TIPS:
- Be sure to have a clear vision of your business. filling out a mission statement, target market and other business plan neccessities is essential to having a clear vision of what you want and running a successful business.
- Be sure to have original images to use for your site. Using images from google, even when altered, is copyright infringement and could cause legal issues. I am more than happy to create graphics that visually exemplify your vision without images, however using original images of your work makes a larger impact.
- Professional images help elevate peoples perception of your business and there are ways to find photographers all over the world who can help you with this for a fee or for trade.
- RESEARCH! The more you know about your business or yourself, the easier it is to explain what you want and the more likely you will be successful.
- Don't be afraid to ask questions! I'm open to email/skype or text with you to answer any questions you have.
- KEEP IT PROFESSIONAL. KEEP IT SIMPLE!
A LOT of people come to me wanting to throw everything but the kitchen sink into a website and thats never a good idea. Pick 1 to 2 fonts to use, pick 2-3 brand colors, use ONE LOGO and most importantly, keep EVERYTHING CONSISTENT. Websites need to be easy to navigate and display the attitude and feeling of your brand. If you add too much, it makes the credibility of your brand go down.
Having a website like Raquel Reed's where every page is a different layout works great for portfolio sites and people selling themselves, but when it comes to shop/retail websites, the best possible thing to do is keep it to ONE layout where the content changes for each page. It feels familiar to people and will help people navigate the site to shop efficiently. Too much fluff confuses buyers.
- DON'T be afraid to ask for advice or opinions! Often, critiques from friends and strangers on things like website professionalism and user friendly navigation is best reflected off of other people who have used the internet before. A fresh pair of eyes ALWAYS helps. Be OPEN to critique, it will help you grow.
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FAQ's:
- My general web design process goes as follows:
You tell me about your business, what you expect, navigation links(i.e. home, bio, gallery) and i create a layout based on that information.
Once we make changes and you approve the layout, you will then send me all of the written and picture content for each page. At this point you will send the first payment to me via paypal or snail mail check or money order.
After you send me all of the content, it will take 2-4 weeks for me to put it all together. I will send you screenshots of each page along the way to approve or make changes.
Once each page is approved and you give me the FTP info, i will launch the website live! After the website is live, you will send the other half of the payment.
- When aquiring a website you need 3 things minimum. A designer to create the website, a domain name and a hosting site. You can buy domain names at websites such as godaddy.com. it takes 2 months for domain names to clear before you can use them so be sure to buy it as soon as possible! Hosting can be bought from multiple websites including godaddy, however there are many cheaper hosting sites out there that offer the same service. you need to buy this in order for the designer to upload your website to the internet. if you have any questions about this i would be happy to help you through it if you decide to hire me as your designer. :)
- if at any point it is taking me longer than usual to reply to an email, please send me a friendly reminder email! sometimes emails slip through the cracks and i need to be reminded. reminder emails always help me stay on top of things so it helps a lot.
- I personally will NOT take on projects that require me to edit another designers existing work. I only feel comfortable associating my name with projects where i fully design the work.
- I will not take on websites that are: Pay Sites, Porn Sites or require expertese i am not proficent in.
- I'm flattered that you love "so-and-so's" website or designs that i did, but i will NOT recreate it or copy it for you. I make each design custom for each person and i will do the same for you. Would you like it if someone wanted to copy and use your website? didn't think so.
if you have any questions for the FAQ's section, email me at chelseatavis@gmail.com
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