Selecting your next Web Development firm
Head these five steps when selecting the right web design firm
1. Self Analysis
A good web development firm will work with you in defining your organization's requirements. The better you can define your web development and marketing goals the clearer the result will be and the satisfaction of the end product by both you and the potential web development firm.
A good example of this is: Do you want to convey only essential information on your company, like a brochure, or really promote your whole business - brand, products, services, etc? Does your company need Internet marketing such as Google Adwords PPC or search engine optimization (SEO)? Will your web site speak primarily to new accounts, or will it promote a closer relationship with your existing ones? Do you need an intranet/extranet for partners and/or employees?
For you to find a web design firm best suited for your company, you should be aware of the following:
- The intended goal of the project
- The intended audience for the web site
- The anticipated budget for the web site
- How the project will fit into a larger marketing/corporate scheme
- The individuals/departments within your organization responsible for the project
After you have determined these initial requirements, it is recommended to document them. Use them as a basis for evaluating each web design firm you are considering. This document gives you a benchmark to measure each firm you will be contacting. Correspondingly, a professional web development company will respect the fact you are taking your project seriously.
2. Generate a list
There are a number of ways to search for a web development firm. Each process has its own strengths and weaknesses, filled with variables persistent to the current situation or needs you have. For example, a referral is a great asset when choosing a firm. Keep in mind though this may be biased to different target markets or industry sectors. Equally, a portfolio review is great, but on its own may miss the methodological aspects not visible from the onset (i.e. database or software development). So a combination of the different approaches will be your best choice for finding a web design firm which matches your needs.
Referrals: Ask business acquaintances, friends, and family which web design firm designed the web site for their respective organizations, or if they can otherwise recommend a web design firm. Be inquisitive. Seek out what the individuals responsible liked or disliked about working with the various firms. Some firms are better suited for taking a project on from start to finish. Other web design firms are more inclined to work from an existing model.
Other web sites: Establish the web design firm that is responsible for the web sites of organizations that you admire. These organizations may be your competitors, or in related or unrelated industries. Sometimes the web design firm is included in the site credits, or is listed elsewhere on the web site. If you cannot find the credits on the site itself, contact the organization and ask which web design firm is responsible for the web site.
Once you have gathered a list of potential web design firms you are ready to shave them down to a shortlist.
3. Create a shortlist
From the list of potential firms, your organization's goal should now be to create a shortlist of 3-5 firms that are best suited for your needs. To determine which web design firms are most appropriate for your project, do the following:
Examine the portfolio
Do the projects in the portfolio have a consistent quality? You
may wish to enquire which designers are responsible for the portfolio
pieces you admire most, and confirm that these individuals are still
with the company.
Has the web design company provided solutions to other companies in your industry? Have they dealt with similar challenges you face? These are some important factors to consider.
Thanks to the distributed nature of the Internet, some of the better web design firms have implemented systems that allow them to work with organizations across the globe as easily as organizations across the street. When reviewing the web sites of a web design firm, note the geographical location of their clients. A firm who has worked with clients in many geographical locations will have a more global approach to your site.
Technical competence and experience
Does the web development firm have technical experience for your
requirements (or potential needs) such as ecommerce/ebusiness, Internet
marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), interactive Flash/animation,
or software/database development and system integration? Do they
code their Web pages in compliance with top industry standards (like
W3C)? Is their ecommerce code secure and/or hacker-proof?
Analyze the process
Does the web design firm have a clearly stated process for designing
and developing web sites? Do they spend enough time understanding
your web site goals and planning how those will be achieved, such
as a Needs Analysis? Avoid selecting an individual designer, on
a freelance basis, to design and develop your organization's web
site. It is rare to find a single person capable of handling the
combined visual and technical elements that make an effective web
presence.
Determine what other products/services the Web design company
can offer
What kind of value-added products or services can the design firm
offer? Product Marketing, Pay per Click (PPC) and web site promotion?
Newsletter or email campaigns? If your organization is not currently
dealing with a print design agency, for example, this might be a
factor for dealing with one group over another.
4. Get proposals
Once you have selected your short-list of top web development firms, request that they send you a proposal. Ask that their proposal include an overview of your requirements and their proposed solution. This will help to determine which firm understands your requirements best.
5. Evaluate and select a partner
Begin by examining each proposal individually. Before dealing with the content, evaluate the format and presentation of the proposal. The winning firm will be creating your organization's image on the Internet, viewable to millions of Internet users. How do they present themselves? Do they communicate with you using their Web site and digital documents?
Make sure they can be a long-term partner. Have they been in business for several years, being stable and profitable? Do they have a list of clients and projects that you can confirm? Having an outsourced interactive agency as a partner has many benefits: expertise and experience in Internet marketing/SEO, software development and integration skills, and the flexibility of resources on tap.
After your organization has reviewed all proposals, compare them with each other. How do they fare in terms of presentation? How do their processes appear in terms of project management?
Once you have made a decision, contact the top web development firm and let them know the good news.