So you need a designer or your WebSite needs some fine-tuning. Who's right for the job?

    Referrals are your safest bet. Ask your business colleagues, or your friends, who built their company's site. You can also visit the websites of companies that match the size of your own. If you like the look of the site, check the site to see if the designer is listed. If not, you'll probably have to make a phone call.

    Then it's time to do your homework. Find out if the designer has his or her own site; they better! Take a good look at it. Often, a website professional's own home page will give you enough insight to save you the time and cost of searching around too much. The site should tell you where they are located and exactly what type of services they provide.

    No one to ask for referrals? You can always turn to the Internet. Online directories can help you locate a website professional located either in your area or worldwide. You'll want to be a bit more vigilant about screening and check your information

    It's not necessary to hire someone near you, since you can view the site through the Internet as it is being built. But, if you feel more comfortable with regular face-to-face contact, then choose a professional in your area. To find the right website professionals, use techniques similar to those you'd use to hire any other type of contractor.

    Look at their past work. Have they worked on websites that resemble the site you have in mind for your company? Do they have adequate samples shown? Look at the contender's own website; if it's not excellent, try another. If they can't effectively market their own services through the Web, how will they market yours?

    Determine who will be doing what. If you are contracting an individual to design your website, find out exactly what services he or she can provide. Are they capable of developing the back-end functions of your website to make it e-commerce ready with a Store Front? Or, are they able to only re-design the look of your site? If you are contracting a web design company, ask about their specific services. Will they be able to take the project from start to finish, or will you need to seek additional contractors to complete the job?

    Finally, it may be a good idea to find out which specific employees will be handling your project, and ask about their experience. By, all means, ask for referrals and multiple samples.

• Were they honest and did they communicate well?  

• Did they meet deadlines if any?  

• Were they flexible and easy to work with? Friendly?  

• Did they set and meet realistic goals for your company? Did they do what they said?  

• Would they ask for this Web Designer again?  

• What team members were responsible for which parts of the site? Us there good organization and timely submission of changes?

    Agree on costs. Communicate fully. How do they charge for their services? By the hour? Flat fees? By the project? Do different team members command different hourly rates? Get a resonable estimate for how long it will take to complete the project, and at what cost. Include the agreed-upon dates in your contract and provisions for what will happen if these dates are not met.

    Are your goals in line? Do each of you seek the same ideal? Confirm that they understand your business objectives and your customer base - don't be afraid to ask important questions. If they dismiss any question as insignificant to the design of your site, find another designer. A good web professional will either come into the interview with a good sense of what your business is about, or will at least be eager to adapt to your instructions. Understand the process of when you don't agree on something.

    Make sure you can review the progress of their work at reasonable intervals as the site is being designed and built. Can you see the progress on a test site? You will have final approval on each stage of the project, or, negotiate some parameters of control.