How do you know when you've found the right design firm?

Choosing the right design firm to design your website is one of the most important decisions you will ever make for your business. But where do you begin? The first thing you need to do is to plan out your website. You do not need a web design firm to help you with this. Follow these few rules and you will be well on your way!

1) Start by identifying your target audience (the people who will be visiting your website) and listing some goals you want to achieve.  Put yourself in the shoes of your customers. Ask yourself,  if I were to visit my own website, what would I want to experience. 

2) Take a look at some other sites in your industry to get an idea of the features and functionalities you will need. Study some design styles. Do you want your website to be corporate, elegant or fun and edgy! However, keep in mind the ultimate goal of your website. The last thing you want are a bunch of cool bells and whistles that make your website overbearing. 

3) Start looking online for some web design firms. The best place to start is Google. Use some general search terms like "web designer in your (enter city here)". This is a good indication whether the firm does good search engine optimization. If the web design firm you are looking for can't be found in Google, that should tell you something.

4) Narrow your search down to 3 firms. Take a look at their website and most importantly their portfolio. Check to see if there are any websites in their portfolio that resembles your style preference. Check for the "live links" to see how the site displays on your computer. Ask if you can speak to some of their customers.

5) Contact the firm and/or submit an online questionnaire.  The cost of a website varies greatly depending on the type of website you want. The key here is that it's important to do most of the work on your own to help speed up the process.