- The price is right
Once you've found a designer that you're happy with, it's time to nail down a price. Most designers and firms will work on a per-project basis, which means that they will be pay a flat rate for the entire project.
This is probably more advantageous to you as you will know right away how much the site will cost - there's no surprise charges or overtime fees you sometimes find with payment on an hourly rate. You'll probably also have to put down some kind of deposit - anywhere from 20% to 50% of the total cost is typical.
- Get it in writing
Make sure to get it in writing! You don't need to have a contract written up, but it's very important for you (and for your designer) to have the terms of service spelled out, plus payment details and delivery dates.
Once the contract is signed and you've "signed off" (confirmed your approval) on a prototype for your site, let the designer go do the job. Don't hassle them with calls of, "Is it ready?" or "When can I see something?" until the time you've agreed on for delivery has come. You won't be helping the process, and many designers can't stand being called at all hours of the day with questions. It can disrupt their work flow.
- Check and double check
Once the final product has been delivered, go through it with a fine-toothed comb to ferret out any errors (including spelling mistakes!) You usually get a short period of time to makes small changes and fixes, so take advantage of this.
|
