Being a web designer myself, I've often thought of things that my clients could do or say that would greatly improve my performance on the job that I wish they knew about. For your benefit I am about to mention some of those things. Whether you get your web services done by Three TEN Seven or someone else, I would like to share some tips with you on how to get the the most bang for your web design buck.
Write Things Down
HOLD ON A MINUTE. I'm not about to suggest that you write an essay or even a list! But writing down any ideas about your project that come to mind is a great way to jump-start the planning process. So write down ideas; anything that comes to mind about your project. You don't have to have a formal document or even a basic outline but thinking ahead and jotting things down will give you an idea of what you what and will help you go back and revise changes, decreasing your chances of repeating any mistakes or dismissed ideas.
Give these some thought, too: What is your project? What are you trying to accomplish? How do you want it to work? What sort of content do you want to display? These, among others, are all questions that you and your web designer will go over in the project planning stage. In fact, if you have an idea about how to answer these questions before you convey them to your web designer you're in good shape. A web site, no matter how simple, requires careful thought before any work can be done. If a web designer knows your plans before hand the design and implementation process goes much faster and I'll bet, much more accurately to what you actually want. When the process becomes faster and more accurate it tends to save time, money and headaches for both parties.
Who are you?
Be sure that you brief your web designer on who you are, what you do and how your company got started so that they can design a site appropriate to the industry. Your web designer may know everything there is to know about web design but they may not have a clue about your industry so make sure that you tell them. First, you don't want confusion about your expertise, especially if your web designer is also writing your content. Most designers will probably hire a copywriter for you should you need it. Second, getting to know you as a professional client and a person helps your web designer get a feel for what you want. Don't overlook the importance of introducing yourself.
Never Assume Failure
A few years ago I had a client who, I'm convinced, predisposed error after error in communication when telling me what they wanted. To make a long story short; I came to find out that, after much time, money and frustrations that my client had had a sour experience with a previous web designer in the, you guessed it, the communication department. My client had assumed an error in communication before we even started the project. They were nervous about the project because of a past experience which made them unclear and unable to give any direction. This brings me to my next point:
Communication is Key
Your web designer doesn't know what you're thinking and, as in any good relationship -business or otherwise- communication plays a big part! So don't be afraid to communicate what you are looking for in web site and don't be afraid to ask questions. Often times we don't voice our opinions or concerns for fear of sounding or looking stupid; but there are no stupid questions. No matter how small, or irrelevant it may seem, always ask and tell your thoughts to increase your chances at getting you get what you want the first time.
Read the Contract
Other web designers may not care whether you read their entire contract or not but I do and I'll tell you THIS IS IMPORTANT. Once you both understand the terms of the contract you can both talk more comfortably about your ideas and there will no longer be any secrets in the relationship. And the project won't be so one-sided; projects that are all web designer never work out because it can take many tries to figure out what you, the client, want and sometimes a one-sided project will fail altogether leaving you both feeling cheated. Think about it: do one-sided relationships usually last? Take time to read over your web designer's contract before you let your professional relationship blossom.