goals in an effective strategy.
Similarly, if you want to allocate a higher budget to your website, your designer will plan on adding elements that make your site shine.
